“Happening with Felix del Tredici”

In the middle of the hot days of June this year, I was extremely proud to watch my students opening their eyes and ears to a completely new experience. Durign the last four months we had been preparing two final - semester concerts with Chamber New Music Orchestra of the Academy of Arts in Szczecin. For some of them it was the first time to hear and play such a contemporary music and some of them were not at all convinced by it. However, in June I saw a group of grown-up artists who were openminded enough to welcome even what was uncomfortable. The final June - session included workshops and two concerts with Felix del Tredici, an inspiring musician, great artist full of surprising ideas, a trombonist from Canada. In the most busy period of the year my students devoted their time to very abstract contemporary improvisation, which one could even call a music meditation. In three days together with Felix they prepared a performance that was presented in the hall and the street in front of the music department of the Academy. How enchanting it was to see the public stopping to listen and being totally taken by what they saw! The next day, Sunday 11. June we finished the semester with the second and the last concert. This made me a little nervous, as the pieces were being polished until the last second. We started with Tom Johnson 8 pieces with 8 paterns, then Luciano Berio Violin Duets and Steve Reich Violin Phase, through couple of more pieces that I dared to conduct, to end with L. Andriessen’s Worker’s Union. I must admit that I was afraid that my idea to bring new music to the academic life would be too crazy. But having seen those people having so much fun I believed that it is all worth the effort. To summarize, I am super proud of them, really thankful to Felix del Tredici for the great workshops and happy that I managed to convinced some people that what I am trying to do is, after all, valuable.


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