Tagged: Music

Nepotism x

The work of a musician revolves around people and communication, which means Covid has crippled the industry. However, nothing can stop the communication – for those missing their culture, my sister – Harriet Mackenzie, internationally renowned concerto soloist who has performed across five continents – is giving a special, hands on concert –

‘Thanks to all the wonderful people who supported my concert in November, I’m doing another concert online from here on 14th February! To thank my audience, it’s Audience Choice! Here are the options:


Another Solo Bach work- Another Baroque work such as Telemann or Locatelli 

An Ysaye Solo Sonata

a Contemporary work- Kriesler 

Recitative Scherzo Caprice

A solo Piazzolla Tango-

A Paganini Caprice

Another romantic work like the Paganini I played in November, which has accompaniment, but works well without it.

Massenet – Meditation, Ponce – Estrellita could work well?

a composition of my own- an improvisation
– my own solo arrangement of a jazz standard.- my own arrangement of a folk/world music melody, Kosmos style, but for solo violin.


Please do let me know if you have any preferences! – harriemack@gmail.com

Love from Spetses,
Harriet x ‘

For further details – click here – the info starts of with a bio of Harriet – you need to move further down this page to  find: 
Concert on February 14th at 8pm.  
Underneath this is  
Tickets – click on this to buy.
Once you have purchased your ticket you will receive an acknowledgement, a booking confirmation, with a code (booking reference) which you will need to use.  You can download this.
1 hour before your concert, you will receive an email through the address provided at time of purchase with a bespoke link and code to connect you to your concert experience. When it is time for your concert, all you need to do is 
click on the link sent to your email, enter your code, and enjoy!
The concert will be available to view for 48 hours following the performance, so you can even watch it twice if you wish or if you are unable to watch at the time you can watch later!!

Enjoy!

Laters, Kate x

Music and madness x

(A pic of my fantasy music room in Paris)

The only time I play the piano now is at Christmas. I have a battered old carol book that gets pulled out every year and the fingers get dusted off.  The violin does come out of it’s case occasionally – we got together with friends on the 4 Jan (should’ve been the 6, except that was a Monday) to celebrate an Armenian Christmas (none of us are Armenian) with gifts of traditional dress, food, music and dance. I was on the fiddle, the husband was singing, Charlie on the drums and Bella on the Tamborine: As is every parents right,The video will be used to mortify them on their eighteenth birthdays. Needless to say, it was a fabulous evening, of the type we need more of. For me, it was interesting in that it has always been the spontaneous music making that I have loved, not restricted by notes, rules and history. Neither of my children play instruments, they’ve been offered them, Bella even played the flute for a while, but it takes a lot of discipline to play an instrument well.  And the truth is, much of that discipline comes via parents who can see the end game.  Which does work to a certain extent.  But the real heart is when a child will sit down and play just because they want to.

 

This is something, particularly as an ex-professional musician, I have thought a lot about; I would like Bella and Charlie to be able to create music themselves – it is one of life’s great joys –  but maybe in a less formal way. And I think I’ve found the answer: I’ve come across Piano Note on Youtube. A series of piano lessons designed by song writer and recording artist Lisa Witt, where the manuscript is thrown out with the rule book, instead everything is taught through chords and chord progression. This means you progress much faster, develop your ears and learn to accompany yourself to your favourite songs. Who needs more?

 

 

Bella and I are playing for 15 minutes a day. We’re hoping to persuade Charlie to join us.  And who knows, maybe it’ll lead to more amazing evenings like this one.

 

I hope so.

Laters, Kate x