What you are now reading is the world première of ‘From the Kitchen #23’.  Last week you read the world première of #22.

Last night I was at a concert of the Australian Chamber Orchestra at which Richard Tognetti played the world première performance of ‘Vox amoris: Fantasy for violin and orchestra’ by P­­ēteris Vasks.  It was billed as the world première, but it wasn’t.  It had been performed by the ACO earlier in the month in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. (more…)

Here we go again.  Another sports season.  This time it’s racing.  Football (all codes) has only just gone.  Cricket will be next, interspersed with sailing.  Then back around to kicking balls of various shapes.  As they currently advertise on ABC radio, “The sport continues; it’s just the ball that changes.”  Oh, I forgot the Australian Open tennis and the Grand Prix.  Give me a break!

But a break we won’t get. (more…)

Vivaldi in the rain.  How wonderful to be sitting inside near the heater, dog at my feet, a steady, heavy rain forming a curtain outside the window, with Vivaldi’s oboe concerto in F (RV447) with oboist Alfredo Bernardini, playing loudly; filling the house with soaring, sonorous cadences and thrilling demi-semi-quavers.  Ah, nature and nurture in a beautiful harmony. (more…)

A few days ago I saw someone in a wheelchair.  My jaw dropped and I stared.  Not at the person wheeling along, but at the name on the chair – the brand name: Karma.  I’m not kidding.  You can look it up on the Web; I did, as soon as I got home.

Who would come up with such a name?  Who would allow it to be attached to a wheelchair that they want to sell?  Who would sit in such a wheelchair?

I’m now on the look-out for other choice branding.  I’m expecting to see a pram with the label lust; crutches called Idiot; condoms with the name Oops; the next incarnation of the Windows operating system: Dukkha … (more…)