Final week before my trip to UK

Milton Hinsbis, Carlos Paredes, myself and TessyTrujillo - Reflecting!

I go to UK on Friday, no packing done, plan to be nomadic and take minimal luggage, but need a big bag to bring ”stuff” back – music, books, clothes, digital-piano?

Last Saturday had the great pleasure to invite, my “Doctor” for Dinner – much nicer way to recompense for a consultation than mere money!  A very delightful man from one of the great Trujillo families, we talked of many things travel, food, and art and so nice to make a new friend from outside the music world.

Yesterday saw the fruition of 6 months meticulous preparation for the debut recital of Tessy Trujillo my student in CEIM (The centre for the execution and interpretation of music) of which I am the Director.

She sang a programme of 15 songs, 5 classical pieces, 5 opera arias and 5 Spanish/Peruvian songs. To give such a demanding recital was quite a feat and I hope she is justly proud of herself.  

 

Tessy with her profesor Martha Perez - interpreting "El Condor Pasa"

 I accompanied the best I could - despite the fact that I hate the piano in the “Teatrin” with a passion: It is a crime that the Ministry of Culture has allowed a fine Yamaha grand to deteriorate into such a condition, the action is faulty and the piano has not been tuned in years, the strings are rusty and the sound is metallic, it is impossible to play the piano softly and some idiot cleaned the keys with something that has removed the coating leaving the keys rough to the fingers. A disgrace! I was just wishing I was playing my upright Yamaha from my teaching studio!

I also wish I could afford the £600 for a wonderful Korg SP280 digital piano to have in the flat and to use for recitals all over the place – the students need to be giving recitals much more frequently and in different locations and to different audiences. But there are so few playable/usable piano here.  (All contributions gratefully accepted!)

 In the meantime, after a tortuous process have finally encouraged the Conservatoire to repair a old digital piano made by Roland, which has lain unplayed for years!  So far it has cost just S.120 (£30) for repairs and is almost playable,except for the fact that four keys do not work so I am traking down the relevant spare parts from Roland UK. A recent fund raising event by Otra Cosa may well supply the necessary "dosh" for these parts!

 Anyways back to the recital, it was also a pleasure to accompany Daniel Balser a young cellist from Germany who is here volunteering for Otra Cosa and working as visiting cello professor in the Conservatoire. 

I hope to form a piano trio in August (Piano, Cello and Violin)to do more chamber music.  It is such a joy to play. Another reason to have the digital piano is that I can then do daily piano practice in the flat rather than just 2 - 3 hours a week at the conservatoire.

Anyways back to recital….. we had a good audience of around 50- 60 people and I hope  to continue with a CEIM recital every month.

Casona Desa

Another development is that my pupil Flavio has made an arrangement with a lovely cafe restaurant “Casona Desa”  for music nights and a few students and I will provide music every two weeks on a Saturday ….. the Casona is an old 18^th century colonial villa and just a perfect location for small concerts and recitals.  Very excited about this!

So, now I have two more concerts on Thursday and then out for dinner with Nick and start my journey on Friday.  Rather arduous, as I have  a 7 hour wait in Lima airport and 4 hours in Madrid then on arrival in Heathrow have to take the tube to Victoria and then a train to Hove, where I am staying with Andy for a few days before my “progress”  north to be with friends and back in Birmingham.
( 32 hours door to door  :-((( )   the joy of cheap travel!

Postscript: I am preparing a ton and a half of bolognese sauce to go in the freezer so that Nick will not starve whilst I am away, I am sure he will be Ok,but I need to assuage my guilty conscience especially if I enjoy myself too much in the UK!  He is fine about me going but I know that we will miss each other.