This past three weeks has been very busy, I had two weeks
with rehearsals for my symphony concerts in July and November, have been
working on ideas for my new role with Arpegio, Peru which I start when I get
back from the UK, and also thinking about life in general for the next year or
so!
I have also got a little bit of writers block, so this
posting will be short all the pictures aree generic fotos of Trujillo.
Working with the orchestra, was, as before a delight and I
am really looking forward to the next concert.
The theme of the concert is “Colours of the Orchestra” and is going to
be a relatively light programme of short works, giving a chance for most of the
players/sections to feature in a solo capacity, it also gives me a chance to
really see what individual players can do.
My good friend Maestro Alvarez has been so kind in generously giving me
extra rehearsal time, normally invited conductors get 5 rehearsals and the concert. However, in November I have “tougher stuff”
in mind including Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll (20 minutes of luscious writing) and
the wonderful Karelia Suite of Sibelius.
Yesterday we decided to give a “Concierto Didactico” for the students of
the conservatoire and I have enlisted the help of a local broadcaster to act as
compere for the evening concert.
As the concert is on July 4 we will be ending with Copland’s “Fanfare
for the Common Man” and Souza’s March “Stars and Stripes Forever” – surely, two
of the most iconic works to come from the USA.
Finally:
Crossing roads in Trujillo
is a bit of a lottery. No drivers
use their indicators, they swerve across lanes make a turn and all the traffic
lights lack any timing for pedestrians. There are no pedestrian crossings. In
the historic centre the traffic lights are just a single post on one corner,
great for preserving the integrity of the centre, hopeless for controlling
traffic. In the centre, which is about 8
blocks by eight all the roads are one-way and the direction of traffic
alternates road by road, both north- south and east –west. This helps keep the
traffic flowing but drivers tend to treat every road as a race track and speed
limits ……. Well I have never seen a speed limit sign!
Nick and I have had more arguments about when and how to
cross the road, normally after we have had some kind of near miss …….. so now,
we have decided that we cross the roads independently, and it is interesting how
many times we cross at different times, having made very different risk
assessments!
This weekend is a long holiday for the Feast of Saints Peter
and Paul so off to the beach on Thursday night, to the very north of Peru and a
bit of sun chasing, as it is very dull and damp here in “wintery” Trujillo.
Pictures of Punta Sal, northern Peru:
Finally the most "bonkers" rendition of the Star's and Stripes" ....... only in America! Truly BONKERS!
