Nicola Benedetti and Thomas Sondergard

Today's the day . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . for a debut

A very different concert tonight from the one last night - the Scottish premiere of Wynton Marsalis' Concerto in D - in the Usher Hall.

Wynton Marsalis is one of the few musicians to have enjoyed enormous success in the fields of both jazz and classical music and he composed this entertaining and hugely challenging showpiece for Nicola herself.  The concerto was by turns 'gentle, virtuosic, sexy and riotous' - and we were blown away by it.  The Royal Scottish National Orchestra conducted by Thomas Sondergard rose perfectly to the occasion.  And, of course, Nicola Benedetti CBE was her usual charming and brilliant self.

Can't resist featuring another debut on show at present (until it gets put back in the box) - my brother Ron's 3-D jigsaw of Big Ben.  It was a present from William and Chloe - and it's brilliant too . . . . . . .