I had the final performance last week, and I have just completed the reflective portfolio. Just a viva left to go and then that’s it! It has been a great experience and I have discovered so much more about performance and my own ability. This final project has really made me appreciate the importance of continuity within a band. Rehearsing regularly with the same set of musicians allowed me to learn their expressions, for example, when they want to exit a solo, what they want to accomplish dynamically, and just generally where they want to go in the music. As a result the changes within the songs sounded smoother and I felt a lot more relaxed. I believe that my technique has improved, along with my ability to improvise. There is still a long way to go in improving my ability as a musician. We have every intention in continuing rehearsals with this outfit and hopefully the benefits (and fun) will continue!