Post by david on Sept 22, 2007 20:24:35 GMT
Hi everyone, 
As promised a fuller story of the concert on Thursday! After meeting Andrew in Peebles, we drove down together to Langholm (through some of the heaviest rain I have ever seen!!
) and arrived in the town with time to spare. A bit of preparation, and we went to the centre and were able to take our seats, in what was a packed auditorium we were sooo lucky to get front row seats right in the middle that could hardly have been closer to the action on stage!! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif Anyway, Fiona and the other musicians came on first, followed by Hayley herself, who opened the concert with a wonderful performance of Pokarekare Ana. After this she introduced the band, Fiona on the violin, Misha Marks on the guitar and Ian Tilley on the piano. She then followed with the Cacinni version of Ave Maria, and then sang Scarborough Fair, which is definitely one of my all time favourite songs, and one that she always performs beautifully.
After this, Hayley then proceeded to leave the stage to allow Fiona to perform a couple of pieces she had written, one a tango piece called “Tangissimo” (hope I spelt that right!) and another piece called “Memories of Martin and Mary”, dedicated to a couple she met when travelling in Ireland. All I can say is… WOWWWW!! Don’t think I’ll ever see anyone else dance with a violin on stage like that!! Hayley then came back on and did the beautiful Lascia Ch’io Pianga (Let Me Weep Over My Cruel Fate, a reference to the likely outcome of the Scotland-All Blacks rugby match! 
), then Prayer, and then Danny Boy, which of course had a special meaning for her.
Following the interval, Fiona opened the second half with another three pieces. After she had finished performing, to rapturous applause from the audience, Hayley came on to the stage in her stunning green dress. She started with May It Be from Lord Of The Rings, then Shenandoah (not all 97 verses!), followed by a perfect performance of Summer Fly, then another personal favourite The Water Is Wide, Santa Lucia, which comes across as being terrific fun to sing, In Trutina from Carmina Burana, then finished with most of the band with an emotional performance of Hine e Hine. Following this, Hayley and Ian came back on stage and did Amazing Grace, which went down very well with the audience.
What particularly struck me throughout the concert was just how much Hayley has matured as a performer. She truly captured the emotion and power of the music, and you could feel she was putting her heart and soul into every one of the songs she performed.
At the end we waited briefly before Hayley came over to us, she seemed suitably impressed with Andrew’s kilt! (Who wouldn’t be??) For me at least, as this was my second time meeting her, this felt more like a re-acquaintance with a friend, I’m sure Andrew would have felt similar. She was the same wonderful person we have all come to love and cherish, coming across as happy with where she was, and we were able to spend a fair time chatting with her. Thanks to Andrew having a working camera (my batteries were unfortunately flat by then 
…there’s always next time) we were able to capture some great images of the evening.
By the end of the evening we were both delirious and drove back to Peebles, thankfully under a starry night this time, and with an impromptu rendition of Fly Me To The Moon!! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif Eventually we arrived there where I got picked up by my Dad and went back home to Edinburgh.
All in all, I feel honoured and privileged to have been able to attend this concert in my home country, and the memories will last for a long time indeed. Hayley, if you read this, thank you for a truly wonderful evening, which I will always remember and treasure.
Best wishes to Hayley and all,
David
As promised a fuller story of the concert on Thursday! After meeting Andrew in Peebles, we drove down together to Langholm (through some of the heaviest rain I have ever seen!!
) and arrived in the town with time to spare. A bit of preparation, and we went to the centre and were able to take our seats, in what was a packed auditorium we were sooo lucky to get front row seats right in the middle that could hardly have been closer to the action on stage!! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif Anyway, Fiona and the other musicians came on first, followed by Hayley herself, who opened the concert with a wonderful performance of Pokarekare Ana. After this she introduced the band, Fiona on the violin, Misha Marks on the guitar and Ian Tilley on the piano. She then followed with the Cacinni version of Ave Maria, and then sang Scarborough Fair, which is definitely one of my all time favourite songs, and one that she always performs beautifully. After this, Hayley then proceeded to leave the stage to allow Fiona to perform a couple of pieces she had written, one a tango piece called “Tangissimo” (hope I spelt that right!) and another piece called “Memories of Martin and Mary”, dedicated to a couple she met when travelling in Ireland. All I can say is… WOWWWW!!
Don’t think I’ll ever see anyone else dance with a violin on stage like that!! Hayley then came back on and did the beautiful Lascia Ch’io Pianga (Let Me Weep Over My Cruel Fate, a reference to the likely outcome of the Scotland-All Blacks rugby match! 
), then Prayer, and then Danny Boy, which of course had a special meaning for her. Following the interval, Fiona opened the second half with another three pieces. After she had finished performing, to rapturous applause from the audience, Hayley came on to the stage in her stunning green dress. She started with May It Be from Lord Of The Rings, then Shenandoah (not all 97 verses!), followed by a perfect performance of Summer Fly, then another personal favourite The Water Is Wide, Santa Lucia, which comes across as being terrific fun to sing, In Trutina from Carmina Burana, then finished with most of the band with an emotional performance of Hine e Hine. Following this, Hayley and Ian came back on stage and did Amazing Grace, which went down very well with the audience.
What particularly struck me throughout the concert was just how much Hayley has matured as a performer. She truly captured the emotion and power of the music, and you could feel she was putting her heart and soul into every one of the songs she performed.
At the end we waited briefly before Hayley came over to us, she seemed suitably impressed with Andrew’s kilt! (Who wouldn’t be??
) For me at least, as this was my second time meeting her, this felt more like a re-acquaintance with a friend, I’m sure Andrew would have felt similar. She was the same wonderful person we have all come to love and cherish, coming across as happy with where she was, and we were able to spend a fair time chatting with her. Thanks to Andrew having a working camera (my batteries were unfortunately flat by then 
…there’s always next time) we were able to capture some great images of the evening.By the end of the evening we were both delirious and drove back to Peebles, thankfully under a starry night this time, and with an impromptu rendition of Fly Me To The Moon!! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif Eventually we arrived there where I got picked up by my Dad and went back home to Edinburgh.
All in all, I feel honoured and privileged to have been able to attend this concert in my home country, and the memories will last for a long time indeed. Hayley, if you read this, thank you for a truly wonderful evening, which I will always remember and treasure.
Best wishes to Hayley and all,
David
She'll probably see the match on TV though. 
