News from Music@ Felcino Bianco
MfB's third season sets new standards of performance
MfB's third season of Masterclasses and Summer Schools set new standards of music performance in the area and left our growing regular audiences ecstatic about what they came to hear. Povilas Stravinsky, concert pianist of wonderful ability, joined Elvira and Alfia Bekova in summer 2007, all the way from Seattle.
The Comune in Citerna had very kindly put in a proposal to have I Solisti di Perugia - a noted local chamber orchestra - perform with Povilas, Alfia and Elvira as soloists for the opening concert of the season. Thus, a superb concert was given in the recently restored courtyard of the Comunal palazzo, which has excellent acoustics. The programme included the 1st Piano Concerto (BMV1052) by Bach, Haydn's Cello Concerto in D major and Mozart's 5th Violin Concerto (KV219) performed wonderfully well by the three soloists together with the orchestra.
A total of five concerts were performed by the maestri over the twelve-day period, two of which included course participants. This had the effect of creating a small festival. The sad death of Rostropovich in 2007 was honoured by Alfia and Povilas in their splendid cello and piano recital which included works by Mozart, Beethoven, Debussy, Schedrin, Schumann and Prokofiev.
Elvira's violin and piano recital - also with Povilas - included works by Tartini, Ravel, Debussy and Wienawski, a virtuoso performance indeed. A fourth concert was held in the chapel of a former convent at the kind invitation of the owners and saw the debut of a young violoncellist attending the course, Calum Hopkins, to the evident delight of Alfia, his regular teacher. In addition, a gifted amateur clarinettist (Joseph Rosen) who joined the course to perform Beethoven, Brahms and Bartok repertoire with the professionals, played Schumann's Fantasiestucke with Povilas and the difficult Trio for Clarinet, Violin and Piano by Khachaturian, with Elvira and Povilas.
The final concert as usual involved the members of the course together with the professionals. "Regalo per Citerna" (Gift for Citerna) closed the 2007 season and included Mozart's Clarinet Quintet played by Joseph with Peter Hopkins, Alfia, Elvira and Elvira's daughter Aciel on second violin. Once again this intensive short season had lived up to its growing reputation and sent the course participants home with a real sense of achievement.
Plans for 2008
We have again been in discussion with our friends at the Comune regarding a fourth season in 2008 and we are delighted to be able to say that agreement has been reached to hold the MasterClass Music Citerna festival from 13th - 26th July with the same artists as in 2007 in residence. In addition we are very pleased to say that we will be joined by master classical guitarist Reinbert Evers, Professor and Dean at the University of Munster, Germany. Accordingly applications to attend the 2008 course are very welcome from stringed instrument players including classical guitar, and pianists. As 2008 is also the anniversary of Messaien we plan to perform some of his works "in omaggio" during MasterClass Music Citerna.
As usual, we expect that the Hotel Sobaria will provide its regular value-for-money support for course participants by means of Bed and Breakfast, Half or Full Board as desired individually. A dinner for all the course participants will be arranged before the concert closing the season.
The intensive course format which has seen such excellent results for those participating will be followed again in 2008 with individual lessons and ensemble classes taking place in Felcino Bianco and/or the Hotel or the churches in Citerna. Details of the concerts to be performed will be posted on this page of our website in due course.
The costs of attending the 2008 season are unchanged at €500 for solo attendees and €475 per person for pre-formed ensembles. The Hotel costs are expected to be €26 daily per person for room double occupancy and €13 for each main meal as required. Air-conditioning is charged as an extra. These details will be confirmed on this page upon agreement with the Sobaria.
Finally, we hope that all our previous participants will have had an enjoyable Christmas and will have a prosperous and musical New Year. Remember that you can always contact us on 0039-0575-70778 (Tel/Fax) or on music@felcinobianco.com
Elvira Bekova and Michael Humphreys
