Xabier and I are starting the Music festival in Gernika, next Saturday 2July at 20.30 in the St Peter's Church in Lumo. I can't wait for it! The programme is fantastic, full of colour! 

Our recital opens with Poulenc's Sonata (I love it from the first note to the last; but the second movement; one can't emphasize it enough, is just GRAND! and the spark of the third is so full of life!)

We will continue with an arrangement of Guridi's Amorosa. The original is written for piano solo, but combining these both instruments, one gets an extra richness of shades and fluidity that enhances the beauty of this Basque jewel. Next in the programe is Undine. A very romantic piece, full of lyricisn and drama: Reinecke based his Sonata on de la Motte Fouque's novel with the same title, where the water spirit Undine marries a knight in order to have a soul. 

Following this we move to the other side of the world and encounter Piazzolla. Nightclub 1960 (from Histoire du Tango) takes us to another sound world, where it's all about the rythm and feeling. And finally, to conclude the recital, we turn to the atmospheric composition of Jules Mouquet, La flûte de Pan. 

As I begun saying earlier, it is a fantastic tailored programe! (All thanks to Xabier!) And we will enjoy it from the first to the last note. 

See you there?
M.

Some links: 
Press Press

There are so many things going on at the moment, that I find it very hard to be specific and concentrate in one at the time! However I will try to do a brief!

Tenorissimi 'en route' was a big success last Saturday. We had a fantastic and very supportive audience in Bramley and we were delighted to be there. ( I will upload the pictures when I get them). The little adventure/anecdote was that the bflat4 of the keyboard 'broke' and sounded 'special' ... Quite unfortunate since one of my solo interludes, Onazes is written in B flat minor!! :) We all accepted with good humour and the concert finished with a full chuch singing Funiculi with all the required umpf! 

I had the pleasure to work first time with Achim Holub on the Sunday and it was a truly inspiring class for me. We worked on Schubert's Unfinished Symphony, which is some of the best 22 minutes of music written in the entire repertoire. I love the darkness, the shades ... it's Caravaggio! Or that is how I feel it. I will conduct and record it 10th July, so having the possibility to work it with him beforehand was really helpful! 

And finally yesterday I had my first official crossover moment playing for a newly created show Diva's in Development. Completely out of my comfort zone with musical numbers, but absolutely hilarious and inspiring to work with both Clare Presland and Jessica Pidsley. The performance was absolutely upbeat-paced, creative and fresh and I felt proud of what they had managed to write and what they achieved on stage! 

Next stop, Thursday in Clapham! Unfortunately Alba Bosch is ill, but Natalie Perez has kindly agreed to sing instead! Rehearsing first time tomorrow! 

And it looks like is bed time now!

Buenas noches!

Just when I was considering closing my facebook account, one of my friends posted the link to one of the best and most useful blogs I have ever seen.
 
And here I am, contributimg to the difussion of this fantasticly tailored website and blog. I have already suscribed! I hope you find it as interesting and helpful as I do! http://www.bulletproofmusician.com

M.

The concert at St Leonard's Church in Stroud was yesterday! Together with Kezia Bienek and Alex Garziglia, we performed a variety of Italian songs (Rossini, Verdi and Puccini) and arias (Mozart, Puccini), together with German songs and Operatic duets. Oh! And Carmen's Seguidilla! The concert was absolutely fun and after Emma Watkinson had to cancel her performance of Voi che sapete, (from Le Nozze di Figaro), the one who writes this lines jumped out of the piano stool, and accompanied by Alex Garziglia, sang the aria in front of a very warm audience.

Obviously this is now a very special memory of the concert for me, but apart from this anecdotal circumstance, highlights for me were the Verdi and Puccini songs performed with Kezia, and Strauss' Morgen played with Alex. I can't really articulate with words the feeling you get when you are thoroughly connected with a singer through the performance of a song, but the sensation is so full and rich when it happens! Absolutely wonderful!

It was a pity to end the night with massively delayed trains back to London... But things happen- as my best friend always reminds me. And despite really really late, I went to bed with a broad smile on my face! To the music!

M.