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December 20, 2004 at 11:36 AM

I am writing this blog half asleep. I just came back with the night train from Basel. But I did not sleep much. So, probably I'll take a short nap before starting my practice session today.
Tha weekend was incredible. Friday morning I was in the conservatory in Basel at 7:30, in my favorite practice room, where I used to always practice while I was still a student there. I did a good 3 hours of practising before Esme, the cellist showed up. We had not seen eachother for several months, so we did not do too much bowings and more catching up over a hot chocolate.
After that we started rehearsals in another music school, just outside of Basel, in one of those idyllic swiss towns. During the 2 days of rehearsals I was consistantly surprised how much fun being a musician is. This trio combination works great, the cellist fits in very well and on top of that, we all share a love for mountains and nature in general.
Yesterday was my day off. Esme and I decided to go to a Christmas Market in the center of Basel. It was amazing, it started snowing and the Christmas feeling was complete, drinking Gluhwein. When we went back to the family we were staying with, it was as being in a fairytale. They live somewhat outside the city in the hills and everything was completely white, the roads had not been driven on, the trees had this lair of snow and there was no sound, except of snow falling.

I am going to make some shameless advertisement for people in the Basel area reading this. On January 7, 2005 is the first concert of this trio. Together with swiss pianist Reto Reichenbach and the Dutch cellist, Esme de Vries, I am playing trio's from Mendelssohn and Martin. The concert will be in "Musikschulhaus Riehen" and will start at 6:30 PM. Entrance is free, there will be a "kollekte".

Tomorrow another rehearsal with Mendelssoh & Mozart Sonatas works of Takemitsu and Messiaen. We'll see what happens there, still a lot of work to do.

I am going to bed for my nap. Have a nice day!