Thank you for showing up at this page. Read on, or just watch Jamie's video.

After years of confusion whilst watching my friends tackle the effects of becoming 40, I felt it myself a year or so ago. For me, its a moment of reflection and one of time passing...I began to understand why perfectly sane people run marathons to mark the event.

After reading William Boyd's 'Any human heart' where the main character and his friends are challenged to each attempt an impossible task, the idea of doing something silly appealed to me. The sensible side of me was rather appalled at this but was rather overtaken by another reckless fragment. Lurking somewhere in my mind was Widor's Toccata; this thrills me everytime I hear it and this challenge was born.

The question really was 'Can someone who barely plays the piano learn all 2000 semi quavers of this awesome piece?'

For the past year I have squeezed practise in, at work or home; have excused myself from chores with the cry of 'must do my practice', bullied piano teachers into keeping me on track and have prioritised lugging a keyboard around everytime I've gone on holiday, terrifed of losing the precious bars that I've gained. I am so pleased with myself, it is delightful to play with Beth as we romp through the loud bits and I feel that I have done something wacky with my one wild, precious life.

There will be one performance of this piece, my 40th birthday party in August. Do come and listen. All funds donated will go to Live Music Now, a charity which develops the skills of young musicians to take music into schools, old people's homes and to those with special needs.