September 2012

In this newsletter I have written about the exciting new CMH in Florence and in the next Newsletter there will be information about the special Festival in Vienna in August. Our first Holiday was in Chelsea College London in April 1982. I do hope some of the people who were there thirty years ago will join us along with old and new friends from all over the world in 2012 for our 30th anniversary.

We return to Florence once again from 10 to 17 May, back to the same wonderful hotel where we have stayed several times since 1997. This year there will be some fascinating new events and changes. Chamber Music Playing and Coaching will be with two of Italy’s leading chamber musicians Roger Low and Igor Polesitsky. Twenty hours scheduled playing, ten of these with intensive coaching will be structured so that everyone knows in advance what they will work on for the first two to three days. Then groups will be changed to another quartet or quintet, also worked on in advance. There will also be optional reading sessions during unscheduled hours. We shall again visit one or two rehearsals with Zubin Mehta conducting.

An exciting new event is a cooking class with world renowned chef Jeff Thickman in his home in a wildlife park in the Florentine hills. This will be hands on with lots of information from Jeff about local specialties - cheeses, olive oil etc with tastings. We are thinking about a musical menu – Tournedos Rossini for example!

Finally we shall have a sumptuous dinner with wonderful wines and a great sociable atmosphere!
We are planning another marvellous evening in a superb private villa set in an extensive park overlooking Florence. A concert of Bach Suites by Roger Low will be followed by a buffet of gourmet Tuscan food and wines. A second 30th Birthday for Chamber Music Holidays!

We shall explore this stunning city with guided sightseeing on foot and by the hop on hop off bus as well as the Chianti area including Radda, Greve and more in this famous wine area.

Thanks to all of you who send this Newsletter on to friends and who send me names of people who are interested. I am out of the office now but hope to return on 1 October but your emails will be dealt with as soon as possible on my return.

All best wishes and enjoy the rest of the summer.
Vivienne Pittendrigh

Previous Newsletters

August 2011
March 2011
November 2010
October 2010
Spring 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
June 2009
May 2009
February 2009
December 2008
October 2008