Chris Astles

Today also reminds us that, if Liz Truss
lives to be in her mid-90s, she will have spent more days standing at the Cenotaph than she did as Prime Minister. Heard on HIGNFY.

I trust you have been listening to Dido and Aeneas.

I saw you were in Tunisia. We were there a couple of weeks ago: many asked if we were Italian. Or Canadian.

A lovely reminder of Thrasymachus: my initial text when starting the journey to Greek GCSE

Natalie Haynes: ‘I’ll never read anything by a Brontë again’ The author and comedian on the immortal lines of Snoopy, discovering the heart of Homer’s Iliad and her culinary comfort read

A bit of book chat with The Guardian! What would your answers have been?

www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...

Off to country no 87: 🇹🇳. First stop:
Paris.

The joys of oboe 4/ cor anglais 2!

I have quite a lot of free time as I am only like you in the last movement.

😂

Random that this appeared in my profile but I am playing in this and cannot wait! Love a bit of Mahler 2.

Unless you live in a hotel, it is not possible to have a staycation in a hotel. This is a hill on which I will die.

Lunch in the beautiful Italianate town of #Zamosc, #małopolska, #Poland
With @guyraybould.bsky.social

Wasn’t it a great programme? Great to be part off the - small but - appreciative audience.

Amazing piece - loved the programme in its entirety.

🪐 With Nasa's stranded astronauts back on Earth, it's KSO's turn to launch into space, as we perform Holst's masterpiece at Fairfield Halls on Saturday

We are excited to announce the KSO Scholars programme which launches this Saturday at Fairfield Halls. 7 talented young players from nearby Wilson's School will join us for the rehearsal of Mars and Jupiter from Holst's The Planets.

Read more on our website kso.org.uk/about-us/

I’m clearly pleased with my bass.

Wish me luck! 414 steps to go.

Oh David!
#Florence #Firenze
With @guyraybould.bsky.social

“I have a view, I have a view.
“This is my son,” said the old man; “his name’s George. He has a view too.”
“Ah,” said Miss Bartlett
#Florence #Firenze.
With @guyraybould.bsky.social

Perhaps it’s a reference to tuba playing….

I spend time and effort looking after my teeth: my father went for the first time today in 60 - yup 60 - years and all he needs is one filling. One.

Woodwind and brass
@castles73.bsky.social cor anglais
@chrishorril.bsky.social clarinet
@grenadilladaddy.bsky.social bass clarinet
@jwingfieldhill.bsky.social bassoon
@flightfreeuk.bsky.social trumpet
@boneagain.bsky.social trombone

31 January over the past decade with @castles73.bsky.social:

1. Bocas del Toro, Panama 🇵🇦 2015
2. Eating fat-bottomed ants in Barichara, Colombia 🇨🇴 2017
3. At Rihanna’s house, Barbados 🇧🇧 2019
4. Being in Paris as the UK left the EU 🇪🇺 😢 2020

Ceremony of the Keys - ceremonial locking of the Tower by the Yeoman Guard accompanied last night by Grenadier Guards. Very atmospheric to watch standing as we were with our backs to Traitors’ Gate

Atmospheric evening at the Tower of London yesterday for the Ceremony of the Keys.

Does that also include eating one? We are having a belated Burns Night supper this evening!

Fully-prepared for a day with @kso.org.uk.

Well Painter Hall at Greenwich, that is one well-placed mirror.

Charles Kay obituary Stalwart supporting actor who appeared at the RSC and the National, and on TV in I, Claudius and Fortunes of War

www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/j.... Sad. Loved his turn as Count Orsini-Rosenberg in Amadeus.