An EUBO summer

After having updated and translated most of my website into Danish I thought it was time to have a look at my blog which I have neglected for better or worse for quite a while. Not that I could have done much differently - I only got my own computer back a few days ago and I have been quite busy.

Most of my summer has been occupied by the European Union Baroque Orchestra's summer tour. Before the tour I spent quite a while speculating and getting ready - and when I got home it took quite a while to get back to a normal life.

I had no idea what to expect from the EUBO. However the learning experience was much greater than I would ever had thought both as a musician and as a person. I cannot say exactly what I learned but by the end of the tour I had a confidence that I have not had before about being part of an ensemble and I cannot wait to get back to my two ensembles and apply the things I have learned.

The ensemble met up in Echternach, Luxembough for 10 days of rehearsal. I was somehow surprised about the free time and enjoyed walking around town and the surrounding country side alone or with colleagues. Echternach is on the boarder of Luxembourgh and by crossing a river one is suddenly in Germany! The picture of Echternach is taken from the hills just acrosse the River. Apart from this there was time to practise and of course going out for dinner and the (for me) occasional drink at the local bar in the evening.

The rehearsal period seems now to have taken place in the very distant past! We did however have a wonderful time. We worked hard, had lots of fun and sometimes some fustrations. We also had a team of film makers following us. They were making a pubicity dokumentary about the orchestra. Lars Ulrik Mortensen - our director - was amazingly inspiring. I have experienced him one before when he came to direct the Orchestra at the Royal Academy of Music so I had some idea of what it would be like but I really came to respect him during this period. The rehearsals were the best structured I have experiences so far. We covered what was intended and there was time both for play throughs and for polishing details. Apart from that LUM is just lots of fun and so full of energy and excess body movement! In addition we had sectionals where the ensemble within the groups were founded.

After a concert in Echternach the tour went on to Estonia where we performed in Tartu and Talinn in Estonie, Riga in Latvia, Reims in France, Hannover in Germany and finally in Turku in Finland. We stayed in a variey of hotels all of high standard but also very different. The most 'interesting' was the hotel in Tartu which had art on the walls. I was happy I did not have to stay in a room with naked ladies! We performed in a variety of venues such as old churches, Guild halls, theaters and concert halls. Each hall had it's own character and the rehearsals on tour were often focused on getting used to the hall. We had wonderful audiences.

Most impressive were the audiences in Reims. The first concert had free entrance and the line formed more than an hour before the concert. We had a full hall for both concerts there. In Talinn we had a very samll audience but made up of true music lovers and it was a joy to perform in such a setting...

I could tell much more about the tour but it is getting late and I am sure that other people from EUBO will report around the internet. Several members have posted pictures on facebook and I will also post some more pictures on my website soon - hopefully.

Right now I am getting ready to move back to London. I will join EUBO again in December. In a way I am sad that I will not be going on the two other fall tours - but I need the time to get started on my new degree and to work with my ensembles and get a job.

... from the sunshine

I am writing this from a room in my parents house where I am staying at the moment. The summer has been very promising so far. We have had almost constant sunshine and I have enjoyed having no specific agenda - I needed the break. My time has mainly been spent on a bit of practising, walking the dogs, doing bits of academic reading and drafting for the dissertation which I will begin studies for in September at the Royal College of Music, London. I have also started making promotion material for myself and my ensembles and I am working on some changes for my website - please tell me what you think.

Last week I also started working again (at a smoke house). I do not have that many hours though so I have lots of time to do what I have to do on the side. I have a solo recital on July 10, a private function in a few days - on the 14th I will travel to Luxembourg to join EUBO for the summer tour. I am looking forward to every aspect of the tour with the possible exception of the vey long bus-rides...

For now however I enjoy the piece and quiet of a small village. My parents and I went to the local Midsummer celebrations which attracted almost all the inhabitants of the village and people from the surrounding area as well. Midsummer happened to be on one of the few days where we had rough weather so I had to go home for a sweater. Once I was warm - and the fire under control we had a nice evening. The fact that event like this take place and that people get to know each other is very valuable in a small community - and it is a good place to rechrage the mental and physical batteries.

The end of a beginning...

So my life has been taken over by what Bernstein famously and appropriately called 'the kitchen of life' combined with concerts, academic deadlines, exams and soon it is time for the summer break and for a temporary return to Denmark.

If seems that the busyness of my life has been constantly accellerating for these last month. Just as I thought that there could not be more going on I got asked to do one more thing and I took up the challenge. I ended up paying by doing some very bad academic work and I am a bit concerned. However the point of this year was really to give priority to performance before I again involve myself in academia at the next level.

When I moved to London I had some intentions for this year. I wanted this year to be a time to get used to being back in Europe, to get used to living in London, to get to know people, and to play a lot. This all came to pass but in a way very different from what I had imagined. I guess I had expected weekly lessons with my teacher - that was not to be. I spent a long time being fustrated about this but in the end I realized that really do not need that anymore. Instead I should focus on my wonderful ensembles. Trio Tambourin (pictured left) has been a big focus. We playe quite a few concerts together and made it to the final of a Harpsichord Chambermusic Competition at Fenton House this past month. Also my duo with cello - Due Corde - is starting to get engagements. Hopefully at some point these engagements will also be paid but right now we just need exposure.

Life outside school has been interesting. I finally started working - I usher at St. John's which is a concert hall in central London. Going to work is an amazing experience. I get off at Charing Cross and walk past Houses of Parlament ad Westminster Abbey to get to work! And then I get paid to listen to concerts. True I have not been too well so I have been taking 'late comers door' quite a few times but I really like the job and the people I work with. I am looking forward to continuing there in the fall. Hopefully I will also get some students and stop being dependent on scholarships.

It is going to be stange leaving Trinity College of Music and going to a new school in the fall. However I am now sure that it was the right thing to do. I am looking forward to the preparation for the future. I will also have reasons to come back to Trinity and visit and the friendships I have made there will not finish just because I study at another school.

Vacation - and EUBO

So I am back from a wonderfull time in the U.S. I spent a week and a half visiting New York and Oberlin where I met up with old friends.
Before going off to the States I participated in the EUBO audition course (European Union Baroque orchestra - 28 to 31st March). It was a time of intense rehearsals and lessons, but strangely enough I was not tired while there. The music was so great and the directors so inspiring that it was only when I returned back to London that I collapsed in a chair! I made some really good friends an am happy to say that I got accepted.
I then had one day to pack and get ready to cross the Atlantic!

I arrived in New York on the 2nd of April and stayed at a really nice hotel by 168th Street. If anyone is interested about the details I can really recommend this place. I spent the first day walking around the southern tip of Manhattan, taking the ferry to Staten Island, seeing Chinatown, Little Italy, doing some shopping... (recurring theme it turned out). I ended the day by walking up Broadway from about 14th Street to 60th Street. My feet were very sore by then.

I flew out to Oberlin on the 4th. I was very lucky getting on an earlier plane than booked. I was picked up by friends in the airport and the next couple of days was spent seeing people and enjoying the spring! Yes Oberlin had wonderful sunshine during my entire stay as can be seen from the picture with my friends. I also saw all my teachers. It was good but strange to be back. I hope I will have reason to return.

I flew back to N.Y. on the 8th and continued the sightseeing. I stayed with friends who come home late so I got to see the city by night. I discoveredthe joys of Central Park, walked up and down 5th Avenue, saw some friends, spent more money... I had a great time.

I returned to London on Sunday 12th with the worst jetlag ever - and succeded in having a lesson that same day and playing well considering I had not touched the instrument while in the U.S. Guess I needed the break. I am now into the final race with papers, concerts, exams...

I want to take the opportunity to thank all my friends in the U.S. - it was so good to see you all. I hope we can keep in touch.

Passsion season is over

The past month or so has been one of the bussiet times of my entire life - but also one of the most productive and rewarding. I have played my first professional gig, been concertmaster on the St. Johns passion, played a concert performing pieces that I never had my teacher give me coaching on - and feeling good about it. Finally I have come to the point where I believe that I am on the brink of the profession and that is a great feeling.

The St. Johns passion performance took place in The Old Royal Naval College Chapel in Greenwich. It is amazing to be able to spend hours in this space preparing this wonderful music. Having Richard Egarr directing was a relevation. I learned so much form the experience. All of a sudden I had to be in charge of things and I felt I could do it.

Another venue in Greenwith close to Trinity College of Music is St. Alfege where the early music students had their the last concert of the academic year. I had the chance to play with our professor in that recital (see picture). It was good to perform again.

Passion season is a busy season for musicians and I was affected too though I only had three performances. In addition I had a few personal upheavals in my life. At the time it hurt but looking back I think it was all for the best. Sometimes you need the pain in order to realize things and move on the the next stage of life.

My next entry will happen once I have returned from the Spring holidays... I am leaving soon.

...and then comes exams, competitions and the first non-Trinity concerts.

Life is full of excitement.

News from the process

So my determination to update this site at a regular basis did not hold on for long. Let me therefore limit me to mention a few of the things that have been going on in my life these last few weeks.

End January my mother came to visit me. I had forgotten that having visitors takes energy so that did take me by surprise. However I really am glad that she came. We had a great time seeing London and it was good having a break from school.

Soon enough that took up my time again. By now my academic classes beging to really demand attention. The end-of-the-year projects can not longer be treated in a calm fashion - so it is off the British Library to do reading and lots of time at the desk searching around for information.

In other news I now have three ensembles that I can call established. I have spent some considerable time managing bookings for concerts. Right now most concerts come through Trinity. The school has aprogram of "off-campus" concerts where you sign up with your group. If anything comes up you then receive an email. In addition I have been contacting some churches directly about lunchtime recitals and all together I have a few bookings for the spring. In addition there are the orchestra projects run by Trinity, ensemble projects and the od gig that I get offered.

One special event was the debut of my violin duo which I run with my friend from Oberlin Sarah Titterington. We call it Oberlin Duo! The debut took place in a pub called The White Heart and it was lots of fun. Our repertoire of baroque violin duets worked really well in the setting to the surprise of everyone there. We got a really god response. The event was run by two students from Trinity. The idea was to bring classical music to a new audiences and on the program was improv. rock, wind quintet and us - very varied indeed.

Now it is only to keep things up. My other ensembles are a violin and cello duo called Duo Chorde and a trio with gambe and harpsichord that is yet nameless. We will solve that though!

To my wonderful friends

So I was thinking for a while about what to write on my blog. Realizing that I have made some very special friends I want to dedicate an entry to them.

My friends tend to fall into the two categories of music-friends and "other friends". However since coming to London the categories have started to merge. In the picture you see my two wonderful housemates Karen and Melissa. Without them I would not have been able to pull through the fall and settle in so well. We live in close quarters at no. 15. I am going to miss them a lot when/if they leave. Melissa is a flutist and having another musician in the house has been fantastic. Thank you Karen and Melissa for your kindness to me!

Outside the house I have made friends at my school - Trinity College of Music - and through old friends from the States. That way I have met my non-music friends Lizzy (picture), Hope and Melanie (and forgive me if I spell your names wrong!) It is something special to have friends who are really interested in what you do without being music students. You also understand why I have chose to live in a house connected to a church and be active in the christian life.

At Trinity a lot of my friendships grow out of chamber music. I a way rehearsing is the most refined form of social interaction. You have to retain you personality while also adapting to a wide variety of people. I enjoy all my groups from my trio with Asako and Jenny where we play mainly French music to my duo with Amelie where we experiment with performance practise issues.

Outside school I am also starting to meet musicians my age. Most important at this point however is my collaboration with my old friend from Oberlin Sarah Titterington. We just had our first performance as a duo. We have known each other for a long time and since we have studied with the same teachers it made sense that our styles would match somehow. It is also fantastic to have someone around who you have known for that long when you move to a new place.

Thanks to all the above people and others I have not mentioned my life in London has been much more pleasant that it would otherwise have been. It is mainly due to you that I have retained a positive attitude and I just want to thank you all. Special thank to David Breitman whom I met a short while ago when he was in London. It is a very special thing when a former teacher cares about your progress and musical development.

The Spring semester is now ahead. The options and possibilities are many - now it is just to see which ones work out!