One of the other things I enjoy doing, is to review new CDS for the MusicInternational Website. Each month they send us a list of new releases, where we can pick those CDs we might like to review.

I always like something out of the ordinary, and when, last November, one of the CDs on the list was 'Albanian Piano Music', I quickly heard a few online samples, and then knew instantly that this was one CD I certainly wanted to know! This was not only because of the music itself, and the superb playing, but it also gave me some insight into a country about which I knew very little.

To cut a long story short, once my review was published, courtesy of Facebook I became really good friends with Albanian concert-pianist, Marsida Koni, and her professional clarinet-playing husband, Piero Vicente, who both live in the Italian city of Perugia in Umbria.

We have kept in touch ever since, and, despite the fact that they are shortly relocating to Cesena, have so very kindly invited me to stay a couple of days with them this summer. I have arranged this as part of a trip taking in Pisa, Lucca, Florence, Perugia, and finishing in Rome.

Although I haven't even been to Perugia yet, the title of my lighthearted piano duet Addio, Perugia, la mia città! in the style of a typically fast Tarantella will mean a good bye from me, once I've visited, and from Marsi, Piero, and young, violin-playing daughter, Martha, as they move to a new city.

I shall very much enjoy playing this with Marsi, and, as is my usual modus operandi, will later make a number of different arrangements of the piece, with, of course, one for clarinet and piano a top priority!