Hvide Sande
Wow. What am amazing experience. Seriously. It was oh so worth all the struggles and difficulty to get there. Not only is it beautiful but for the first time since Poland, I felt a sense of peace and what my aspirations would lead to. Sadly I did not have any time to study and Danish (unlike my Polish) but it was not a big deal. Thankfully many people speak English (better than most Americans) quite well. But alas on to the actual reason why I was there.
This experience was one I highly recommend, especially if you love playing chamber music like I do. Not only will you hear some standards but also quite a bit of 20th century and contemporary music as well. I was very fortunate to have my “String Quintet” be chosen for one of the concerts and it was a massive success. I’m so glad I got to perform it once again. In my private lessons, I learned more in 4 lessons than is most of my life. I say this because my biomechanics are quite abysmal for viola playing due to both my setup and my current instrument. It was very eye opening just how much more work I have to do to achieve what I want. That said, it is within my reach and thus I’m not disheartened. Some things that where a little jarring was being the only American. It’s very difficult for me despite my best efforts to not be the “I only speak English fluently” person. Though everyone was friendly, there where times where if my life was a tv show, the subtitles would say “Danish, German, Ukrainian, Swedish.” Though I picked up some things, it really goes to show how ignorant we are about other cultures in the states. This is something I hope to change as I travel more. One other thing I will say is that I am not an advocate for the states. Many many times where I was asked what it’s like, and I found myself not only complaining, but ranting. Maybe it’s because I feel economically left behind, the car centrism of literally everything, or the fact that everything is too damn expensive. I’ll happily take the “anti-American American” nickname. Besides that, waking up to natural light from the sunrise really does wonders for me and biking everywhere makes me so happy. Not just that, but I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, the food and drinks are better as well.
All of that aside, I had the wonderful chance to meet amazing people. Seriously, it was quite surprising just how many connections I made and I am so glad I did. My fear is that I won’t be able to relate to people but I find myself seeing that such an assumption is less true the older I get. It was a little weird being the “old man” of the group that weren’t professors from time to time but I have always comparatively been a late bloomer. Despite this, I can truly say that this week has had a massive impact on me. From the white sand (Hvide Sande translation fyi) beaches, to the full moons that make the water shimmer, and the amazing music making, I would absolutely do it again and I highly recommend it for anyone looking to expand their horizons. With that, I want to thank everyone involved for giving me one of the best experiences of my life. I want to come back someday (preferably under less chaotic circumstances). So for those affiliated with the masterclass, I want to say thank you for all of your work and dedication. <3
Gliere Octet - https://youtu.be/wLqhhp-bSO4?si=e9o_saYV_8lKdoQJ