As we move into 2013, the Bannatyne-Scott family can relax after all 4 birthdays which take place between November and January. Donald attained his majority by turning 21, and Kat is now 19. Both are enjoying University life in Aberdeen and St Andrews. As he will graduate MA Hons in July, Donald's attention turns to career and the rest of his life - no pressure then!?! He plans to take a year off, hopefully teaching English in China or Japan. Kat has a choice to make of what subjects to take to Honours and is juggling Film, Philosophy and Comparative Literature to come out with two subjects.

Fran is working as hard as ever, keeping Lloyds Bank solvent and decent. Banks get a bad press, but thousands of people are working hard every day to keep the money supply available to the public. Sadly this is often forgotten in the general rubbishing of the banks. Brian has enjoyed the luxury of two concerts in Scotland last week, one in Glasgow in the City Halls with Scottish Opera and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in highlights from Verdi's Simon Boccanegra, and one as part of Edinburgh University's season of lunchtime concerts, where singing with Jan Waterfield as his excellent accompanist, he was delighted to have an audience well in excess of 100. He is very keen to sing more in Scotland after such a long career travelling the world, and if any Scottish promoter reads this, please get in touch with either of his agents in the contact section of this website to set up more concerts in this wonderful country.

The new year has allowed some wine from the cellar to become available, and Fran and Brian have recently enjoyed a fabulous bottle of Vin Jaune from Henri Maire in Arbois in the French Jura, and are looking forward to some Burgundian treats in the coming months. The trip to France last autumn was very useful in restocking the cellar after a couple of years absence from Europe in the car, and we are envisaging a similar trip in 2014 when Brian has been invited to the Opera du Rhin in Strasbourg to sing Hubbard in John Adam's Doctor Atomic.

This year sees Brian singing in England in the summer (more news soon), and then returning to Victoria on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada, to sing Falstaff in Verdi's eponymous opera. This promises to be a splendid production with a fine cast, conducted by Tim Vernon, with performances in late October. Again more details will be posted on the website in due course.