Harpblog

June 2nd, 2013: Alice Giles at l'Espace Camac

Good news for those of us in Europe: Alice Giles is coming over on tour! We're delighted that she has found time in her busy schedule to visit l'Espace Camac on June 2nd. First of all, Alice will give a masterclass between 2PM and 5PM, followed by a recital at 6:30PM. A specialist in the music of Carlos Salzedo, Alice will perform his Five Etudes Poétiques and Tourbillon, plus Tournier's second Sonatine,  and two works specially composed for her fascinating Antarctica project. 

As ever, entrance to both concert and masterclass is free, but please sign up in advance if you would like to play in the masterclass, and feel free to book seats to listen as well, for places are limited. For all reservations, please contact Claude: +33 1 40 40 08 40, c.bouly@camac-harps.com. 

Florence Sitruk and Agne Keblyte at l'Espace Camac, February 17th

On February 17th at l'Espace Camac, we'll be showcasing the work of Florence Sitruk, professor at the Haute école de musique in Geneva, and that of one of her pupils, Agne Keblyte. Agne is the winner of the second International Harp Competition in Szeged, and also won second prize in the most recent International Harp Contest in Israel: we're really looking forward to hearing her again!

Florence will be giving a masterclass between 2PM and 5PM, an ideal opportunity to meet her, work with her, and ask her any questions you may have about her Geneva class. Agne will give an hour's recital at 6PM. If you would like to reserve seats or participate in the masterclass, please contact Claude on c.bouly@camac-harps.com, or call her at l'Espace Camac: +33 1 40 40 08 40. Everything is free, but places are limited so it's best to book!

19th "Harpe en Avesnois" Festival

There is a nineteenth chance to enjoy the consistently impressive programming of the Harpe en Avesnois festival at the start of February. We've already reported on the masterclass session - this time with particular focus on contemporary music, with Fréderique Cambreling - and now the full festival programme is out, here. Between 2nd - 10th of February, Harpe en Avesnois will welcome a line-up of particularly unusual and intriguing ensembles.

From the African kora master, Ballaké Sissoko, appearing with the contemporary world music Trio Chemirani, to Ruriko Yamamiya and Fabrice Millisher's harp and trombone duo, and Maureen Thiébaut - most recent winner of the Cité des Arts competition - performing with panflutist Gabriel Schmitt, 2012's festival looks set to be a real source of inspiration and new ideas. All concerts and masterclasses are very reasonably-priced, and well worth the journey to the Franco-Belgian border. 

If you also feel inspired to buy a harp, our Belgian partners Pro Arte will be at your service with our festival exhibition :D  

More information is available on the festival site, or contact Pro Arte for exhibition specifics.

 

Photos from our weekend with Camac Ibérica

Alexander Granados, director of Camac Ibérica, greets the public at the Real Conservatorio Supérior de Musica de Madrid

Jakez and Eric report from Madrid that Camac Ibérica have had a super first birthday party! A full house awaited Gabriella Dall'Olio and François Pernel's recital in the auditorium of the Real Conservatorio Supérior de Musica de Madrid, and the two artists were applauded wonderfully by their delighted public. Gabriella and François even concluded their shared concert together, improvising on Paul Lewis's Saturday Night Jazz Suite. Here are some photographs of the concert, plus the ensuing day of successful masterclasses. A big muchas gracias to Gabriella, François and to everyone who came in such numbers to both events!

 

Waiting for it all to begin

Gabriella Dall'Olio

 

François Pernel

 

 

Harp Island 2013

Jakez + new friend in Tasmania, Harp Island 2011

This March, Jakez will be going to Tasmania for the second time - and for the same reason as he went the first: Harp Island. For obvious geographic reasons, it isn't so easy for Tasmanian harpists to attend many harp events, and so they've been running their own for the last eight years in the beautiful setting of Diamond Island, Bicheno. We're delighted to support them so they can invite two top-flight professors to teach the course: Gabriella Dall'Olio, returning after her great success at Harp Island 2011, and for the first time in Tasmania, Isabelle Moretti. 

Fifteen students - of any level - will have the chance to study with Gabriella, and six advanced students with Isabelle. To qualify as advanced, you need to be at about AMEB Grade 7 level and up. It's an amazing chance to work with Gabriella and Isabelle in some detail, without flying to the other side of the world to do so!

You can consult the Harp Society of Tasmania website for all details, and download the registration form there, or here:

Download Harp Island registration form

 

Another scene from Harp Island 2011: impressed by Gillian Weiss's cardboard harp 

 

Académie de musique française, Kyoto

We're sponsoring the harp class at the long-established, Japanese Académie de musique française again this year. Isabelle Perrin will teach the class, which will take place in Kyoto between March 21st and April 2nd, 2013. As you can see from the forms and website, this is one for the Japanese speakers among you, but for the general interest of everyone else - the French Music Academy consists of a fortnight of masterclasses given by great French soloists in Kyoto, and has been thriving every year since 1990. It was Chihiro Hayami who initiated the harp class, in 2007, and competitive auditions are held in music colleges throughout Japan. Some of the masterclasses are open to the public, and the session concludes with a professors’ concert, as well as one by the best students on the course. It's an unusually extensive, long-living cultural exchange dedicated to classical music, and one we are delighted regularly to support. 

First birthday weekend at Camac Ibérica!

 

Camac Ibérica, our partner in Madrid, is one year old in January! To celebrate, we are sponsoring a harp weekend of concerts and masterclasses on January 18th and 19th, at the Real Conservatoiro Superior de Musica de Madrid. We're delighted to be able to welcome exceptional lever harpist François Pernel, winner of the fifth Camac Trophy at the Festival Interceltique de Lorient in the summer of 2012. For concert harp, you have the chance to hear and play for Gabriella Dall'Olio, the highly respected and much loved Professor of Harp at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London.

Admission and participation in all events is free of charge. To reserve places, please contact Alexander Granados at Camac Ibérica:

C/San pedro, 7 - 28014 Madrid

Tel +34 91 006 37 27
Mob. +34 61 964 89 68

alexander.granados@camac-harps.com 

Carte blanche à...Jana Bouskova and Vasilisa Lushchevskaya

On December 16th, we're delighted to be able to present an exceptional "carte blanche" masterclass + concert at l'Espace Camac in Paris. Jana Bouskova, who needs little introduction to most of you, will give a public masterclass between 10AM - 12noon, and 2PM- 5PM. After this, at 6PM, you'll have the chance to hear an hour's solo recital by the first prize winner of the recent Ksenia Erdely International Competition: Vasilisa Lushchevskaya. 

Don't miss this opportunity to work with and listen to these two virtuoso stars of the concert harp. Admission, as to all our Paris events, is free, but please reserve in advance with Claude on c.bouly@camac-harps.com. 

Edmar Castaneda at Ayelet's String, Israel

 

Many thanks to Nadav Konieczny for these photos of a recent workshop given by Edmar Castaneda at the Ayelet's String showroom. You can see the full album, and some short videos, on the Ayelet's String facebook page. A big thank-you too to the workshop participants for their feedback below!

"The workshop was an amazing experience! There was a great atmosphere, and I was amazed by Edmar's playing and personality. It gave me a new musical direction and I will never forget it. Thank you!" - Maya Knoller

"Edmar's workshop was very invigorating: with his smile, Edmar shows how much he loves music and the harp. He also gets everyone involved in experiencing his very special music and rhythms. His workshop was highly polished, and had everyone playing bossa nova by the end!" - Ruth Maayani

"It was very interesting to meet Edmar, he is a virtuoso, but also humble and willing to help ordinary people." - Nili Konieczny

Carte Blanche à Nikolaz Cadoret, L'Espace Camac, 18th November

 

Nikolaz Cadoret is a rising star in the Celtic harp firmament. The photo above was taken during his performance at the longue nuit de la harpe during our festival in Ancenis, where he wowed us with his technical virtuosity and musical creativity, fusing traditional music with jazz and other contemporary styles.

Nikolaz will be appearing at our Paris showroom, l'Espace Camac, on November 18th as part of our "Carte blanche" series of masterclasses and concerts. The afternoon workshop (from 10AM to 5PM) is open to those who have studied lever harp for at least three or four years, and will focus on playing by ear (in a group), arranging music and improvisation. After this, Nikolaz will show us how it's done with a solo performance at 6PM. As ever, the event is entirely FREE but places are limited (particularly for the workshop), so please make your reservations with Claude on c.bouly@camac-harps.com.

Want to find out more about Nikolaz? He was one of our Camac Voices of 2011, and you can also read his very interesting blog.