Quite a long time haven’t written anything… Well, it’s been a very busy period, a lot of travelling, planning, concerts, recordings, awards, even professorship ))
And a lot of good things happened – reviews for CD’s been fantastic, national critics acclaimed concerts, local councils approved our budget and the most important – a lot of people have been in our presentation of next season! Hope that in 2009-10 even more audience will come to our concerts.
Talking more precisely about past events – of course Shostakovich 8 was a special night, but it was more or less what I’ve expected to produce, but real surprises were “La Mer” and “Firebird”, played with a great quality and inspiration. It’s always very difficult to play French music with British orchestras (and Firebird in many ways is also French) due to historical-mental difference between two nations (you see, I’m professor!), and final result was fantastic – even if there still be a lot of room for improvement. Recordings: plenty of them should be released soon, and I think Shostakovich 5 and especially 9 will be better than 11. As well two CDs of Rachmaninov, Symphonic Dances, Isle of the Dead, 3rd Piano Concerto, Rhapsody on Paganini theme should be a big hits. And there are few other pieces to record at summer!
Overseas concert – did recently Valladolid (Manfred Symphony), where critics acclaim as “un nuevo genio” after my 26th concert in this city ;), and last week been in Porto with a big success as well. Do you know what unite those two cities? Both have new concert halls… And now on my way to St Louis and week after (Aloha!!!) Hawaii Symphony. Hope to get some sunshine after rainy week in Portugal!
P.S. Will answer all your questions in other posts as soon as possible.
