Orlando Festival 2012 – enlist now!

People can now enlist for the Orlando Festival. Musicians form all ages and proficiency levels come together in the beautiful abbey of Rolduc from the 10^th until the 19^th of August. Amateur ensembles, professional ensembles, adults and youngsters; nine days everybody enjoys chamber music in all its splendour. The ensembles receive lessons during the day from professionals who in their turn perform in concerts at night in the theatres of Kerkrade and Heerlen (South of the Netherlands). At Rolduc there are, besides the lessons and master classes, workshops, inspirational lectures, several meet&greet opportunities, concerts and more.

Dr David Dolan, Head of the Centre for Creative Performance at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, will participate in an interdisciplinary conference on improvisation in artistic performance on March 15. (take a look at the poster)

The I’M Piano Duo, which ECMTA member Maxim Puryzhinskiy, participated the 5th International Piano Duo Competition, last September in Bialystok (Poland). It is one of the most important events in musical life in Poland and the biggest competition for piano duets in Eastern Europe, which attracts constant interest from both the public and musicians. This year there were 35 applicants from 16 countries. The Jury selected 5 teams from Korea, Ukraine, Georgia and Russia to perform in the final round. After the third round, the Jury awarded the 2nd Prize and Prize for the best performance of the ‛Variations on Paganini’s Theme‛ by V.Lutoslawski to I’M Piano Duo – Irina Silivanova, Maxim Puryzhinskiy – ECMTA member since 2010. The jury included ECMTA board member Anna Prabucka-Firlej – More information can be found at www.classic2piano.com and www.pianoduo.pl

• The 3rd International T. A. Gajdamovich Chamber Ensemble Performance Competition, will be held in Magnitogorsk, Russia in December 2012. Information on the 2^nd edition of this competition can be found on this website, but consult the website for updated information arriving soon: http://www.magkmusic.com/en/festival_2007/index.html
• The 3rd International Nikolay Rubinstein Chamber Ensemble Competition will be held at the Moscow Conservatory in September 2013. Information will be available soon at www.mosconsv.ru

After a successful concert tour of Germany, which included their debut in the Berlin Philharmoniker and a recording for the prestigious Deutsche Grammophon, Concerto Málaga continued on February 12^th with the second concert of their series VIII "CIVE - Cycle The Four Seasons" conducted by Massimo Paris.

Read more: www.concertomalaga.com/ver-noticia?not=103

The 6^th issue of the e-journal of “We Play Music with Friends” will be coming out at the beginning of March. Articles will include an Artistic Portrait in honor of Professor Petras Kunca, Professor at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre and Board member of ECMTA.

http://kamerfest.lv/en/content/e-journal-0

After its first successful season, the 2012 edition of the Festival Viana will bring Tedi Papavrami, Diemut Poppen, Tim Hugh and the Carmina Quartet.

For more information: www.festivalviana.com

• Chamber Music Master Class August 10 – August 19
• Master Class for Piano, Violin, Viola and Cello August 10 – August 19
• Master Class for Opera I June 25 – July 3
• Master Class for Opera II July 2 – July 8
• Master Class for Opera III July 4 – July 11
• Master Class for Contrabass July 8 – July 15
• Master Class for Violin July 12 – July 20
• French Melodies and French / German Chanson & German Lied Master Class July 26 – August 1
• Master Class for Music Technology August 10 – August 19

The spring term has been exceptionally inspiring and intense for chamber music at Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Our students have benefited from coachings and masterclasses with Takacs Quartet, Belcea Quartet, Endellion Quartet, Heath Quartet, Ursula Smith (Zehtmair Quartet), Gary Hoffman and Carole Presland. Our wind groups have series of sessions on historical practices planned with Tony Pay and our series of Barbican Pre-London Symphony Orchestra concerts continue to provide our most senior groups with the chance to perform on one of the world's leading concert platforms. In collaboration with LSO, we were honoured to present our students in a unique masterclass given by Anne-Sophie Mutter, Andre Previn and Daniel Muller-Schott. All in all, a remarkable and stimulating term of chamber music in the heart of the City of London!

Alasdair Tait, Head of Chamber Music

"The main reason why we decided to hold this Competition would be our attempt to affirm the importance of the concept of PARTNERSHIP as the foundation of the human's success, his creativity, social and professional attitude (...) As the smallest music partner group is a duet - beyond strictly professional terminology – the essence of the musical duo is no different  from that which connects two people who want to work together in life  and society (...)"

These words, of the artistic director Professor Maja Nosowska and the chairman of the jury Professor Jerzy Marchwinski, welcomed participants of the First Competition for Duos with Piano, which took place in Fryderyk Chopin Music University Warsaw (Poland) at the first week of February. 57 duos came from all seven Polish Music Academies, and there were also some students from high schools and young graduate artists. The contest included all kinds of categories: piano-violin, piano-cello, piano-voice, piano-clarinet or more rare combinations like piano-double bass, piano-trombone, piano-trumpet, piano-sax or piano-accordion.

The Rubens Quartet announces a new CD with music composed and arranged by Joey Roukens

This disc serves as a document of Roukens' two-year-long composer-in-residence status with the Quartet, made possible by the Performing Arts Fund (NFPK), and features works of Josquin Desprez (transcribed Roukens), Mozart and Roukens himself.

Go to www.rubensquartet.com to order a copy!

Chamber music practise is the basis of every skill a classical musician needs: listening, reacting, colouring, toning, styling, communicating – and of course it is not just a way to learn all this, but a goal in itself.

At the Royal Conservatoire The Hague, The Netherlands, chamber music is placed in the Bachelor II and III curriculum. Of course students play chamber music during all their studies (a chamber music piece is obligatory for the Bachelor final exam), but this part of the curriculum is organised by the school.

SUMMARY of the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre Chamber Ensemble Department history and professors can be found online (http://lmta.lt/index.php?id=1802). Professors of LAMT Chamber Ensemble Department are open to the propositions for masterclasses in English, German, Russian and Spanish.

NEW DEGREE PROGRAMME. In the school year of 2011/12, two new mandatory programs were launched in the Chamber Ensemble master program: practical studies in early music ensemble, and a theory course of instrumental ensemble music history.

V Chamber Music Festival "FESTARI" was held in Riga November 17^th -19^th, 2011.

• Festival Program

Next FESTARI Chamber Music Festival will be held in early November 2012 in Tartu, Estonia.

• one-to-one instrumental vocal teaching  (Flyer)
• small group and ensemble coaching  (Flyer)

Each workshop is two days and is run in collaboration with the Institute of Education. You can participate in them as stand alone continuing professional development or gain accreditation for them at Masters level.

Unfortunately the deadline for inscription was 7 November but queries about availabilities remaining can be addressed to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The workshops will be held at the Guildhall School and Institute of Education. They will offer insights into relevant research and the development of next practice, and will draw on the experience of all participants, providing a space for sharing expertise and issues. They will help to establish a stronger network between musicians in relation to their teaching at this level, and will provide a key resource for institutions in meeting quality assurance requirements. The above modules form part of the School’s professional development framework.