|
MUSIC PROMENADE FESTIVAL - PRE-EVENT NEWSLETTER - December 2007 A musical adventure returns to Gstaad, Lauenen and Rougemont with the second 'Music Promenade Festival' which starts on Thursday 27 December organized by the non-profit association, registered in the Swiss canton of Vaud "L'Association pour la Promotion de la Musique Classique" (APMC). World class musicians will take centre stage with their musical ideas in 11 concerts over ten days until Saturday 5 January. Information and tickets from the Concierge at the Grand Hotel Park Gstaad. Here the organizers outline their aims and reasons for bringing this event to Gstaad "We want to establish an ongoing Festival in this lovely region where our programmes and events will reflect the feel for music first discovered by Lord Menuhin' said the Festival's Secretary General Santo Cappon. 'We are a non-profit company working with international concert musicians who are recognized for their musical ability and their ideas." "The Festival's Artistic Director, Princess Caroline Murat is much attached to the region and is delighted to be coming back to Gstaad this year with her new partners at the Grand Hotel Park Gstaad. Her programme is superb and has already brought praise from the international media and fellow musicians." "As a result of Her Highness' expertise, experience and lifelong dedication to music both as a concert pianist (under her artist's name of Caroline Haffner) and artistic director, we have, for example, become part of the Glenn Gould Foundation's 'Year of Glenn Gould" international Celebrations. The young Chinese pianist Liu Ji (16 years) will play Bach's Goldberg Variations as the focus of this commemoration which continues until September. "Opening doors to new audiences of all ages and backgrounds is a key aim' Santo continued. 'We aim to be there for everyone from financial traders who want to make a splash with their bonuses to grandparents who want their grandchildren's first experience of music to be special, memorable and of the highest quality." "For all of us involved in the project, classic music plays a very important role in our lives; not just for the artistic side but in terms of its ability to help us make sense of the world and for the way it teaches young people the benefits of concentration, accomplishment and self-discipline." "Our choice of Gstaad, Lauenen and Rougemont was not difficult. As one of the most connected Alpine regions it also has a strong sense of country traditions. Our aim is to join up the elements of music and place for a special event in December and January each year. We are combining concerts with cocktails, dinners and literary presentations (in French and English). Young musicians will be able to come and know they are appearing with international musicians, maestros and experts who they respect. Our focus on young musicians who have left college but are not under permanent contract to either an agent or a recording label. In this way only musicianship and musical ideas will direct our style and programmes. Part of our engagement with audiences will be to discuss what it is that makes a great musician or a great performance." Santo Cappon is joined for the organisation of the Festival by Jean-Christophe de Vries, founder of the Cully Classic Festival, his associate Pierre-Antoine Pradervand and Anthoni Noyon of Sofracs.com, Paris for the website. Information & tickets for all events from the Concierge at the Grand Hotel Park Gstaad. Tel: 033 748 98 00 |