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Monthly Archives: October 2007

Bringing Opera into Schools

Monday, October 29, 2007

This week has seen me concentrating on the educative project Etoiles et Voix that has been set up by the Réseau de Musiciens en Ateliers.  Etoiles et Voix is a project that runs alongside this year’s Queen Elisabeth Competition for Voice in Belgium, and introduces primary school children to opera arias that are to be sung by the competitors.  [...]

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New Growth

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

On Sunday it was my pleasure to attend two concerts of youngsters performing on the piano and violin. I am so impressed with the goodwill that children show (by and large…) while grappling with all the complicated tasks set them by their respective responsible adults.  We expect so much of them and yet they so often [...]

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Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Monday, October 15, 2007

My thoughts this week have taken a sombre turn. On Thursday the Laudantes Consort began rehearsals for Pierre Bartholomée’s Requiem. Pierre Bartholomée is one of Belgium’s most well-respected contemporary composers. His Requiem was commissioned by Guy Janssens to be the final work in a series of ‘Requiems through the Ages’. Bartholomée’s Requiem was inspired by [...]

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Running Round Brussels

Monday, October 8, 2007

  Yesterday I gathered my courage together and joined in my first ever organized running event : the 15 kilometer Foulées des Flosses round the Forêt de Soignes.  The weather was picture postcard perfection. As I ran I thought of the parallels with singing : First, the nerves just before you begin as you wait for [...]

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