Springtime

Saturday March 26th.

There are lots of signs of le printemps, springing out all over the place here in Brussels. I know, I know; my friends and colleagues in Ontario have been suffering under a dump of snow from the last blizzard to cruise through, but here we are enjoying that european spring that I had only heard of before I came to live here... It seems to last for months, and indeed the trees can start flowering as early as the first week of february, as they did in 2008. The air seems full of promise and fertility, and everything seems ready to burst into flower at the slightest provocation.


Yesterday and today I had some very productive coachings with Peter. It's completely worth the expense of re-coaching audition repertoire, if only to take some of the motive pressure off the singer during the rehearsal process. Once one realizes that the bulk of the forward-moving energy is in the piano/orchestra, it's strangely liberating, and all sorts of new ideas start to come out. I really feel well-positioned for my audition in April in Leipzig, and in Canada; also the voice is well-placed for the Messiah performances that are fast approaching. We have our rehearsals this weekend, so I'm getting excited!

I've noticed some changes in my musical attitude recently, although I suspect that it's more a return to how I used to think about performing... I find myself increasingly choosing new music (at the moment it's Schumann) based on what the piano or orchestra is doing, and without really worrying too much about the vocal line. I find if I am moved by the "accompaniment" then pieces almost sing themselves. It feels very much like a re-connection with how I felt about music as a child, and as a young musician. I think I forget sometimes why I got so excited about performing; because it is deeply satisfying to enjoy the collaboration with another person or people in the emotional unpacking of a piece of art. It's a very special thing to allow yourself to be carried off on a journey by a piece of music, and an even more special thing to direct the trip together with a colleague, so that the listeners get to come along too.


Monday March 28th.
We had quite a good day yesterday. Malcolm came home from his trip to Switzerland full of enthusiasm and stories about his skiing adventures. Lucky fellow; I'm quite jealous! He looked healthy and energetic, so it would seem that the mountain air and the activity was good for him. The exercise continued yesterday when the four of us took part in a swim-marathon that was organized as a fund-raiser for the Brussels Lions Club. We swam in relays, and so as a team did 141 laps in about 45 minutes. It was really a lot of fun.

Have a good week, and I hope you make time to go seek out something beautiful this week, whether it's a piece of music, art, or, hey, even cake. There's art involved in the creation of good food too. You deserve it...