Jakez is happy because, being in the Hofbräuhaus in the centre of Munich and not in the countryside, he can easily get a plane to the Espace Camac in Paris!
Our Sunday event series is called "carte blanche", and usually consists of an all-day workshop followed by an hour's concert at 6 PM by the artist or ensemble who led the workshop. Recently, we have enjoyed an Anglo-French day with British harpists Keziah Thomas and Imogen Barford, early music with Véronique Musson and Bruno Ortega, and improvisation with Hélène Breschand. In three weeks time, Carte Blanche will be extended to a whole weekend to celebrate the work of Bernard Andrès.
Claude has kindly sent me this report of the most recent Carte Blanche last Sunday, given by contemporary Breton harper Anne Postic.
"A large number of participants arrived to discover or rediscover the principle of the workshops at L'Espace Camac: we invite a musician who gives their time, artistry and knowledge over the course of a whole day. Our doors are open to harpists between 10AM and 5PM, and then the artist will take to the stage to give a "Carte Blanche" concert at 6PM.
With a feeling of Armorica, a sense of Scotland, and with a communicative smile, Anne Postic invited us to hear, learn and share Celtic lever harp music. Before laying her hands on the harp to perform music across the Celtic range, Anne had the participants learning a Breton Gavotte, 1-2-3 1-2-3...Celtic music, which dances! In this music, you feel the steps, the strong tempi and the energy in these dances. It is much easier to understand the music like this, and so of course to play it!
The day flew by, with explanations about the origins of the pieces, and also learning about traditional music's aural methods. Everybody learnt two pieces by imitating them by ear, with no help from any music. That is not something everybody is used to, but all watched Anne's playing attentively, and came to understand the structures and the ways to imitate and improvise.
After a short break, where all talked animatedly amongst themselves, sharing the experiences they had had throughout the day, Anne and her Aziliz took to the stage for the evening concert. What a pleasure it was to hear the harp come alive under her fingers: suites from the Pays de Vannes in Brittany, Scottish waltzes, rounds from Saint-Vincents, interspersed with geographical explanations, historical background, tales of Scottish legends...and a suite of reels to close the whole journey. Celtic music is vivid and dancing. Anne's playing is a must-see, and you can see her literally dancing to her own music too! The last piece in the concert was Anne's own arrangement of Duke Ellington's "Don't Get Aroun' Much Anymore." Amazing!
The Espace Camac emptied out slowly, as its audience left reluctantly with only one question on their lips: "When is the next time?"
The day flew by, with explanations about the origins of the pieces, and also learning about traditional music's aural methods. Everybody learnt two pieces by imitating them by ear, with no help from any music. That is not something everybody is used to, but all watched Anne's playing attentively, and came to understand the structures and the ways to imitate and improvise.
After a short break, where all talked animatedly amongst themselves, sharing the experiences they had had throughout the day, Anne and her Aziliz took to the stage for the evening concert. What a pleasure it was to hear the harp come alive under her fingers: suites from the Pays de Vannes in Brittany, Scottish waltzes, rounds from Saint-Vincents, interspersed with geographical explanations, historical background, tales of Scottish legends...and a suite of reels to close the whole journey. Celtic music is vivid and dancing. Anne's playing is a must-see, and you can see her literally dancing to her own music too! The last piece in the concert was Anne's own arrangement of Duke Ellington's "Don't Get Aroun' Much Anymore." Amazing!
The Espace Camac emptied out slowly, as its audience left reluctantly with only one question on their lips: "When is the next time?"
