Aug/090
Departures
This weekend sees the first departures of faculty and students who have come for one week. The most notable among the faculty to leave are violinist and Conductor Paul Ezergailis who left a couple of hours ago. Fernando Gualda, Oboe, is leaving for Belfast, where he is based, this evening. His wife, pianist Regiane Yamaguchi leaves in the morning. Fernando is being replaced by Agnieszka Mazur from Poland who arrives tomorrow. Cellist Jane Hughes from Derry, who is based in Dublin, left us yesterday evening. We are really going to miss Jane as she was hugely helpful in the office.
I’m kicking myself that I missed Paul Ezergailis by minutes as I wanted to get a couple of quotes from him for the blog. I’ll have to chase him up on e-mail later.
Aug/092
Fantastic concert last night
Last night’s concert was really outstanding, as everyone from the large crowd will attest. And the live streaming worked really well also I’m told. So a second live-streaming event is looking likely in the next couple of weeks, though no decision has been made yet. I’m looking forward to seeing Paul O’Mahony’s posts on it – and the many photographs he took afterward of the musicians.
John Perry has just left with the SMS Director of Transportation, Colie Tubridy, for Dublin from where he catches his flight back to the US at 4 this afternoon. Mina Perry is missing him already.
Colie will arrive back later this evening with Josef Calef the Cellist. Josef has been coming to SMS for many years now and is an esteemed and very well liked member of the faculty.
Jul/090
John Perry has arrived
Pianist extraordinaire, John Perry, arrived into Shannon at 6.15am this morning and is due shorty on the main stage at the University Concert Hall for rehearsals.
John performs a free concert this coming Saturday night 1st August at UCH.
The programme is as follows:
- Fantasia in F minor’, Op.103 (piano, four hands) – Franz Schubert, performed by John Perry and Mina Perry
- ‘Terzetto in C major’, Opus 74, (two violins & cello) – Anton Dvorak, performed by David Stewart, Violin, Paule Préfontaine, Violin; David Gaudry, Viola; and David Bucknall, Cello.
- ‘Piano Sonata in D’, Op. 10, No.3 – Ludwig van Beethoven
- ‘Piano Quartet in A major’, Op. 26 – Jonhannes Brahms
- Also starring on Viola is David Gaudry
The concert promises to be terrific, and if you’re unlucky enough not to be able to attend, do not fret as it is being live-streamed on the web, through the auspices of UL IT Dept., UCH, HEAnet and LIT. I’ll post a link to the live stream nearer the time.
Jul/090
Piano Faculty member: Mina Perry
Mina Perry- a big welcome back to you…
Mina Perry, pianist & teacher, was born in Hokkaido, Japan.
She earned her undergraduate & post-graduate degrees @ Musashino School of Music in Tokyo.
During 3 years of teaching piano privately, Mina played many concerts.
She moved to Germany. Earned her master’s degree & worked as a correpetitor @ Hochschule für Musik Detmold.
She continued her Artist Diploma @ Glenn Gould School of Music, Toronto, Canada.
She’s studied piano with Tetsushige Maruyama, Konstantin Ganev, John Perry, & piano duo with Djulia and Konstantin Ganev.
She’s been soloist & chamber musician in recitals in Europe, North America & Japan.
Living in USA since 2006, she teaches privately in her studio in Pasadena, California.
In summer 2007, Mina joined SMS.
Summer 2008 she taught piano @ summer music festival “Music Alp” Courchevel, France.
Mina Perry is also on the faculty of “The Colburn School of Performing Arts” in Los Angeles.
Jul/092
Who’s coming to SMS : the experienced musicians?
John Perry (USA) – to play Schubert, Beethoven & Brahms
Mina Perry (USA) 
– to play Schubert & Brahms
Paule Prefontaine (Canada) – to play Dvorak, JS Bach
David Stewart (Canada) – to play Dvorak & Brahms & Vivaldi & Haydn
David Gaudry (USA) – to play Dvorak & Brahms & Virgil Thompson & Hummel
David Bucknall (England) – to play Brahms & Vivaldi
Myra Bennett (England) – to play JS Bach
Tanja Fritschi (Ireland) - to play JS Bach
Aline Nistad (Norway) – to play Lars – Erik Lansson
Dennis Miller (Canada) – to play Kleinsinger
Timothy Brown (England) – to play Brahms
Paul Ezergailis (Norway) – to play Brahms & conduct Haydn, Hummel, Strauss
Gene Ramsbotton (Canada) – to play Virgil Thompson
Sarah-Ellen Murphy (Ireland) – to sing Virgil Thompson [Hear her sing.]
Jan Fredrik Christiansen (Norway) – to play J N Hummel
[to be continued...]