In 2011 MuHa had a few changes with the band members.
Olya Shafikova– a classically trained pianist from Moscow, now living in Nottingham, joined MuHa in the spring. Olya notated all MuHa material ( now our music is recorded on paper as well!) and only after a few rehearsals she began gigging with us, including Nottingham Riverside festival and September 11 concert. Our fans already had been telling us how well piano fits with the music and we are looking forward for more music and fun times with Olya.
This year was challenging for MuHa percussion section. Richard Grindon decided to take his drumming career on a higher level and enrolled to the Guilford Academy of Music leaving Nottingham in September 2011. We wish him all the best luck and future great achievements in music as he has all the talent to make it to the biggest stages in the country and indeed, the world.
You may have noticed that our percussionist Richard Kensington is no longer playing with us on a regular basis as the time pressures from his involvement with Mas Y Mas and the other musical projects he is working on make it difficult for him to commit to a growing gig schedule with MuHa. It has been mutually agreed that it is better to have consistency in the band for the sake of band cohesion and audience expectation so Colm O’Hanlon has stepped in and will now be playing percussion with MuHa as the regular percussionist.
Colm already played many gigs with MuHa and, I must say, it is very enjoyable to work with him. In his music Colm is always giving very careful attention to what he is doing and keeps the time really well. As an additional bonus to the group- Colm is a problem solver- before I even think there is a problem- Colm has already sorted it- a very helpful skill for everything that goes on behind the stage before the performance!
We continue to collaborate with various musicians and keep our mind open to new possible opportunities and developments. Looking forward to see what 2012 brings to us, wishing you all the wellness and happy holidays!
