A video about missing my chamber music companions

My very good friend Rosie Bowker and I made a video, in which we play together but remotely, from our homes. Lots of musicians made those but little did I know how emotional the result would end up.

Rosie suggested an Aria by E. Bozza, a little piece, as she described it. We didn’t rehearse, obviously, I just sent her my accompaniment, in which I desperately try to imagine what she would have done. Close to impossible as we both pride ourselves for being rather individual and upredictable.

Blimey. The sorrow. That piece is already full of sorrow and longing but the additional effect of us trying to "follow” each other, much like looking for somebody in the darkness, means the music ends up pushed and pulled in the least expected manner. As though it is now a more real than desired metaphore for yearning for the chamber music and human contact , of which we are in such short supply.

Trinity Laban Fellowship and how are the students doing?

Some time ago I was informed I will be staying at the TL as a Junior Fellow. A bit of good news is always appreciated.

I only hope something half like normality comes back in September. I was thinking the other day of students, who are going through this. I don’t know about you, but when I was a student, I was constantly broke, almost always depressed, very often very alone with my family in a different country but also hopeful about my career, prospects and the future. The deadly combination of huge courage, arrogance, self doubt, anxiety etc. It was difficult enough without a pandemic. How are the students coping?

Imagine! In December, a few hundreds or more of young people got their acceptance letters to the UK conservatoires, not to mention all other universities. That would be huge numbers of young people. Getting such a letter is an incredible moment, for me it was probably the best moment of my life, so far. How many of these young people had to give up on their dreams as moving to a different country or even a different city just sounds like an insane idea now? Or pursuing career in music?

I hope they have someone wise and loving to talk to.

ROSL String Division

My good friend Eleanor Corr won the Royal Over-Seas League Competition, Strings Division in February. I had a pleasure of accompanying her and although the process of preparation was rather insane and we both almost evaporated from the amount of work we had undertaken, we were over the moon. This meant we would be playing in the Queen Elizabeth Hall for the Finals of the whole competition some time in June.

And then the Covid19 happened and everything was cancelled. So instead, we call each other sometimes and make each other laugh about very silly things. I really miss working with her but I know that the next time we play together will be truly explosive.