J Simon van der Walt

Word of the day 'stultifying' – as in 'stultifying academic beaurocracy'. (Also… origin mid 18th century: from late Latin stultificare, from Latin stultus ‘foolish’.)

Desk cluttered with mouthpieces, mouthpiece cases, a handweight, paracetamol, trombone slide grease etc

Have I got enough trombone-related clutter on my desk?

Cryptic crossword No 29,855 Cryptic crossword No 29,855

Success https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/29855

Event Spotlight: Resonances of Nusantara

🗓️ 27 Nov, 1–3pm
📍 RS/G 01

Dive into Indonesia’s radical sound worlds at this free vocal workshop with Dinar Rizkianti & Gema Swaratyagita.

Secure your free place here: hcmf.co.uk/programme/workshop-resonances-of-nusantara/

Scottish musician Raymond MacDonald on the 10 things that changed his life

EXCLUSIVE: Scottish musician Raymond MacDonald tells the Sunday National the 10 things that changed his life

Aube Cajun Triangle/ T-fer handmade and forged in Louisiana traditional percussion instrument — Studio Aubé Design & Fabrication This Cajun Triangle (t-fer if you're in Louisiana) has a nice ring to it. It is a traditional percussion instrument in the regional music of South Louisiana known as Cajun Music. Aubé Cajun Triangles are hand-forged in South Louisiana with the musician in mind. The goal is a nice sound and consis

Long shot: anyone in Glasgow able to lend me a #Cajun t#riangle for a gig? Something like this https://www.studio-aube.com/shop/p/cajuntriangles – I don't have time to get one on order. Or, anyone know a #blacksmith who might make one for me?

Six months to my significant number birthday :) planning some performances of my works to celebrate

Cryptic crossword No 29,849 Cryptic crossword No 29,849

Difficult, got there in the end, some subtle definitions https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/29849

Cuban Big Band weekend

Just updated macOS for the first time in a long time. Who was it that thought a photographer's loupe would be a good icon for Preview?!?

Cryptic crossword No 29,843 Cryptic crossword No 29,843

Yay managed to finish a #Guardian #crossword , first for a while! Should have got 23ac a bit quicker :) https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/29843

“Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”

Just had some fab news, looks like my piece 'Two Minds Three' is strongly pencilled in for a performance at the RCS Piano Festival in March. (Trumpet in D, five clarinets, piano, two accordions, bass clarinet (optional), three percussion.)

coming to streaming services on Friday after only 24 years' wait - pre-save here concertocaledonia.ffm.to/mungrelstuff

Don’t forget the clocks go back this weekend… but not far enough 😬

just found a mystery pack of paracetamol in my pocket. do my trousers know something that I don't?

Turns out Ed Neumeister and Dennis Rollins were right! An H&B straight mute makes a great pixie for trombone :) better than the actual H&B trombone pixie.

Finale versus MuseScore – re-doing an (over fiddly) bit of piano music https://www.jsimonvanderwalt.com/blog/2025/10/18/finale-musescore

If you're in Scotland and earned under £25k in the previous year, you can study part time at undergraduate level for free. Online or in-person courses. Even if you've already done a SAAS funded degree.

www.saas.gov.uk/part-time/un...

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. - YouTube

I don't often post links to stuff, but this is fun https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pn1CvQQUc8

Wow, seven glossy ibises down the Clyde! One of these days I'm going to have to retire so that I can go twitching during the day :)

Is THIS cool?? Download and print in PDF or MIDI free sheet music for Piano, Trombone, Saxophone alto, Saxophone tenor, Saxophone baritone, Guitar, Bass guitar, Drum group, Trumpet other (Mixed Ensemble)

Really happy at the first run of two new charts last night with the Byres Road Big Band https://musescore.com/user/12368/scores/25691794 https://musescore.com/user/12368/scores/26835268

I don't mind hearing the trombonists playing Walküre all day long, but I draw the line at the saxophonist in the room next to me playing the wretched Fauré. Off to work in the cafe…

Cycling trips surge by 43% as Glasgow's active travel network grows - Glasgow City Council Glasgow is seeing a boom in active travel, with 4.65 million cycling trips recorded between January and August this year - a 43% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

mon the cyclists https://glasgow.gov.uk/13887

YouTube video by Musescore MuseScore Studio 4.6: New playback and engraving features, plus a new way to hide empty staves

Our new release: MuseScore 4.6 is out now! This is an enormous release. Have a look and let me know what you think!

youtu.be/J2gY9CbMuoI?...

Screenshot from outlook calender showing dozens of short meetings across two days.

Back-to-back new student meetings :)

Ah, wait, I was just thinking -- couldn't I just skip this entire stupid UI (sorry, dearest Cupertino friends) and use a CLI?

YES. Yes, you can.

support.apple.com/en-ca/guide/...

Update, although still not sure about 'ireng' – Triwikråmå, Brahålå Irèng, Kresnå, Puntådéwå, Dåsåmukå.

Javanese pronunciation check: Triwikråmå, Brahålå Irèng, Krêsnå, Puntadéwa, Dasamuka?

Provisional title (and programme note) for the slide brass and gamelan piece https://www.jsimonvanderwalt.com/blog/2025/09/16/triwikrama