The organist librarian

Swam, Mass, meeting with Mrs Boyle at BTG and plans for public speaking heat well in hand. Great to have the boys with us this week and they took art work and origami home. Mick came. Liz went with Henry to Gambado which they all enjoyed. Early to the hall so ate at the Union. The talk on Bruckner 5 was anarchic. Benjamin Grosvenor played Mozart 21 and a Rachmaninoff encore. Sakari conducted the Bruckner very well indeed.

Took the boys to Crystal palace to see the dinosaurs. Once we reached the sandpit I left to get the train from the station  - quite  a walk to get there. I collected Liz's camera from Peter Jones - 10 minute wait! Popped into Holy Trinity and saw Tak Man Chow and Peter practising with Margaret Phillips for recital today. The Prom at Cadogan hall was Ben Grosvenor playing Chopin, Mompou, Ravel, Judith Weir and Liszt. He is excellent. The man next to me told me about drawing sessions at the National Gallery at 1 p.m. on Fridays - his name is Roger. Saw John East and Colin Hartley and his wife. Listened to Walton symphony No. 1 from the Proms and Peter Maxwell Davies Prom. To Catenians and one visiting gentleman Anthony Sorrell was there. Nice to see Gerry Haines again and Derrick spoke about family history. Picked up Liz who had driven the boys home and went to the RPO's Prom.

To pre prom intro to the concert with Rachel Leach and RPO members plus lots of youngsters from RCM and others. RPO conducted by Charles Dutoit Delius Paris, Saint-Saens 2 played by Benjamin Grosvenor (now 20) and Tchaik 5. Liz missed it as she took her computer to Westfield about the battery - problem not solved. Had an ice cream when I got to Acton. Wed Assumption to mass at Acton. Priest adding to the canon, prayers before the Creed! A singer and organ in awful Victorian hymns to Mary including at communion. How one loves the Irish - they can be so stupid about liturgy. Come dine with me. It was a bit wet but we did take Ciarán for an ice cream and a kick around in the park. To pre prom discussion with Marin Alsop, director of Sao Paolo orchestra and Cathy Graham head of music at British council. 61% of audience in Sao Paolo do not pay and 100,000 children go to the concert hall each year with proper preparation. I did not get a reply to how many go in London - I suspect only the po...