15. Mai 2016

Ittingen (CH), Remise

Ittinger Pfingstkonzerte 2016 - show your true colours - let's go too far…: )

Mister Oliver Schnyder, the artistic director a n d incredible pianist was organizing this festival placed in a former monastery in Ittingen. A place of pure beauty and peace developed over 900 years!!!Unbelievable!!!And since 1977 it is a foundation for culture and education. This Sunday „Pfingstsonntag“ we had the pleasure to perform inside these magical walls. Can you believe it? On my way to the sound check I walked by a sheep family with brown and white lambs…it was surreal…above it all the quote by Friedrich Nietzsche: „Denn nur als ästhetisches Phänomen ist das Dasein und die Welt ewig gerechtfertigt. - It is only as an aesthetic phenomenon that existence and the world are eternally justified.“ I am still not sure if I was dreaming these last couple of days…: )

Dear Oliver, it is simply wonderful what you made possible within this festival and for being so wonderfully bold and giving our version of Schubert’s Winter Journey the chance to be heard within and surrounded by this magical festival. You and your shoes are truly inspiring and it was an absolute pleasure to meet your most charming family. Thank you for letting us be a part and for giving the classical and jazz world the chance to get closer together, shake hands and become friends : )! I believe that this festival was as special as the people creating it.

We arrived pretty late after a long and calm train ride (starting off in the morning with a hot discussion about jazz tradition and interpretation) and just before "our" Winter Journey, the audience had the chance to hear the original version. I have to admit that I was pretty nervous to perform within this classical universe and Ingridi had calmed me down! Ingridi you are one of a kind, thank you not just for your stunning music but also for being who you are : ). mathias, Fabian, Hans, Ingrid and I went on stage inspired by Oliver’s dress code with our pink dots of colour and started our set with „Gute Nacht“. The beautiful concert hall was filled with people who opened their ears and hearts for our interpretation. Thank you so very much for this incredible night!!!Hans and I even did „Mut“ as an encore in a duo version : )!I still can’t believe my flute incident, during my solo one key got stuck and I wasn’t able to play what I intended to play. Oliver and Philipp you are the best, the way you reacted and helped me : ) incredible! Ohhhh and the beautiful Steinway…I think mathias fell in love and he wanted to visit his new love the next morning but she was already gone : )! Thomas Egger, you know why I’m apologizing - I will keep my promise and you can look forward to a good bottle of wine and to many many introductions live in the future : )!

What a night!!!What a festival!!! It was a time for meeting old friends and making new ones : ). Marco, thank you for coming all the way to Ittingen : ) as we already walked a loooong way together, it was wonderful to share another journey with you. Bass player Mister Heiri Känzig and his wife came to see mathias…they go way back - within and around the Vienna Art Orchestra : ). Our one and only Roli Wismer came all the way from Zug with his friend and sculptor artist Christoph Rütimann. It was so exciting…suddenly in the dark there she was right outside the restaurant with the big big mill wheel inside…!!!Miss Regula Mühlemann!!!…I still cannot believe she came to our concert, I adore her and her art. It was such a pleasure to meet her and to experience her live…her voice, her sound…extraordinarily beautiful… Before we all went to bed, we sat backstage and enjoyed one Ittinger beer each : )…I couldn't wait for the next morning. mathias and I decided to stay the whole day to listen to the last concert of the festival and I am so glad we did. Another day filled with magic and music and music and magic.

ohhh the people I met…: ) we all had a looong lunch together where we had the chance to talk to Philipp Jundt, the incredible flute player who borrowed me his golden flute and who changed into red shoes and purple shirt while he was showing us all his sparkling colours of his playing : )…(yes I absolutely promise to send you a picture of my recovered flute)…David Philipp Hefti and his charming wife…I had the chance to meet author Alain Claude Sulzer who gave me the tip to listen to Andre Previn and Dinah Shore…and so lunch spread into late afternoon…talking about the differences and similarities of classical music and jazz…sharing and exchanging appreciation on both sides…

There is really nothing more I can say except that I feel truly blessed to have spent these moments with these wonderful artists and musicians inside these magical walls.

Yours Lia!

Oliver Schnyder

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Schnyder

Alain Claude Sulzer

http://www.alainclaudesulzer.ch/

Philipp Jundt

http://www.philippjundt.com/

Regula Mühlemann

http://www.regulamuehlemann.com/

Heiri Känzig

http://www.heirikaenzig.com

Konstantin Timokhine