Zell 1

I promise I will go back and fill in the blog gaps some time soon. Salzburg with photos will come. However for the moment I will just say a few words about the music seminar in Zell an dem Pram. It is very free-form. Laurie and I had be told this before otherwise it might have been a shock. You get one lesson a day and the rest of the time you need to organise small projects with other participants. I am singing in a 5-person a capella group for some Italian song and Laurie is also included for a 6-person song, this one in English. One of the guitar players organised a guitar, two sops and one alto piece - he even typed up the parts on a computer music program from the facsimile so it would be (much) easier to read. My sight singing is not quite at the level of others but everyone is very patience and helpful. I am trying to learn stuff in my free time.

Solo singing wise I am doing a few songs with transverse flute, all Bach of course. Two of them I had prepared though not as much a I should have before coming. The third is new to me. I am currently listening to it on repeat via youtube for fast track learning. Laurie and I will also do a Bach duet from the wedding cantata o organ accompaniment (I hope - this is still in process of organising).

Laurie is playing not just with me but is in demand - there are only 3 piano/harpsicord/organ students. There is also a lady here who is a wiz at accompanying and is doing that exclusively I think. She is often helping at the singing lessons. I will let Laurie talk about his program later for himself.

The place itself is great. It is designated as a learning centre I think and more specifically for music. It has many practise rooms as well as a big hall with stage. Photos will come I promise.My only complaint is the the church next door ring bells every 15 minutes. A higher pitched ring for each 15 past the hour (4 of them on the hour) and I slightly lower pitch from how many hours in 24 hour time. This runs throughout the night. I know this because the first night our window was open and I guess I must not have been very tired as I heard them at 12 (when we went to bed), 1, 3, 5, and 6. At 6 everyone is woken up as there is an extended playing. Clearly they believe in early mornings here.

Anyway I should go practise.