To round off a very busy year I will be going to the USA, Hong Kong and Japan  in December,  starting off with a visit to Michigan and the wonderful Brass Band of Battle Creek, for 2 Christmas concerts on Friday and Saturday 6/7 December (see www.bbbc.net)

The first of these concerts is in the new high school auditorium in Marshall, and the Saturday evening concert back in our normal venue of the Kellogg Auditorium in Battle Creek.  This time the band will be conducted by Michael Garasi.  I'm delighted to be giving the brassband premiere of the new duet  by Tom Devorah for trumpet and euphonium.  The title is Ascension and I'm honoured to be able to play this with my friend and colleague Chris Jaudes.

 Following my days in Michigan I will be travelling directly to Hong Kong to give a recital with piano,  a masterclass  and conduct and perform with a brand-new brass band entitled Festival Brass.  These should be very exciting times in Hong Kong (10-14).

 From Hong Kong I go directly to Japan,  and fly to Hiroshima to rehearse and then perform with an excellent University Wind Orchestra where I'll be performing the Diamond Concerto  by Philip Sparke,  as well as performing with piano.

 Then I move to Osaka,  to give a masterclass and perform with the Phoenix Euphonium ensemble,  comprising 8 outstanding players, all playing Besson euphoniums.  I've heard this group before and they are excellent.  I will be performing the final movement of the Euphonium Concerto by Vladimir Cosma,  accompanied by this group!!  Also I'll play a few other contrasting works and play one or two ensemble pieces with them.

 From there  I'll head to Tokyo to take part in a very special concert organised and starring Ryuji Ushigami,  an excellent euphonium player and teacher that I've known for many years in Japan.  I will perform a few items in this concert,  including the Fantasy Rondo by Bourgeois,  Gypsy Airs by Sarasate  and Varied Moved by Ray Woodfield. 

 I will then travel with Misa, my fiance, to the South West of Japan to the city of Kumamoto to meet her family for the first time.  Of all the concerts during this tour, this last leg will probably be the most stressful for me! 

 We will both arrive back in the UK mid-evening on Christmas Eve,  for a short break of day or so before we start rehearsals with the pianist Tomoko Sawano,  for 2 CD recordings right at the beginning of January.

 It's been quite a year,  with many new experiences both musical and otherwise.  I feel very blessed to be doing what I do with the euphonium,  and being able to travel the world and meet so many wonderful people is something that I never take for granted.  I enjoy so much my teaching at the RNCM and feel a huge responsibility to work with the talented students there.  Looking ahead to 2014,  there are some very  exciting events on the horizon,  including my wedding on March 22 !  Before that I will be spending 10 days teaching in Brasilia in January,  a two-week US university tour in Texas in February, followed by concerts in Germany, Latvia Italy, Thailand, Japan, as well as the ITEC in Indiana in May, the Low Brass Boot Camp in the USA at the beginning of June, summer masterclasses in Italy, Lithuania, as well as a three-week tour of Australia in July. , at the end of August I will be touring  as a soloist in the UK with the Youth Brass Band of upper Austria,  25th of August to 1st September.

  My new CD entitled 'Pearls', with the Central Band of the Royal Air Force,  will be released at the beginning of February.  I'm very excited about this disc.

 There are still dates free in the diary so anyone interested in hosting a masterclass, recital or concert, please get in touch as soon as possible !!

 Best regards, seasons greetings, happy holidays to all my friends, euphonium colleagues all over the world !