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27.05.20 – Darrell Priestley
Today, an apology. We appear to be having problems receiving some emails. This only came to light yesterday when someone we hadn’t heard from since shortly before lockdown began finally reached us by telephone at work. They had been visiting our website, and trying to get hold of us over a period of around 8 weeks. Rachael, you get ten out of ten for persistence! I can only apologise to anyone affected, and assure you that we will be working to resolve the problem as soon as possible. In the meantime, I will include telephone contact details below.
In order to set up the system for teaching online, it was necessary for us to make changes to the way we operate, which included porting our entire email system to a new provider. Since this point, we think it possible that some messages to the usual address may not have been received, though as yet we don’t know if this has been a problem for others. If you too have encountered problems reaching us by email at the usual , then for now, please use the following email address: [email protected]
In the first weeks of lockdown, we were handling emails at all times, but amidst everything else this became overwhelming, and so for the present we try to handle emails on business days; if your email comes in on a Sunday, for instance , there may be a delay before we see it and respond. For current business times, please see below.
During lockdown, we spent the first 8 weeks working from home, and had intended to use our business telephone from home to make communication easier. However, we hit technical problems, which meant that this has so far not been possible. During this time, we had an answerphone system operating on the business telephone line, and of course email. However, the email issue noted above may have made things a whole lot more difficult for some of you, and I am so sorry for this.
Currently, Eileen and I are back at our Ropergate address, and working in a closed building. In case you need us, official telephone hours are presently as follows:
Mon/Tues – 11.00am – 5.00pm
Wednesday – Closed
Thurs/Fri – 11.00am – 5.00pm
Sat/Sun – Closed
Tel. 01977 797422
These hours are fairly basic; it may be possible to reach us outside of the times shown, but it is much less likely; equally, since much of the time I am teaching online, and Eileen may be on the other line or simply away from her desk, you may not always reach us at first try. Please bear in mind, it is possible to leave a message.
24.05.20 – Darrell Priestley
We live in an age of reflection, which is a valuable thing if you stop and think about it. Certainly, it’s something that doesn’t happen often, in fact I can’t imagine another time when so many people stopped to consider their lives, the way we live, and where we might be headed, all at the same time. Surely, this must give rise to some brilliant quotes?
I was pleased just now to see someone saying, “My post corona goal is to have fewer possessions and more valuables”. I have a lot of sympathy with that view, and feel the urge to respond with “Spend less, live more”. Meanwhile, as wildlife expert Chris Packham says, ”While we’ve been locked down, nature has been ramping it up”.
One of my favourite quotes from 2020, though pre-pandemic, is by Gary Young: Imagine a world in which you might thrive, for which there is no evidence. And then fight for it. That seems somehow more appropriate now than ever. What phrase have you heard that summed things up for you? Was there a memorable one you found pithy, thoughtful or wry? One that made you think, or fired up your imagination? Perhaps you have come up with one or two yourself. Here are some I can imagine people saying.
”Those care home workers who moved in are beyond amazing.”
”A lockdown in time saves your life and mine.”
”Now, what they should have done, is…”
”In a contest like this, no-one wins unless everyone wins.”
”Ooh, what I wouldn’t give right now for a proper coffee.”
”Heroes are just ordinary people doing extraordinary things.”
”Turns out, I really like this clean air. Can we keep it?”
”Why didn’t they do something sooner?”
”Doctor, W.H.O. could describe half the guests on TV right now.”
”It’s people that matter.”
”I just hope my favourite shops/cafe/hairdresser will still be there.”
”After this, I’d like to work closer to home.”
”A National Youth Corps could really help young people right now.”
”What I’m most looking forward to is…”
”Do you suppose I could opt for a four day week?”
”I just can’t wait to see my family again.”
Now, if you need a laugh amidst all this, check out this video, introduced by Seth MacFarlane and featuring Tony Shalhoub reprising his TV role as germophobe crime fighter, Adrian Monk. Anyone familiar with his ‘defective detective’ will love it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4W2xmqjvx4
21.05.20 – Darrell Priestley
It’s 21st May, and light enough (just) to walk around the garden at 3.47am without falling over the watering can left on the lawn, provided it is not a perfect colour match for the fading grass. How do I know this? I wake up at funny times, and of late, the first thing I can think about is the veggies. But don’t feel sorry for me, the garden has been sustaining me, and that’s before it really swings around to food production. At this point, everything is still little, except the potato plants, runner beans and sweet corn, which are all romping away, but growing things is just so uplifting that sometimes I’m out pottering in the garden until you can no longer make out the seeds you are trying to sow.
Right now it’s like nature has just hit us. People everywhere are noticing things around them. Why are the birds singing so enthusiastically this spring, for instance? Do they know something? Maybe they have noticed the cleaner air, but more likely it is simply us noticing them more. And this is happening all around us. As we have detatched ourselves from our routines, from the treadmill of having to be a certain place at a certain time, we are many of us out doors more often, and cue the nature show! Not only birds, but bugs, spiders, leaves, flowers, exciting growth and skies so blue! By 4.45am dawn looks amazing, (er, no, I don’t know anyone called ‘Dawn’), and you look out the window and think, wow, here we go again, another brand new fabulous day.
Even the Americans are getting in on it. My great friend and US correspondent, Vicki in Connecticut whom I used to teach way back, wrote yesterday to say she and her husband had set out their garden with veggies, and other than that they were pretty much not going out, but they sound as excited as we are with their plan to put food on the table. Good luck to them, I think they will have success. And everybody is doing it! Folks are planting strawberries in hanging baskets and tubs, herbs out on the patio and the kitchen window ledge, tomato plants just outside the back door, peas and beans where they can find a few old garden canes and the odd bit of netting for support and protection. But watch out for those pigeons!
While we are feeling all environmentally aware, its easier than usual to think about what we have versus what we would like. At first, I think people were just hoping for normal back, whatever that is. But they are moving past that now, and questioning if something better might be achievable. I certainly hope so. Nature gives you hope. Before the pandemic, climate change and the environment were still abstract ideas for a lot of us. Sure, we knew there were worries ahead, but it wasn’t easy to envisage the dangers that scientists and others were warning about. Somehow, it’s becoming a whole lot easier now. Thinking about it might never be convenient, but the pandemic wasn’t convenient, and that didn’t do much to stop it changing our world.
If we could articulate our hopes for a post pandemic world in one phrase, what would that be? Surely, between us we could come up with many deep, profound, impactful thoughts, but for today I offer just this simple and sincere wish: ”Safe cycling to all!” Go ponder.
19.05.20 – Darrell Priestley
Yesterday was a good day. A landmark, even. After precisely eight weeks of working exclusively at home, my wife and I returned to work, accompanied by Pip, our pet poodle. He was thrilled, checking all the familiar scent posts along the way; it seems he had really missed them, the way he lingered at each one. On the other hand, in between trees and posts it was like trying to take a tank engine for a walk; but that’s Pip for you!
Inside the building it was very quiet, of course, as we continue to be closed for the present time and were working with the door locked. Truth be told, we rattled around a bit, but still there was a sense of purpose. For the most part, my time was spent teaching in my usual studio again, on one of my favourite pianos, and oh how I had missed it – it was glorious! The light was better for teaching, the sound improved too, and somehow, even though I taught the same students as last Monday, it just felt better. Not as good as teaching in person, admittedly, but still feeling like something of a return to normal, and I was very glad indeed that this was possible.
My wife, Eileen, spent her time at her desk catching up with phone calls, messages, banking, business suppliers, etc. Returning to work after a long break like this feels a little odd, part apprehension, part anticipation, but in the end the feeling was positive. Significantly, one benefit is that we can now draw a line between work and home again, which is something that can get a mite blurred when almost all of one’s existence takes place under just one roof. One more benefit, which I will enjoy while it lasts, is spending evenings off duty at home, much of the time in the garden, now that teaching is concentrated into the daytime for a change.
Many people are understandably missing the office, their friends and colleagues, and some have found it more difficult than others to adapt to home working. Equally though, lots of us have been surprised about how productive we can be in these less than ideal circumstances. My own experience has been an odd mix, being very glad indeed to be able to continue teaching, something which I really enjoy, but missing the immediacy of working live, where you can duet, count, play or clap along in real time with the student’s performance (ie with no delay), or illustrate a point easily with a musical example, or sometimes even just a gesture.
Working from home, it took me a while to find my feet, to get to the point where I felt properly productive in the way I would expect of myself. If I’m honest, I have really missed working with students in person, and communicating has been so much harder than usual. Students process information in such different ways, and in the classroom it seems easier to compensate for this and find ways to help every individual learn in a way that works for them. The challenge presented when teaching online is in trying to ensure that everyone is comfortable, while working in remote locations and in circumstances which are quite unfamiliar. Although only one day in to my return to teaching from the regular studio once more, the experience was uplifting, and maybe just as it has helped me feel better, the familiar background may also have put students more at their ease.
As one of our parents, Kelly, observed, returning to ‘normal’ is all about taking baby steps, and we took one yesterday. As to the future, we very much look forward to welcoming students back to enjoying their lessons at the Northern Music Academy, which will happen when the time is right. In the meantime, I look forward to welcoming my students to lessons where the background, at least, is comfortingly familiar.