Part one. On my way from Avignon to Amsterdam.
Yesterday evening we had our general rehearsal of Story Water, a co-production between Ensemble Modern and Emanuel Gat Dance Company, for the festival in Avignon. Now I am on my way to the other side of my life, MCO in Amsterdam.
My sabbatical with the orchestra is coming to an end. This year I have used to spend more time with my family. Our son Viktor is 10 years old and starts to be more and more independent. It was the right moment to be there.
So now I will join again the MCO for the production of George Benjamin, his opera Written on Skin. Written on our MCO skin in 2012. A retake brings us to Amsterdam, in the autumn to Berlin and Hamburg.
I am looking forward enormously to playing again with this group of musicians, with whom we played our first concerts 21 years ago…
Part two. On my way from Amsterdam to my holidays resort Bad Schwalbach.
From the first notes I was “back home“. What is it that gives me this feeling, that makes this orchestra so outstanding? As I hadn't played with MCO for about a year, the answer struck me clear and obvious. This orchestra is just an extended chamber music group. Listening and reacting to each other, working together to reach a unified sound, a common musical goal on stage. Quite a unique result.
Mission happily completed. As our glass harmonica player Philipp Marguerre said: “The water in Amsterdam is really good…“
Photos: Geoffroy Schied
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