Norfolk New Music Festival

Evita and I in Rochester

Hi everyone, happy summer and happy world cup! Australia is out of the running, but being a dual citizen, I still get to cheer for the US.

I have been hopping around a lot, after my family descended on New York for my graduation I traveled up to Rochester to accompany Evita on one of her teaching gigs. Seeing as we are both performers, we have to travel to one another events so we can actually spend time together! Right now I am enjoying a very stress free stay at Endicott College in Beverly MA, where there is a Lindy Hop festival called ‘Bean Town’.

Last week I was with Ben Verdery and Van Stiefel on Faculty at the Norfolk New Music Festival. I have to say I have not practiced that hard in quite a while. It was fantastic! Up at 6:30 every day to start work and by the end of the day my hands were absolutely pulsing from tiredness. I am getting a bit older now, so I had better be careful…

The whole clan at a very iconic diner

There is something very refreshing about working on new music. There is no precedent set for how the piece is supposed to be performed, so it allows a certain sense of creativity to come out with the interpretation. I have to say, though, it is pretty intense performing with the composer in the front row… There were two world premieres, but the one piece that took up almost all of my practice time was by Martin Bresnick – Joquin Soñando – a really great piece that I will continue to perform. The left hand role is perhaps one of the most difficult I have come across. The music needs a very smooth, legato execution, but the left hand is contorting and stretching so much that it is incredibly hard to do! I will keep working on it….

Coming up I will be recording a new video course, performing Schubert at the Bard Festival, and also some chamber music and Music by the Sea up here in MA (I keep writing MA because I am sure I will misspell Massechusetts…) And, of course, Guitoberfest! The month long intensive course I am running in October. Please write to me if you are interested!

Oh and one more thing! The interview for the Classical Guitar Insider has come out. You can listen here: Classical Guitar Insider, Simon Powis