Spring 2010

At last spring is here. So many places had an horrific winter with record amounts of snow, so spring is even more welcome. I am in Corfu at present where spring is really spectacular with the vibrant colours of the wisteria, Judas trees, blossom everywhere and masses of wild flowers. In the evenings the fireflies darting around the garden announce that summer is on the way! 
 
I had to cancel my visit to Italy in February because of the terrible weather. Friends told me driving was really dangerous at times. I look forward to visiting in early May and again in June, staying with friends near Asolo and Venice to check on details for our September Holiday. We will also visit Florence and the border of Tuscany and Umbria catching up with friends Elvira Bekova and her husband Michael Humphries, as well as two of Italy's greatest chamber musicians Igor Polesitsky and Roger Low. 

It is with great sadness that I write of the death of John Terry, the world famous luthier resident in Florence. Many of you knew him from our Holidays in Florence and Festivals in Tuscany, as well as our Beethoven on Board cruise. He was such a popular man, always willing to help and to invite us to his workshop. We met in 1987 when he rented instruments to our participants when we had a Chamber Music Holiday in Tuscany and he invited us to his studio. We then organised the festival Souni and Colori together for three years. He is sadly missed.  

St. Goar, Rhine Valley, Germany - 12 to 19 May
This stunningly beautiful part of Germany is a wonderful centre from which to visit the Beethoven city of Bonn with its fantastic Beethoven House Museum. We stop at Königswinter where we take the rack railway to the top of the Drachenfels Mountain. We take two cruises on the Rhine, visit a winery - with wine tastings and a guided walk with the vintner in the vineyards - and explore historic towns such as St. Goar and Bacharach as well as some of the stunning castles in the region. Our hotel overlooks the Rhine and the meals there and at various local restaurants are excellent. Chamber music playing with coaching is in the mornings and freelance playing on several evenings. There is still the possibility of one twin/double room if booked before the end of April.  

Prague Spring Festival - 21 May to 2 June
Prague is my second home and this year there are, as always, so many wonderful concerts as part of the Spring Festival - one of the most prestigious in Europe. There will be some memorable meals and parties with our wonderful friends who are some of the greatest musicians in Europe. A highlight will be Michal Kanka's (cellist Prazak Quartet) 50th Birthday party on 21st May in my apartment in the hotel and his recital and a concert with the Prazak Quartet. We have eight concerts and one opera during our stay. The atmosphere in this stunning city is very special at this time with music everywhere, lots of spring flowers and so many green areas and parks. 

Prague Summer Festival - 21 August to 2 September
This very popular Holiday has wonderful music and so much more. Prague is usually not crowded at this time and we have extensive sightseeing. This will include some walks with our wonderful guides Pavel and Jara who are so knowledgeable and interested in us and our questions. Two favourites are the Museum of Music with its incredible collection of instruments and the Lobkowicz Palace in Prague Castle with an amazing collection of musical manuscripts and instruments, wonderful paintings by Canaletto, Brueghel and others and lots more - an absolute gem. (Lobkowicz was a major patron of Beethoven, dedicatee of the 3rd, 5th, 6th Symphonies and the op 18 quartets.) As well as several concerts, there is of course lots of chamber music playing with coaching. Prague is a very green city which our hotel overlooks from its superb position near the Castle. Meals vary from typical Czech menus to international cuisine, several in the hotel restaurant, an outdoor barbeque area and a terrace with splendid views. It would be advisable to book early as tickets for the opera sell quickly and I only make reservations once deposits are paid.

Asolo and Venice - 4 to 12 September
The Asolo International Music Festival will be a highlight, as will the world famous Human Chess Game in Marostica which is held every two years. There will be one day to visit Venice and another exploring the islands of Murano and Burano in the Venice lagoon. Other afternoon excursions will be to places nearby. Igor Polesitsky and Roger Low, two of Italy's leading chamber musicians, will be our coaches (many of you will remember them coaching in Florence, also in Asolo). they are charismatic and highly experienced teachers, very popular with our participants. The hilltop town of Asolo, in the foothills of the Dolomites, is certainly one of the most beautiful and historic in the country and the lower part of the town has wonderful villas and superb gardens with spectacular views. This is the location for our hotel, a completely restored and refurbished old Venetian farmhouse, family-run with just 24 rooms and opened last November. Set in extensive gardens with mature shrubs and trees, terraces and lawns this is an ideal place to play music, socialize and relax. Bookings have started and early application is advised.

Asolo and Venice can be combined with the Corfu Chamber Music Holiday.
Stay over in Venice on 13th September then take the ferry to Corfu the next afternoon, arriving the following evening.The ferries are like small cruise ships with restaurants, cafe/bars, swimming pools and a large range of cabins. Several of our participants have travelled this way and they all enjoyed the unique, spectacular views of Venice sailing past the Grand Canal, St Mark's Square, Doge's Palace and the Vivaldi Church. It is amazing to look down on the maze of canals and houses. You would then have the 15th at leisure in Corfu before the Holiday starts on 16th. You could also stay longer in Venice or the Veneto area and arrive around midday on 16th as these ferries also sail on Wednesdays. 

Divertimenti in Corfu 16 - 30 September 
This is the 23rd year in Corfu and after the soaking rains over the winter this beautiful island is even more lush, green and colourful. The Albanian trip and our visit to Butrint is always popular. We are finalising plans for the Divertimenti in Corfu Festival with wonderful concert venues such as a small square in the the Old Town of Corfu with the wonderful Herold Quartet from Prague who were so popular last year. Details of programmes by the end of April. 

News of our musical family will be in the next Newsletter after our visit to Prague.

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 their change of email address, this is most helpful. If you have written an email to me which has not been answered please resend it!

I really enjoy your emails responding to the Newsletters - do keep writing. I hope to see you this summer somewhere in Europe!

All best wishes for an enjoyable spring and summer with lots of wonderful music.

Vivienne Pittendrigh.

Previous Newsletters

January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
June 2009
May 2009
February 2009
December 2008
October 2008