Everyone needs to have some time off from the serious business of life, even musicians like David Ingledew.
He led us into 2008 in a musical tribute to the Pied Piper. He led and we followed.
First of all we had to master our instruments - numbered whistles from Christmas Crackers.
Luckily King Ding's courtier Rachel Fryer was on hand to coordinate the assembled musicians.
Next, a rehearsal, starting with some musical scales.
Finally, the house lights were lit and we were ready to perform.
Here's some other whistling... good to know that we are joining a community of cheap plastic whistle blowers... this lot are much more formal than us, standing up with a proper conducting wand. Probably don't get out so much.
Here's a rendition of O Come All Ye Faithful from some truly accomplished Christmas Cracker Whistle Blowers. Some of them are 'playing' more than one whistle!
If these videos are wetting your whistles, this one should put you off altogether. Note the dominant male at the head of the table. He's no King Ding though! It's quite a long video, showing them going through all the learning curve. Their performance starts at approximately 4:30 (minutes:seconds) but breaks down because of a missing player and the outrageous claim that some whistles are manufactured better than others.
With 2008 properly welcomed, David Ingledew will be turning his attention back to more tuneful music, teaching me to waltz, the cuckoo sings and I woke up.