We have arrived at the Assisi for the performing arts institute and immediately got to work in our chamber music assignments. I’ve performed two rather short pieces far and have one more concert this Friday of a longer work with multiple musicians.

Since we have such a short time to practice together, every performer needs to perfect their part on their own before the first meeting. For me, that meant lots of work with my favorite torturous device (my beloved metronome of course!), as well as listening to and playing along with recordings.

I’ve been extremely impressed by the amazing musicians I get to meet and work with! Finally, the town we’re in is extremely beautiful, and the scenery and history has been quite an inspiration.

More to come on some new personal musical challenges!

Le bleu-grass.

This is the third post that is not describing an actual Italian adventure as we are currently still in Nice, France spending time with local friends. Nice is a really magnificent place…the natural beauty of the area is quite inspiring as is the delicious food!

(Obligatory beautiful food picture) This afternoon we got to meet and play music with fellow musicians who are all either English-speaking or fellow foreigners (or both!) These were extremely accomplished musicians - a violinist/violist who is in the Monaco Symphony, three guitar professors from the Nice Conservatory and even a fellow guitarist from New York City! What was quite amazing and fun is that the three guitar professors, Henri, Aiko and Anne-Sophie (the latter being a good friend of mine from school at Peabody) are big fans of traditional American bluegrass music, and have even toured Nashville with their “Classy Country Band!” It was nice to have the opportunity to play something that sounds so familiar yet is so different from the music I usually practice and perform.