October 2008

The last weeks have been busy with plans for 2009. Our new venue is creating a lot of interest and I am absolutely delighted as it is one of my favourite places in the USA. Williamsburg, Virginia is part of the Historic Triangle including Jamestown and Yorktown – the birthplace of the nation. We shall spend ample time in the superbly restored historic area and visit the other two towns. Chamber music playing with coaching, concerts, savouring colonial fare and gourmet meals will be included.  

August was most memorable this year with two String Quartet Festivals. It was a pleasure to meet old friends and getting to know new ones with participants coming from as far a field as Australia, Ecuador and Canada. An increasing number of local musicians now join us which adds to the playing sessions and visiting private homes is most interesting and enjoyable.

I was very much looking forward to the Aron Quartet festival in Schloss Laudon in August and it was way above my expectations. This Baroque Water Palace on the edge of the Vienna Woods is absolutely exquisite. The extensive gardens, the lake and moat surrounding the building are a wonderful setting for this elegant palace with a superb concert hall. The concerts were excellent with varied programmes. In the final concert the Arons played Haydn op 76 no 2 - one of the best Haydn performances I have ever heard. Then Barna the second violinist introduced the Bartok with a Hungarian folk band playing traditional music such as Bartok collected. The quartet then gave an exciting performance of Bartok's third quartet. After champagne at interval listening to the Hungarian band in the courtyard we heard a wonderful Brahms sextet with the Aron Quartet and members of the New Helsinki Quartet. This was followed by a buffet lunch in a sociable atmosphere where we met several interesting people and of course chatted to all members of the Quartet. We enjoyed meeting local musicians and playing in a private home, visiting many museums, eating in local restaurants and enjoying a glass of wine on the hotel roof garden. A highlight was the day in Eszterhaza where we had a private tour of the museum and Palace and also visited the Bagatelle and gardens. This was followed by lunch in a nearby Palace renowned for its cuisine.

From Vienna I went to Prague for our Divertimenti in Prague Festival and Chamber Music Holiday. The concerts were of the usual high standard, the Herold Quartet followed by the Stamic, Kocian and Prazak Quartets all gave outstanding performances. The party with many members of these quartets was a highlight. As usual, the open, friendly musicians made a big impression on members of our group. The amateur musicians were all of a very high standard and enjoyed piano trios and quartets and string quartets with inspiring coaching mostly by Petr Bernasek (Nostitz Quartet) . Most of our meals were in the hotel with its excellent restaurant - everyone wanted to stay "at home" for meals as it was so convenient and time saving as well as a varied menu with gourmet meals beautifully presented. Museums were very popular, the Musical Instruments Museum, the Lobkowitz Museum in the Castle and many others are excellent. One of the Australians and I found the Museum of Asian Art which was absolutely amazing, I shall certainly return on my next visit. We were again invited to the charming restored country house of Misha and Sue Kain with a wonderful garden and swimming pool – which was much in use as it was a hot day! The barbeque was delicious and the whole day most enjoyable – the added bonus was the visit the Dvorak’s birthplace nearby.

Prague Christmas - 22nd to 29th December. This is a magical time to be in Prague, do join us for this festive occasion, Concerts, operas, guided sightseeing, gourmet meals and parties and coaching by members of the top Czech Quartets. There is an enchanting atmosphere at this time with the famous Christmas Market in the Old Town Square and, as always in Prague, lots of wonderful music.

Prague Spring Festival - 14th to 26th May with the possibility of combining with the Eszterhazy Palace 28 May to 3rd June is now on the website.This is one of the most prestigious festivals in Europe and Prague is really wonderful in spring , lots of flowering trees and shrubs. After the great success this year some people asked for details to be published early. The mix of operas, seven or more concerts, playing with coaching by members of leading Czech Quartets, sightseeing especially to places of musical interest and a sociable time with gourmet meals and parties will keep us busy. There are a few rooms available in the hotel in Eszterhaza for people to combine this celebration of Haydn's Bicentenary with Prague. You would meet the main group in Vienna on 28th May to travel together and return on 3rd June. This option is almost sold out, just a few rooms in the Palace Hotel left.

The Haydn Bicentenary Chamber Music Holiday and Festival in the fabulous Esterhazy Palace in Hungary and Vienna 27th May to 8th June has proved very popular with all the apartments and rooms in the Bagatelle booked. There are still a few rooms in the hotel in the Palace as of today. The various options on Vienna accommodation are filling up fast. It will be a great multinational group, including several old friends, to celebrate the Bicentenary on 31stMay with concerts over several days and a special party. A unique experience.

The String Quartet Festival in Vienna is now on the website - after the great success last year this is yet another thing to look forward to. I have described it above.

Plans for Prague August 2009 followed by Haydn in Eszterhaza Festival in early September are being finalised and will be on the website soon with details in the next Newsletter.

Corfu - 22nd September to 6th October. Major changes here with a lovely new boutique hotel in a stunning situation and a two day excursion to Albania which is creating a lot of interest. The outstanding Herold Quartet from Prague will play varied and most interesting programmes in the Divertimenti in Corfu festival. The six concerts will be held in spectacular venues including a Winery, an historic Venetian mansion, an exclusive Country Club, an 18th Century estate with a concert hall in a converted olive press, We are hoping to finalise plans for a concert in a monastery in mainland Greece – opposite Corfu – in conjunction with the Bicentenary celebration of Byron’s stay there.

Williamsburg, Virginia, USA. Provisional dates 17th to 26th October a superb time to be in this wonderful area. One of the Historic Triangle, Colonial Williamsburg with its character interpreters, museums, and period ambience will take up much of our free time. Tom and Alice Lindsay suggested this to me earlier this summer and we have been working on details. They are professional musicians who have been with me in Prague and are coming to Vienna and Eszterhaza in May/June. They understand how the Chamber Music Holidays are organised and I am sure we (mostly they!) will put together a wonderful nine days. We are now choosing between several interesting options for accommodation. There will be a possibility for people to come for the last weekend – from 23rd to 26th. Chamber music playing every day – most days with coaching and possibly master classes the last weekend. Listeners will find plenty to do – enjoying the music also concerts, sightseeing, gourmet meals and for your friends and family members who are golfers, there are some of the world's great courses. There will also be an optional excursion to Washington D.C. The next Newsletter will announce the Williamsburg page on the website.

This Newsletter is already too long so I shall include news of our Musical Family next month.

Once again thank you all for your interest and support and please forward this Newsletter to friends who may be interested. Do continue to send me contacts with people who may be interested in joining us.

Thank you to everyone who has sent me their change of e-mail address, this is most helpful. I hope to see you in later this year or at least 2009. If you have written an e-mail to me which has not been answered please resend it as I am still finding important emails and application forms in junk or spam filters. I had problems connecting to the internet several times in August and early September – I apologise for any delayed replies.

Vivienne E. Pittendrigh