...and Day 3

Thursday, day 3 of our rehearsal -like day 2- did not go as planned. Half of the morning got waisted in driving around the city of Helsinki -for diverse reasons. Had to get some things from a drug store, plus to help a friend with Silver´s car. So, we started around 12pm.

Once again, the focus of the practicing was the new trio. Just before that, we went through the two smaller, and older, trios. One is on the program, the other is our encore. After a couple of hours, I think we had the new trio in a good condition. There was a small changed detail after the previous day, since we heard some live recordings of the trio, by the composer´s trio with his siblings. It somehow gave us some new ideas, plus the confidence that we could, and actually should, present it better. Could because we´re not related to each other - meaning that we have a less complicated connection, and should because, well, it was somebody else´s work...

At the end, we checked our cello/piano duo. Made sure a couple of tricky places are working, and around 3.30 pm, I let Silver go to Turku where his parents live. After that he should refresh 2 of Beethoven sonatas, learn the other 3 and the sets of variations for his four-concert series this week with a Finnish pianist. Yes, with three hours of practicing we did our job.

More rehearsals on the spot, Trieste on 12th and 13th of August -that is next Tuesday. But no panic. Most of the work is done, and I think we´ll enjoy ourselves in the sunny and warm south. Cheers!

PS: As I wrote before, you can find complete details of the works and some descriptions on the other blog.

Day 2

Our second day of rehearsal was last Wednesday. It did not go the way I imagined; it was nevertheless, helpful. With only three hours of practicing, I was afraid that we might get short of time on Thursday. Somehow, things turned out very well.

The morning session went pretty well, and we focused on the new trio again. Solved a problem or two we were having with it, and got to play some of the old pieces. We did have a long break for lunch, and some rest, believing that the afternoon/early evening session would be OK. Because of a force majeure reason, Jaana had to leave from the rehearsal just before we started -she had to help a neighbor of ours. Like this and like that, we had the possibility with Silver to practice our duo. From our old program too, though a bit tougher, since it is pretty hard for the cello. Or as he put it, "very uncomfortable." And with his arm problems the last year, I can see why he is not too eager to play uncomfortable works...

The day ended with a late dinner, a flammkuchen straight from Alsace. First time I did it, it was successful. With some practice, it will get better, I guess. Cheers!

Day 1

Time to rehearse some of the next concert's program. Yes, the cellist did drop by yesterday and we had are first day of rehearsal for this week. (drop by: he came from Tallinn to Helsinki in the morning with the boat, and left in the evening). With three hours in the "morning" and another 2,5 in the afternoon, I think we did a good job.

Since we have to learn a new trio -new for us, and relative recently composed (2004), we started with that. And stayed there, for most of the time. An unusual work, it takes time to get used to it. But I'll write more about the works on my other blog. It's been more than a year that I did chamber music -duos for flute and piano with Jaana- for the last time, and it felt good. Yes, we did rehearse seriously, but we had our laughs. Even Jaana enjoyed it, although she's been very much stressed about that concert. And Silver -the (Estonian) cellist from Tallinn- seems a bit different. More relaxed, more open. When we first met 2,5 years ago, he was another person, and last summer with the cello competition he was pretty much stressed.

Few words about the actual rehearsal: in my opinion Jaana and Silver are the artistic persons of the trio. Me on the other hand, I'm a bit more organized and focused. (when we started playing together, I use to call them "children", mainly because of the fooling around, and of course Silver came up with something like "dean" for my nickname). Well, I'm the one trying to keep them in track, when things get out of hands. I've noticed however, that I'm also a bit more relaxed than 2 or 5 years ago. (maybe it's the fact that I don't have to play anything by heart... or the age. Who knows?). Anyway, it went very well yesterday, and, though exhausted in the evening, happy about it. We got the main sides of the new trio working, now we just have to make some music out of it. We'll somehow, make it.

Today it was a free day. Silver had to be in Tallinn for business, but he'll be back tomorrow. More about that day later. Cheers!

One month

One month left for my first public performance since May 2007. It will be a chamber music concert, so I won´t be very much stressed -with things like memory slips... On the program, works by Greek composers that live abroad. Ms Jaana Ranta (flute) and Mr Silver Ainomäe (cello) will give me the pleasure and honor to play with me. The concert place is Trieste, Italy.

So, this summer was -till now- and will be a bit different than the previous ones here in Helsinki. I had my fair share of vacation, though, to be honest, I was not in need of it. Getting some sun nevertheless, is priceless in Finland. What remains the same is the -almost- complete lack of concerts in Helsinki during June and July. Activities are moved to the country side. Things at the capital start in August -and of course the Helsinki festival draws all the attention.

About the program of our concert I´ll write more in the other blog. I plan, and hopefully I´ll make it, to write a small text on each work we´re going to present there. Unfortunately, this blog will have some more -longer- breaks the next few months. Since I´m not a student of the Sibelius Academy anymore, I guess it´ll be unfair to keep criticizing them... I think.

Cheers!

Back on the block

Another long break from this blog, or blogging for that matter. I have been pretty busy organizing things in my new "old" life. I came back to Helsinki couple of months ago, after I got the go from the doctors. There's no permanent job right now for me here, so I have to do things on my own. And by "things" I mean concerts.

Finland however, is a very well organized place, that means, usually concerts are planned well ahead. So, what I've been trying to do is find places -halls and festivals- that would be interested in my crazy ideas on the one hand, and ways to realize those on the other. At least until now, everything has gone well.

My trip to Helsinki started with a report at Finland's major newspaper Helsingin Sanomat on the opening of the new opera house in Oslo. With a gala that lasted five hours (or was it six) and the royal family, I think that everyone in Norway is aware of the new opera. Later on, Radu Lupu opened the Helsinki festival -of which the most part is held in August- with a piano recital at the Finlandia house. Couldn't of course miss that -I enjoyed it. But only two encores? Long live Sokolov!

Then a bit of practicing- or actually a lot of it. At least in comparison with the last 12 months. And some panic, since some of my colleagues -with whom I try to get the chamber music concerts- aren't always as fast as I would like them to be. Especially when they have to send a CV or something... Yes, reading the previous paragraph makes me feel that the squirrel is back on the wheel. Though, I enjoy it now. More news soon! Cheers!