After some quiet time ‘en famille’ during the festive season, 2003 started with a trip down to Jacksonville, Florida: 4 performances of Prokofiev’s Concerto # 3, under Fabio Mechetti, the calm Brazilian conductor (he proves the exception rule!) who has been in charge of several American Orchestras, in recent years. This time he most proudly welcomed me with the news that, after 21 years of marriage, his wife is having twin-girls, any minute now: best of luck, Aida! The concerts went on in that euphoric mood!

One hitch though: having to go through their Customs hall, run with such incompetence that it seemed I had arrived at some obscure 3rd world country was a joke, honestly! And after the gruelling journey from London, of course I missed my connecting flight, which meant the trip lasted close to 22 hours, from door to door… What a nightmare. After that, anything was bliss. I promised myself never to fly into Miami airport again.

Any of you experienced that, by any chance?

Back in the UK, I had concerts with my old friend J. Lubbock and his OSJ, playing Ravel’s G major Concerto. When revisiting a piece after many years, it’s no good just turning on the automatic-pilot, there must be a renewal of ideas and quests. So in a way, I am playing the work for the first time! Once a passage has worked out, I tend to shriek: ‘yes’ or clap my hands –no, not in concert! When ‘ego’ doesn’t come into the picture music can flow freely... no comments. And so the performances were a joy, more satisfyingly beautiful than ever before. That he behaves like a human being, also shows in the way his players respond to him and therefore enjoy their concerts: thanks guys, I had a great time!

Now I’m busy with Schumann’s A minor, that greatest of war-horses of the repertoire. I am dying to play it again: I utterly revel in Robert’s world of inner moods, fleeting energy and passion!