Friday, September 3, 2010
The summer was good; the summer was long (but not long enough). Now time to pick up the projects and run. (Run on, that is, not run away, of course.) A whole new path is opening up for me. I’m excited but apprehensive; confident yet vulnerable. We shall see - watch this space…
A quick word in praise of the “Site du Grand-Hornu” in Mons. It was buit as an industrial mining complex in the early 19th century, and comprised workshops, offices, as well as housing both for the workers and the administrators.
In its hey-day, the Grand-Hornu was producing nearly 120,000 tons a year and employing nearly 1500 people. The mining concern shut down in 1954, but the site was fortunately bought by the Province of Hainault in 1989 and has been beautifully restored.
There are a few eerie reminders of times past and in one courtyard a lingering feeling of desolation, but the oval building that can be seen above has been elegantly fashioned into a most unusual and effective space. It now houses the Contemporary Arts Museum of the French Community of Belgium (MAC’s) and hosts other temporary exhibitions.
Well, it’s been a while since my last blog. In my defence, April and May have been incredibly busy months (and for a self-employed musician, that’s the best possible reason for getting a little behind with the paperwork…)
Now that June is here I’ve once more got time to get out the hoover and to re-establish some order in my life.
Keeping me the most busy these last few weeks has been a typically ambitious project conceived by the musical educative centre ReMuA. Under the management of Sarah Goldfarb, I have been working in two primary schools : St Henri, Woluwe St Lambert and Schaerbeek 13. The project ‘Choeur à lEcole’ got everyone in the school singing (including the teachers!) and culminated in a magnificent concert at the Brussels Conservatory, in collaboration with another of Sarah’s schools projects, ‘Orchestre à l’Ecole’.
What an achievement! A big thank you from me to everyone involved and in particular the children and staff of ‘my’ two schools for their energy and commitment.
The children themselves wrote the texts of the songs, which we then set to music. They performed with various young professional musicians, notably the New Orleans Trio Big Noise (style Louis Armstrong on speed). And with a little visit from Princess Mathilde, it was quite an experience. And a challenge, as I was expected to conduct, play the ‘cello and sing solo…
Now I’m not really a royalist, but I must admit that the presence of a Royal adds something extra to an event. After the concert a small group of us were invited to perform at the Serres de Laeken for the Fondation Reine Paola. Not something that happens every day; and I admit - being saluted by the guards as I drove away felt pretty good!
Here’s a link to find out more about ReMuA. And do check out Big Noise - they’re definitely worth it.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
My great uncle, Raphael Salaman, had a passion for old tools. He wrote two dictionaries, one about wood-working, the other about leather-working tools. During his life he assembled a vast collection of implements once used by the likes of coopers, wheelwrights and blacksmiths.
For 40 years Raph’s collection has been open to the public at the St Albans’ Museum, UK. However, it is now threatened with being dismantled and put into storage.
His grandson, my second cousin, Saul Wordsworth, is hoping to keep this collection together. If you would like to support him in his attempt to preserve this catalogue of the working man’s evolution, please sign his petition.
