February 2009

Our Christmas Chamber Music Holiday Festival in Prague was most enjoyable, starting with a great concert by the Czech Philharmonic and wonderful chamber music concerts including the Kocian Quartet in Villa Bertramka. The performance of Janacek's opera The "Makropoulos Affair" at the National Theatre was absolutely stunning. As usual this was a very sociable time with  delicious meals and the annual party with various musicians including the Kocian Quartet. Everyone was delighted with Martin Sedlak's coaching - also his  playing with the group. I now have a larger apartment in the hotel with a kitchen and dining area, so as we Australians were in the majority (for the second time at Christmas) we managed to organise a traditional Australian dessert - Pavlova (special merangue with passion fruit). Some of us also found time to enjoy the heated pool, sauna and massages in the hotel. As always the hotel staff were most helpful and friendly, nothing was too much trouble and we felt most welcome. Details of the Prague Christmas in December 2009 will be on the website by the end of this month. I hope you will join us in this magnificent city which is so spectacular at this time of year. 

Several people have already made reservations for the first Chamber Music Holiday Festival in Williamsburg, Virginia, USA.  I shall be visiting Williamsburg in March, staying with Alice and Tom Lindsay who have been so helpful with the setting up of this Holiday. I was there many years ago and am very much looking forward to this visit. We shall fine tune the programme and I shall have time to refamiliarise myself with this wonderful area. (More information below.) I also plan to visit New York and see friends who had been on the Chamber Music Holidays. If you are in New York and would like to join us do e-mail me.

Prague Spring Festival - 14 to 26 May
This is one of the most prestigious festivals in Europe and Prague is really wonderful in spring. Concerts include the Kocian Quartet and the Czech Nonet and a performance of "The Marriage of Figaro" in the Estates Theatre where Mozart conducted the first performance. I only buy tickets for the major concerts and opera as bookings come in, so it would be wise to reserve a place soon. Several people have already booked. It is still possible to combine Prague May with Eszterhaza, the celebration of Haydn's Bicentenary. You would meet the main group in Vienna on 28th May to travel together and return to Vienna on 3rd June. This option is almost sold out, just two rooms in the Palace Hotel still vacant.

Esterhazy Palace and Vienna - 27 May to 8 June
The Haydn Bicentenary Chamber Music Holiday and Festival has proved very popular with all the Apartments and rooms in the Bagatelle booked. There are only two rooms in the hotel in the Palace as of today and one room in Vienna. It will be a great multinational group, including several old friends, to celebrate the Bicentenary on 31 May, with concerts over several days and a special party. A unique experience.

The String Quartet Festival in Vienna - 17 to 24 August
After the great success last year this is yet another week to look forward to. The Baroque water palace, Schloss Laudon, is a wonderfull setting and the Aron Quartet and friends give us five fantastic concerts. Wonderful sightseeing in places of musical interest, accommodation in an apartment hotel ideal for playing chamber music and meals in interesting and often historic restaurants.

Prague - 25 August to 4 September
Wonderful concerts, some in the garden of Villa Bertramka with the musicians playing on the terrace with a special roof with good accoustics. Extensive sightseeing with our very popular guides, wonderful museums, gourmet meals and as always the friendly hotel staff make our stay relaxing and enjoyable. Coaching is by members of the leading Czech Quartets and people find playing with these wonderful musicians who often join the groups during the coaching sessions is a memorable experience. 

Our original plans for the Haydn in Eszterhaza Festival in early September have not been possible due to the uncertainty of the concerts. I shall be in Hungary in March organising a Chamber Music Holiday for late August and early September 2010 to start in Vienna, then to Eszterhaza and finishing in Budapest. Details as soon as possible.

Corfu - 22 September to 6 October
There are already several bookings for this Holiday. Our lovely new boutique hotel in a stunning situation and the two day excursion to Albania are proving most attractive. Concerts with the outstanding Herold String Quartet in spectacular locations including a Winery, an historic Venetian mansion, an exclusive Country Club and an 18th Century estate with a concert hall in a converted olive press. There are a limited number of places - especially for single rooms, so it is wise to book early. 

Williamsburg VA. USA - 17 to 26 October
A superb time to be in this wonderful area. This promises to be a very full nine days with lots of concerts, playing, sightseeing, wonderful gourmet meals some in historic places and a stimulating and sociable time with people from all over the world. Chamber music playing every day with coaching will be by the Aron Quartet from Vienna who will also be playing in concerts in this area and Charles Castleman from the USA.  There has been a lot of interest and many bookings already. Colonial Williamsburg with its character interpreters, museums, and period  ambience will take up much of our free time. We have an ideal hotel for chamber music and meals will be a highlight at wonderful restaurants, some in historic taverns. There is a possibility for people to come for the last weekend – from 23rd to 26th. Listeners will find plenty to do – enjoying the music also concerts, sightseeing, gourmet meals and for your friends and family members who are golfers, there are some of the world's great courses. One of the highlights will be a special party in Tom and Alice Lindsay's home - dinner then lots of chamber music, real southern hospitality! 

News of our Musical Family (see their websites)

The Prazak Quartet has concerts in The Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland this month before leaving for the wonderful Nelson Festival in New Zealand at the end of January and early February. In March they are in Canada and the USA once again. Michal Kanka now has his own website. I have already marked 23 May 2010 in my diary for Michal's 50th birthday concert in the Prague Spring Festival  - this will be during our May Chamber Music Holiday in Prague.

The Kocian Quartet has been making several recordings recently and have just received yet another Gold Disc for their last Martinu record. They leave tomorrow for a concert in the National Theatre in Damascus in connection with the Czech Presidency of the European Union then they have a two week tour in Spain with the Nostitz Quartet playing sextets and octets. Earlier this month they had a Gala Concert in the Spanish Synagogue for the International Holocaust Remembrance day. We look forward to hearing them in the Prague Spring Festival in May.

Lucie Hulova and her husband Martin Sedlak (Czech String Duo and Kinsky Trio) who many of you know, had a son two months ago. Lucas is a beautiful baby and seemed happy to visit his first party with his sister and parents on 26 December in my apartment after the Kocian Quartet concert.  

The Herold Quartet are at present on an extensive tour of Spain then in February they have several concerts in the UK.

The Talich Quartet are at present in France. On 5 February they start an extensive tour of the USA with a concert in New York.

Once again thank you all for your interest and support and please forward this Newsletter to friends who may be interested. Do continue to send me contacts with people who may be interested in joining us. Thank you to everyone who has sent me their change of e-mail address, this is most helpful. I hope to see you in 2009. If you have written an e-mail to me which has not been answered please resend it as I am still finding important emails and application forms in junk or spam filters. 

All best wishes for 2009 may it be full of wonderful music.

Vivienne E. Pittendrigh

Previous Newsletters

October 2008
December 2008