The view from Tunnel MountainHere we are after week one at the Banff Centre in Banff, Canada! The Banff Centre was built at the bottom of the Canadian Rockies where we are surrounded by mountains, each with their own personality. Some are snow capped, some are covered in pine trees, and others are sharply shaped with their peaks jutting into the sky. Each day the view is different. Today the mountains in the distance are covered in mist as low clouds roll over them.
The repertoire we brought includes the quarky Haydn String Quartet Op. 50, No. 2 and the epic String Quartet No. 3 by Alfred Schnittke. We have worked with two coaches this week, Mark Steinberg of the Brentano Quartet and James Boyd of the London Haydn Quartet and can honestly say our brains hurt from the amount they have expanded with all of the wonderful musical ideas and perspective they have brought to us. We are not only inspired by our coaches, but are here with some amazingly talented groups from all over Canada and the United States; among them are the Afiara, Cecilia, Aiana, and Arneis String Quartets. (two of whom will have gone to Deer Valley with the Muir Quartet...small world!)
We have been chosen to perform the Schnittke String Quartet on Saturday, June 23 at the Rolston Recital Hall at 7:30. So, if any of you or your friends happen to be near Banff, Canada next weekend, come on by!