Category: News

Orkney

On Sunday we had a long drive from Edinburgh to Thurso where we settled in our accommodation by the Lyth Arts Centre. The weather was still bizarrely beautiful and even the long hours in the car passed quickly with the stunning views and the incredible food at the House of Bruar on the way.

An early start on Monday was full of excitement for the ferry journey which really didn’t disappoint ! The light was from another planet and we let our faces freeze while hypnotised by this amazing view.

 

Our brilliant hosts fed us wonderful Orkney cheese and their lovely dog kept us joyful company in the house. We were so lucky to see some of the incredible historic sites that Orkney is so rich in. We spent long hours contemplating on how we can relate to people of the prehistoric times and imagining their lives on the island.

The inevitable highlight (among so many of highlights) so far was the concert for the local children. Not only we had some of our most attentive and engaged audience there but we saw some future talents too! Rosie and I often feel that we play our best when faced with the youngest audiences and this was no exception.

On Tuesday we saw more of Orkney incredible landscapes and made our way from Stromness to Kirkwall. Couldn’t help seeing the wonderful Cathedral of the town as well as visiting the famous local cheese and wine shop.
The evening concert was extremely enjoyable and we were proud of the energy and intensity we had.

Some lovely comments from the audience and my young page turner (and an aspiring pianist) made us feel, well, rather happy !

Edinburgh

 Edinburgh is just outrageous with its stunning parks, breathtaking architecture and incredible heritage throughout. We loved getting to know the Edinburgh Society of Musicians which is a very special venue with a long history and huge passion for music. After an extremely enjoyable concert, we had a glass of wine chatting to the audience and pondering on why there is no pianos on planes.

It was sad to leave so quickly on the next morning but what a drive now, heading towards the very North of Scotland ! We already managed to eat some incredible Scottish pies and keep marvelling on the warmth and hospitality of everyone around. As we have a break from performances today, we will spend some more time walking and admiring the surroundings during  the breaks in our long journey to Orkney. 

West Kilbride Deep Breathing

Yesterday, West Kilbride greeted us with amazing weather, the warmest welcome from everyone around and some stunning views. The fantastic piano was expertly prepared and the lovely technician always ready to help if needed. We were completely spoiled by Margaret and others at the Village Hall. Thanks to Paula and Chris for showing us so much of the town and feeding us amazing stories and food. After breathing the West Kilbride air, we are totally charged and ready for Edinburgh today !

Salomés in Coll

Hello from Haim, Maddy, Kasia, and Shizuku!

After a long and picturesque trip up north from London we have arrived and settled in at the stunning Isle of Coll. We have been enjoying some glorious walks after days filled to the brim with music we love, and cherishing every minute of it. We swam in the sea, hugged some horses, conversed with local sheep, and we got to explore some incredible repertoire with the course’s truly inspirational coaches, and we can’t wait to share the results with the local audience.

The past year and a half has been tough on many musicians including ourselves, so we have been grateful more than ever for the opportunity to be here as a quartet.

We are incredibly excited for our first concert in Coll tonight!

See you there 🙂

Salomés

Some Thoughts from Each of Us

Rosie

After a year of zoom rehearsals and sporadic periods of being able to play together, I have been so excited at the prospect of a whole week spent together. Since arriving on the beautiful and serene Isle of Coll we have been warmly welcomed into such a close community. I feel particularly touched by this after year of isolation. Being reminded of the impact music has on people and communities has reignited my excitement and passion for chamber music. Additionally, escaping to such a remote place has allowed me to momentarily forget about the busyness of student life and truly focus on connecting with each other through our music. Being surrounded by Tutors with such love for music has been inspiring and uplifting. I am really looking forward to performing the music we have been closely working on in the concerts at the end of the week.

Eliette

Throughout the past year I have become accustomed to readjusting to cancelled plans. However, over the past few months the idea of travelling to the Isle of Coll for the Tunnell Trust Chamber Course seemed within reach and I found myself really investing in a plan for the first time in a long time.

Although we have been lucky to meet and rehearse this year, it has been very fragmented and so far from our way of working pre-covid. We’ve been on the Isle of Coll since Saturday and we’ve slowly been adjusting to intensively working together again. It’s been such a privilege to be given the space to re-learn and progress our way of playing as a Piano Trio.

We’ve been studying some amazing repertoire over the past few days (Brahms Trio No.1, Haydn Trio A Major Hob.XV:18, Beethoven Piano Trio No.3) and it’s been wonderful to work with and play to the incredible tutors here. The Tunnell Trust Music Coll feels unique in its atmosphere and the surroundings more beautiful than we could have imagined. Our time here has certainly felt very special and we can’t thank the Trust enough for inviting us.

 

Jasmin

After what has seemed like the longest year, the Tunnell Trust course has so far been a breath of fresh air. As with most musicians, we’ve spent our time mostly on our own, living a musically sparse life, and desperately trying to feel enthusiastic about live streamed concerts. Two very early starts, a tram, two trains and a ferry and we had arrived on the Isle of Coll. I felt refreshed. I’d never before ventured more remote than the Scottish Highlands and here I was in the back of beyond; complete paradise. The pace of life had gone from 100 to no more than a 5 and I was able to breathe deeply for the first time in months.

I also wasn’t sure that intense chamber rehearsing and coaching was what I needed and yet a day in and I already felt renewed. Playing live music with other people brings a special kind of joy which I hadn’t experienced since our last concert pre-covid in March 2020. Not only playing together but receiving guidance and advice from the most interesting and insightful musicians. Reliving old repertoire (Brahms B major trio) and exploring new pieces (Haydn trio in A major) has filled me with a hunger to play again, especially playing on the wonderful Bosendorfer grand piano they had hired in for the week. I already feel more assured in myself, more excited to try new things and completely desperate to get back to the piano. A few days of proper music making and I have been reminded of why those months of practising in a room by myself have been worth it. I would love to thank the Tunnell Trust for such a special opportunity.