Initiative of the Mirador Foundation and Emily Beynon
weblog 2009
zondag 19 juli 2009
Hier is het bijzonder prachtig. Tuinen, kasteel gewoon alles. Elke mens vind het anders, maar dit is geweldig. D’r zijn heel strenge instructies. Eten geweldig. Misschien zijn de mensen zenuwachtig voor concerten, maar wij ook. Hier vertellen wat je moet doen op het podium en als je bijvoorbeeld niet weet, dan sta je op het podium ‘I don’t no!’ Ja, het is hier gewoon geweldig. Vera (TTK)
Sunday July 19 2009
Magic is the word for being here at the Beautiful place we are, nice people I met, very good musicians around me.. and so on. Everything is perfect here, a good beginning of the week! Today we started with all together. For me a special moment; 25 flutists + teachers and organisation of course. After a lovely lunch with nice bread, fresh fruit and smoothies, we started with presentations from TTK and later we (YIP) followed. Everybody played very well! And there’s so much nice flute music. Than we had dinner, time to talk a bit more with all the colleagues. In the evening a workshop followed from Wieke about studying and nerves. Now we all know about the good ‘circle one’ and we all want to be in it, specially when performing. We have a week to practice, so hopefully you can hear the result at the end!
With love from the YIP-pers, Roos
maandag 20 juli 2009
Maandag Om 8 uur in de ochtend was er ontbijt. Dat was heel ruim gepland want we begonnen pas om kwart voor negen met warming-up.Eerst een warming-up zonder instrument en daarna met instrument. Zelf vond ik het wel leuk, vooral omdat sommige dingen heel goed aansloten op de workshop van zondagavond. Na de warming-up kregen we een les over houding. Alles wat we in de lessen leren, komt ook later terug. We weten dus zeker dat we hier geen nutteloze dingen hoeven te doen. Een van de leukste dingen vind ik het ‘Buddy’ systeem. Iedereen van de TTK is gekoppeld aan iemand van de YIP. Je kan dus je buddy om advies vragen, die je liever niet aan een docent vraagt. Of bepaalde technieken die je buddy gebruikt, die je van de docenten niet leert.
Elke dag zijn er twee Masterclasses, één voor TTK en ook één voor de YIP. Iedereen komt maar één keer aan de beurt, anders zou het veel te lang duren.
Na het eten was er een workshop van Roberta Alexander over podium presentatie. Ze deed alles heel energiek en duidelijk, dus ze gaf het goede voorbeeld. Ze heeft iedereen individueel even behandeld. Ze heeft iedereen verteld hoe zij zelf het beste kunnen oplopen, staan, praten en buigen. Er werd ook erg veel gelachen tijdens en na afloop van de workshop.
Kees van der Heijdt (TTK)
Monday July 20 2009
Today was the first real academy day as we started with warm-up after breakfast, had lessons, masterclasses and a workshop in the evening.The warm-up led by Wieke and Jeroen was based on a ball game, Thai-chi exercises and scales. Then I had my first lesson with Emily, where we spoke about my piece as well as on the performance on Sunday’s presentation. I got a lot of information I can work with. My practising session outside in the parks was very short, as it was interrupted by rain after 10 minutes. After lunch technical clinic with Wieke and Jeroen took place, while the TTK group had their Masterclass. I talked a lot with Wieke about performing and she gave me some advice and ‘healthy’ exercises.
In the Materclass the pieces were presented very nice and Emily gave information about the background of the works and composers.
My personal highlight of today was the workshop with Roberta Alexander about podium presentation. In a very entertaining manner she discovered strange habits and took care that we will make a good first impression in the upcoming concerts.
Afterwards the YIP-ers finished with late night quartet rehearsals!
Thomas Wormitt (YIP)
Tuesday july 21 2009
This morning we woke up with a nice smile, because the sun was shining outside our window. We did the warming up outside. So nice feeling the fresh air while playing flute.After that we practised a bit and I used my time to play around with the contrabass flute, something completely new for me and very exciting!!
Later in the afternoon we had the Masterclass and after diner a workshop about posture and injury prevention. It was quite interesting, because it made us all aware of how we stand and play, which we normally not do so consciously. It’s been a wonderful experience so far and I am happy to be here. This is an opportunity no serious young flute player should miss!!
Aida Lopez (YIP)
Dinsdag 21 juli
Net zoals op andere dagen, begonnen we vanochtend met een warming up. Vandaag gingen we naar buiten, want het was prachtig zonnig weer. Na de balspellen en de toonladders hadden we ‘vrije tijd’: tijd om te studeren. Alleen of in ensembles met de pianist, en sommigen hadden les van Jeroen of Wieke (weinig vrije tijd dus!). Om 1 uur stond er een heerlijke lunch voor ons klaar en daarna waren we klaar voor de masterclasses van Emily. Eerst van 2 tot 4 voor mensen uit de TTK en van half 5 tot half 7 voor de YIP-ers. Die masterclass is voor ons allemaal erg interessant en leuk! En vooral heel leerzaam!! Maar het is wel een lange zit, dus we waren blij toen het kwart voor 7 was….Het was de bedoeling dat we toen de groepsfoto zouden maken op de trappen voor dit prachtige landhuis. Helaas was het weer niet meer zo mooi als vanochtend, het regende heel hard, dus de fotosessie hebben we maar even uitgesteld tot morgenvroeg. Hopelijk schijnt de zon dan wel!
Daarna was het weer etenstijd, en alweer hadden we een heerlijke maaltijd!
Om 8 uur hadden we een workshop over blessure preventie in het koetshuis. We hebben daar geleerd dat ons lichaam, als instrument, ook goed onderhouden moet worden. Vervolgens hebben we allerlei oefeningen gedaan zodat ons lichaam gezond en fit blijft en blessures worden voorkomen. Al met al een heel leerzame en leuke dag! We kijken alweer uit naar Morgen!!
Marjolein Vermeeren, TTK
Wednesday July 22 2009
After breakfast this morning, we started with the group picture. We were so proud to wear our great orange NeFlAc 2009 poloshirts!No rain at this moment for us, lucky flutists of Landgoed Rhederoord. We only realized that one of us was actually still sleeping, it was funny.
Then, let’s begin with the warming up and air games with Wieke. Some up and down knees and arms, few duck and ‘perezoso’ positions and that’s it, we were all waken up.
After this activity, the TTK students did a flute warming-up with Jeroen, scales and stuff like that, just to activate the air and fingers machines….
The YIP-ones played flute as well with Wieke, learning to become aware of tensions, while making extremely expressive music on an A-scale!
So, after these efficient warming-up pieces, each one from the YIP went to his own occupation. For my own side, I had a rehearsal with our great pianist Andrew. Lots of fun and music on Prokofiev, as usual from the beginning of the week. The TTK group had theme lesson about breathing with Wieke, comparing different possible ways to feel the good one. Then, with Jeroen as a conductor, we had fun with ensemble pieces.
Lunch time after a busy morning, and we were so hungry!
As a TTK student, I got my own masterclass from Emily on the 1st movement of Poulenc’s sonata. She told me I should relax my lips and give more air pressure. I was excited for it and really enjoyed this moment. The YIP had a rehearsal for ensemble with lower and contrabasse flutes – what an opportunity!We finished the afternoon with the YIP Masterclasses, we heard Carmen, Natalie and Anna on Nielsen’s concerto, Jolivet’s and Dutilleux’ sonatas. So much to listen to and to learn.
Let’s have dinner!
Last but not least and so funny and unexpected, a rhythmical workshop with Niels van Hoorn. We thought we were tired but so much energy and enthusiasm we still had to learn, sing and clap some African rhythms with djumbes, tambourines, voice, hands, moving, quite shouting….what a great evening for everyone of us!
We could not sleep just afterwards, because we were too excited. But finally after this enjoying Wednesday, pretty long and intense, we slowly but certainly went to bed to take some rest for the next day.
Sophie Gourlet (YIP) and Frédérique Purnot (TTK)
Thursday July 23
Time has passed very quickly here, but at the same time I feel that I know people in here from a long time ago. It seems to me that many things have happened in these 4 days.Today, after warming up, I have had my last lesson with Emily. Very exciting and I take many ideas to introduce little by little in my daily practising. (Looking forward to hearing her play live in a concert!)
Then, I have taken my stand, sheet music and flute and gone to practise in the park of Rhederoord and said to myself: ‘This must be total happiness’.
After having dinner, we have done an improvisation workshop where some of us have tried to play without music on a sheet. Just improvise on some notes of a scale.
In the Academie (teachers, people in the organisation and staff of the thotel) are all the time trying to make everyone feel well. (This has to be the feeling of a queen!).
I just feel so lucky for having the opportunity of being here. Thank you everyone!
Carmen Martinez Guerra (YIP)
vrijdag 24 juli
De laatste dag op Rhederoord.
Zoals het elke dag gaat hier beginnen we het ontbijt om 8.00 uur. Daarna de warming-up en dan beginnen we met de thema les. Vandaag gingen we met jeroen en wieke leren stemmen. Het was leuk om te leren hoe dat moet. Vandaag had ik ook les van Jeroen, het was een 1 op 1 les. Ik heb weer veel geleerd,. vooral om een verhaal te vertelen met een verhaal lijn, de klank en ga zo maar door. Ook hadden we vandaag onze uitvoering. Om 14.00 hadden we de generale, het ging niet helemaal goed maar ja dat hoort bij de generale. Het moest uiteindelijk ongeveer 1 uur gaan duren.. maar bij de generale duurde het 2 en een half uur. Het concert was prachtig! we kregen zelfs een staande ovatie!! Het was leuk om met Thijs van Leer, te spelen. En met Emily de stukken van Vivaldi. Kortom het was een super leuke dag, waarin ik weer veel heb geleerd.Rosa van Kleef
Saturday July 25
Time to pack and leave Rhederoord. We are sad to go and leave such a paradise, but we look forward to a special weekend in Amsterdam. In the afternoon we gave an informal open-air concert on the Museumplein. The weather gods were with us and the sun was shining. Standing on a bright red podium we rehearsed first and then played the whole programme again as a concert. The public changed all the time. Some stayed the whole time, others came and went. They were curious and wanted to know who we were and why we were there, and enjoyed the concert. Young children on grandma’s lap, grown-ups, Dutch people and tourists. Sitting on the few chairs and on the side of the pond, standing with their bicycle or just passing by and stopping for a few minutes, A good mix of everything and everybody. It was fun to be out there and to perform for this audience. There was even a big dog in a cart present during the whole concert!
This evening we had our formal farewell dinner, that became very informal. Over 30 orange poloshirts in restaurant Wildschut for a lovely evening.
Tomorrow!! The big day in the Concertgebouw!!!
Sunday July 26
Rehearsal from 11h to 1h in the Kleine Zaal of the Concertgebouw. This is a dream come true. And then, at 14.15 h, we look and see that there is a good audience. We don’t play for empty chairs! The opening with the prelude of Holberg suite with the big Flute Choir goes well. It sounds wonderful and we see a happy audience. Then we continued with a mix programme of solo’s, ensembles and the flute choir. The soloists all performed so well! Great to be so cool and calm and play if it is easy. We know better! The pieces with Thijs van Leer were special and the audience loved them. They know him, because there were may people from his generation. We don’t know him but loved the way he played.During the break and after the concert we had time to go to the Pleinfoyer, see our parents, but also look and try different instrument by the flute builders who were there. So cool to try all the different instruments. It was nice they were there, because it added something extra to the concert. I hope they enjoyed as well.
And then it was time to say goodbye. We don’t want to leave and we see eyes full of tears. But all good things have an end and also this super week. 15 students were still present during the evening concert of all the teachers and Andrew. We couldn’t have had a better ending of this first Nederlandse Fluit Academie.
Already the last Academie day