Following our concert in London last year, we were invited back to St Andrews Church, Alexandra Park to repeat performance. As the previous year seemed to be such a success, Nathalie and I decided to make a 3 day course of it, which was more than successful!
Six students from Switzerland, one from Germany, one from Cambridgeshire and nine aspiring youngsters from London, gathered in the Quakers Meeting House, Winchmore Hill, and worked and enjoyed each other's company in equal measure for two days, Taking in a concert in London's Royal festival Hall with the Philharmonia Orchestra, playing amongst other things Scheherazade by Rimsky-Korsakov, and following this with a meal in Chinatown.
In between some sightseeing in London for the Swiss and German students, a lot of work was done. The program eventually performed included Prokofiev's duet for two violins, a Telemann concerto for four violins, some wonderful Danish quartet arrangements from 'Last Leaf', Ysaye's obsession for solo violin, the march of the Turks, by Lully, Dvorak's Terzetto, Geiesking's trio for 3 violins, and the finale - the old war horse - Pachabell canon in D.
We are going to find ourselves I'm sure. running this course every year at the same time; it's been a fantastic success, and there is every reason to believe it will be again. We already have a date for next year, so for those of you have been and want to do it again, put it in your diary! 20, 21 and 22 of February 2025.
