So finally after yet another long break I am back on my blog. The past month have alternated between being of 'no particular interest' (so not worth writing about) and so interesting and busy that I did not have the time ;). The summer month was a time to move a little slower, enjoy some music and attempt to sort out various things.

In July my duo Due Corde went to the Northeast. We had a great time performing among other things at Gibside chapel as well as in Hexam, Gateshead and Newcastle. The programs mixed eighteenth century sonatas and duos with arrangements for traditional tunes. Amelie had done some really interesting research into Shield - a local composer who ended up being very successful in London - and we were able to perform quite a few of his pieces. It was my first trip to this part of the country and I really enjoyed it. Hope we will have a chance to come back.

The rest of the summer was much about the Proms. When we returned from the tour the season had already begun. As in previous years I worked as a steward at the RCM which hosted the pre-concert talks (Proms Plus). It was a real treat to be paid to listen to interesting talks about music - and then to run across the street to join the line when possible. I ended up attending a good variety of concerts with such varied ensembles as: OAE, Gabrieli Consort and Players, Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theater, BBC Symphony and many others. I was also lucky to get a ticket to the famous Last Night - a real party and a great way to end a good summer.

This week college has started again. The Fall term is shaping up to be really exciting. Due Corde will appear 3 times at the National Gallery (twice as background music and once in a recital). In addition a variety of college projects will be happening. It is going to be very busy but also really inspiring. I hope to be able to report on it all.

A Christmas to remember

After two Messiah perfomance in London I was ready to fly back to Denmark for Christmas. I was fortunate to get out on time. That very day the weather turned chilly - we did have quite a delay due to fog but we arrived safely in Copenhagen where I had a chance to spend a few days christmas shopping and visiting friends.

Our trip back to Bornholm was delayed due to the threat of snow storm but we made it in the end. However the strom did arrive on the 22nd in the evening. I just made it home from a visti in Rønne before it turned absolutely nasty. Soon all major roads were closed by snow. The average depth was 1.35m. After a week diggers arrived from the rest of Denmark to help and by New Years eve we were finally able to get almost anywhere we wished - that is if we had had a car. The busses only started running after a normal schedule on 3.1.

The snow did have it's merits. Apart from being just beautiful I had another chance to go cross country skiing while the roads were not completely cleared and covered in ugly salt. Otherwise I enjoyed the cast iron stove and worked on various promotio material for the website and Due Corde. Visits to friends were canceled but the phone was used quite a bit and with much work done on the computer I am ready for another term with studies, students, performances and everything else.

2010 - looking back

The second half of 2010 ended up being rather overshadowed by the IPS submission and the following Viva - that is the process of upgrade in the DMus program at the RCM. I spent much of the early summer revising and submitted in mid July. I then had to wait til mid October for the Viva. Finally by the end of October I had word that I had passed and by mid-November all formalities were in place. I did not have a chance to have any tutorials in the fall-term. On the other hand I now have them saved for 2011!

But of course there were other things going on. Most importantly Due Corde went on tour to Denmark. In one week we presented 4 concerts on Bornholm to fantastic audiences in very different venues: Ny kirke, Ibs kirke, Sct. Nikolai kirke Rønne and Østermarie kirke. I do hope we get at chance to return in the future. We also had time to relax both in Copenhagen and on Bornholm.

In November Due Corde performed in the Old Royal Naval College Chapel as part of the Greenwich Early Music Festival and Exhibition. It was good to be back performing in this fantastic venue. We had quite a susbstancial audience and a fun program to present to them. The recital was recorded professionally - hopefully I will be able to listen to the results soon. I had a chance to walk around the exhibition after the concert and chat to friends I had not seen for a very long time.