I sat in the Philharmonic Hall yesterday afternoon watching Macedonian pianist Simon Trpceski floating his way through Rachmaninov's Fourth Piano Concerto - the second time I'd heard him play it in four days.
And I came to the conclusion, as I watched the rapturous reception he received (from the third sell-out crowd at the Phil in four days) that it's high time we made him an adopted Scouser!

Last year it was Fame, and now the Liverpool Empire is giving more than 100 youngsters the chance to be Sharks and Jets this summer.
The summer holiday theatre scheme is taking on Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story and young performers and technicians only have until February 14 to apply.

I had a treat last night when I went to the press night of Jeremy Dyson's new adaptation of Roald Dahl's adult stories, now entitled Twisted Tales, at the Lyric theatre in Hammersmith.
The production is a joint commission between the Lyric, the Everyman and Playhouse and Northern Stage in Newcastle.

Time flies and it's been brought to my attention that the Astrid Kirchherr exhibition at Victoria Gallery & Museum closes next weekend.
If you haven't had a chance to bob up Brownlow Hill yet for a look then I'd recommend you try and find time - it's fascinating and free, surely an irresistible combination?!

Sad news - Richard Wilson's Turning the Place Over will rotate no more.
After an amazing three-and-a-half years (amazing how time flies that is) what has become something of a landmark in Moorfields has come to a halt.

I popped into the Ceri Hand Gallery in Cotton Street - just along the road from Stanley Dock - yesterday for a preview of artist Doug Jones's latest exhibition Lares et Panates.
Doug kindly broke off from doing some last minute construction to take me around the show and explains his thoughts behind it.

I hope you all get a chance to read my chat with the very affable Matt Baker in today's Echo (see the link at the end of this entry).
He can't wait to get going on the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour which arrives at the ECHO arena a week on Monday.

I mentioned it as part of my round-up of highlights for 2011, and interest in the RLPO's Mahler 8 concert at Liverpool Cathedral on October 1 is already high.
Apparently cathedral staff are being inundated with calls - one this week coming from as far afield as Sweden asking for details.
I understand the logistics of housing hundreds of singers, players AND an audience are just being worked through before tickets are ready to go on sale, so as soon as I know anything concrete I'll let you all know.

Ian Tracey conducts the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir in a performance of Handel's Messiah at the Phil tonight.
I hope some of you may have seen the interview I did with Ian to mark the 25th anniversary of him becoming chorusmaster of the RLPC, and which was in Monday's Echo.
If not, follow the link at the bottom of this blog entry.

I thought it was going to be a bright new year until I was called this morning with the news that Pete Postlethwaite had died.
It was a shock for many, although there had been rumours he hadn't been at all well recently. But still, 64 is no age and the acting world has lost one of its great, craggy, no-nonsense treasures.
I have just spent the morning putting together a tribute piece for tomorrow's Echo, and it is lovely to hear some of the warm things people have been saying.