I'm back, thanks to Mark, who has kindly provided a space for my diary here. Mark is also setting up a website for me. Watch this space.

I'm just back from playing �Lachrimae� in Madrid with an American group called The King's Noyse. I hadn't worked with this group before, though I'd worked with most of its members in other formations. They're a very good ensemble, pioneers of renaissance violin band repertoire.

While groups like Fretwork have done much to revive the viol consort, the instruments of the violin family have been hitherto much more neglected for renaissance consort music. It's true that the violin family was more associated with dance music and the viols with more "refined" contrapuntal music, but this doesn't mean that violin bands can't be effective playing counterpoint, just as viols can (and do) play dance music. David Douglass and his King's Noyse are superb players witjh excellent intonation, and they bring off Dowland's masterpiece �Lachrimae� very well. In a way, �Lachrimae� is the perfect fusion between dance music and refined counterpoint--it is, in fact, both.

It's been an interesting couple of weeks, with one or two library music and film sessions, including an on-camera appearance as a lute player in a BBC programme about Leonardo da Vinci, complete with funny costume. I gather it's airing in March.

There is also, of course, the Alexander Technique teacher training course (see www.alexandertechnique.com for information), which keeps me busy every weekday morning, and which continues to be an inspiration and a source of joy, as well as being very hard work.

And Zan and I have managed a couple of weekends away seeing friends.

I thought Madrid was my last gig before the holidays, but unexpectedly some studio work has come in for this weekend, for my friend Glenn, a film composer.