Hi everyone – I wanted you to see the artwork for my new single! I hope you like it. It’s just for digital release, but everything has all been sent off and the official release will be January 3rd 2020! It will be available to preorder for the general public in a week’s time – but you will all have access to an MP3 of the track very soon!

Thank you all so much for helping me to create all my musical ideas! All my dreams are becoming a reality – it’s all due to each of you and your amazing support! X

Hi everyone, thank you all so much for helping me reach my goal of $200, so that I am able to record my music and produce my next album. I’ve been thinking about what my next goal should be, if I am able to get some new Patrons to support me. With all the recent recording work I’ve been doing, I’ve realised that it would be really useful to have a viola, so that I can add more depth to my string harmonies.

At the moment, I have strung up my Grandfather’s violin to replicate the sound of a viola, however, a viola is bigger in size to a violin and so using a violin in this way, I am missing out on having a deep, full bodied sound that the viola would create. It would be a new challenge for me too, as playing the viola requires a slightly different technique in order to play it, and the music is written in a different clef! So lots of new challenges and opportunities ahead to enhance my work as a composer!

I’m tweaking the mix for my track ‘For Edna’, as it’s almost perfect, but not quite! My Peaky Blinders track is hopefully going to be mixed in America by a producer who is a fan of the programme! I’m waiting to hear back from him. Everything takes such a long time! Next up I will be working on a video that I will dedicate to Trevor! Thanks so much to all of you for being such an amazing team of supporters xxx

Hi everyone! Last night my string quartet arrangement of the Peaky Blinder’s Theme, ‘Red Right Hand’ came back from its journey to America where it has been mixed and mastered! I’m going to listen to it carefully over the weekend and see whether it is ok, or if it needs tweaking at all. I’m pleased with it initially, it sounds very energetic and has a lovely full sound, so I’m sure all will be fine. As we are so close to Christmas, I will release this as a single in January now (unless I add some sleigh bells and turn it into a Christmas hit!)

I will be tweaking the ‘For Edna’ mix over the next week or so, until I’m happy with it! How long has this taken?! It has to be perfect for Edna! I feel that the strings are too loud in some places, and I want the piano to come through stronger. 

I’m also working on Trevor’s video, and I’m looking forward to playing a gorgeous Cornwall inspired piece of music for this, which I’m sure you will all recognise, as it’s been used in a well known film – I will say no more until later on!

Thank you all so much, your support means the world to me, and I’m achieving lots of things because of it xxx

Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed the Studio Notes video! This morning the weather outside is dark and stormy and I’m trying to decide if it’s cosy or depressing! However, this is the perfect time to sit at the piano and do some practice for my next recording! The metronome is in this photo, I’ve lost count how many times I’ve switched it off in annoyance when I’m playing the piano! The trouble is, as I’ve mentioned before, that I’m used to playing the piano in free time, but this is not helpful when recording with other instruments as it’s impossible really to be a mind reader and play along to music which is not in strict time. Even when I’m playing along with myself!

This morning I’m going to listen back to the ‘For Edna’ mix and see how I feel about it as it is (!) and then I’m moving on to a new version of the ‘Veronica Song’ where I’m doing a new version of piano and strings together as they were previously stand alone versions. Then there’s my new venture where I’ve recorded my arrangement of ‘Red Right Hand’ the Peaky Blinders theme which I’m going to release as a single under Classical Strings. I’m going to decide whether to add to that or keep it just purely strings. It’s all going on!! Huge thanks to you all as you keep my creativity alive! xxx

Hello lovely Patrons! I’m currently working on some violin and viola tracks today. I don’t usually play the viola, but it’s something I’m planning to do more of to add more depth to my string parts.

I have my Grandfather’s violin, which is the top instrument in the photo, and I have strung it up as a viola. I love this instrument and I used to learn on it when I was a teenager. This tuning means that instead of playing the high E string, a lower C string is added. The music is also written in a different clef which adds to the fun!

I played the viola in ‘Scenes from a Cornish Childhood’, and this creates a full string quartet sound. This is an exciting addition to my composing work and I’m very enthusiastic about the results that will follow!

My track ‘For Edna’ is being mixed this weekend now that the menfolk can hear properly again! My Seasonal Postcards are going in production very soon too! Huge thanks and lots of love to you all for your kindness and support! xxx

Hi everyone! It’s really stormy today in Cornwall, and so far it’s been a day of howling wind, rain lashing at the windows, and power cuts! In other words, a perfect day for composing music at the piano!

I’ve realised just how much I’m inspired to compose music for people as well as finding the landscape stimulating. Combining the two is perfect! My track ‘For Edna’ and ‘Minnie’s Walk’ was composed for my wonderful Patron Edna, and ‘Initial Bond’ was written for my dad, as well as ‘Scenes from a Cornish Childhood’ which I composed for the Cornish artist Sheila Hicks on her 90th birthday.

Today I’m working on expanding my piece ‘The Veronica Song’ which I composed for my dear friend and colleague who played in my Classical Strings ensembles. I initially composed the music on piano and sent it to her in order to comfort her during her final days, then soon after this I arranged it for our Trio to play to her at her bedside. It was obviously hard to do but strangely beautiful. I’m now expanding the music to incorporate piano and strings and developing a new motif which represents her name.

I love rearranging music I’ve already created and seeing it evolve. As long as I have a melody I can add instruments and harmonies and take the music to another dimension. Thanks so much to you all for keeping me inspired and for supporting me. It means the world to me xxx

Hi everyone, my seasonal postcards are ready to be posted! I’m just going to write in each of them and tell you what I’ve been up to!

There is so much going on, and it’s all because of the support and encouragement that you all give me! It keeps me feeling positive and inspired because I know that you care about what I do. Thank you all so much! X

‘For Edna’ is now mixed, I just need to check it through and make sure I don’t need to add anything else! Studio Notes will be filmed today, and I will reveal all my plans, including a new venture that brings my composing work in perfect harmony with my work as a string arranger! xxx

Hi everyone! I hope you are all well, the Astons have all been in the grips of nasty cold germs! Both Phil and Dan have been quite poorly and due to them both having blocked ears, this has delayed my track being mixed. However, I’ve been ok and so I’ve been cooking hearty meals in order to get everyone well again! I’m just listening back to my ‘For Edna’ track and I’m pleased with the extra atmospheric layers that I’ve added, so it won’t be too long now until I can share the track with you. Thanks to all of you lovely Patrons for your kindness and support xxx