The year two thousand is now with us, and as we approach a new era, David and I look back on the past four years with so much gratitude and joy.  It has been an incredible time in our lives and one of the very exciting outcomes of Shine, has been the contacts and friends we have made around the world.  Now with our web site, so kindly organized and maintained by Derek Larson in the USA, we feel such a closeness to all countries.

We have received e-mails from all parts of the world which we have replied to, and we want to say what a great feeling it is to receive communications from so many diverse areas and cultures around the world.

We are about to start our touring in Australia in Queensland and Western Australia, and then in Victoria around Easter, when dates are finalized.

The Japanese tour is now organized and we are excited to return for our fifth tour.  On our last visit, we were inspired by the beauty of the Japanese gardens and have already made two small ones and are about to launch into the bigger project by our lake.  It has been a lot of fun planning it all, and such a change from the constant travel.

The year is filling up so rapidly, with more touring in Australia in August and September and then to Europe for October and November.  This does not leave any time to return to the United States, but hopefully we can arrange recitals there for 2001.

David is busily working on new repertoire, particularly the Schulz-Evler arrangement of The Blue Danube by Strauss.  It is a very spectacular piece--not the usual Waltz!

We would like to send New Year's greetings to all our friends and to those who read the web site.  May the year 2000 bring greater peace and harmony to all!

Warmest wishes,
 

             David and Gillian