Malmo Festival and Olympics

Guy Johnston prepares for The Swan

Last weekend was the 2nd Malmo International String Festival, held this year in Malmo again due to the restrictive nature of the title we chose.

And what a lovely weekend it was.

The weather was magnificent, which led to a new creation which was born immediately after the last concert finished:
The Malmo Olympics.

Focusing mainly on 100 metre sprints and relays, the Games took place on the running track which sits invitingly next to the Malmo Academy, and I am pleased to report they were incredibly exciting.
There was everything a great Olympic competition requires: brilliance, ineptness, injury and, in at least one case, an athlete throwing up in the taxi home due to over-exertion.

The results were conclusive, and embarrassing.
Meghan Cassidy from the Solstice Quartet took the gold in the 100 metres, beating all the boys and performing a dive over the finish line that was nothing short of perplexing since she was already massively in the lead, and it resulted in a serious loss of blood.

But the relay race was by all accounts a thriller.
Ashley Wass, usually so adept with his fingers, fumbled the baton when I passed it to him costing our team dearly. We still might have won had he not then become distracted after around 70 metres, veering off course to kick a football.

In any case, next year this addition to the festival is a certain fixture and I'm already selling tickets.

The concerts?
Yes. They were nice too.
The magnificent Paladium was a pleasure to play in, and the audiences thoroughly appreciative of our efforts.

Callum Smart played a blinding recital which everyone is still talking about, even if mostly in hushed, jealous tones due to his being only 15 years old and better than it is polite to be at that age. (We didn't invite him to the Olympics as that would have been too much to bear.)

Guy Johnston spending half a day rehearsing, travelling and getting dressed in full concert gear for a 3 minute performance of the Swan was another highlight, and I for one found that hilarious.

Memories which will live long in my mind, thanks to all who made it possible.

Sparkly Elephants

I just came home from Izmir, Turkey, which is always a lively place to spend time.
My hotel was in the middle of a mountain, with sheep and everything, so I was compelled to walk as far up it as I could in order to get closer to the sheep, but my phone rang and I needed better reception so I had to put my ambitious plans on hold.
Such friendly people there. I got to know a chap who referees camel fights for instance. You might think I'd have little in common with such a person, but we got on like a house on fire- despite his not speaking any English and my Turkish sounding more like made up Japanese than an actual language.
I had a fabulous meal last night too- six courses, all of them fish.
I really do like the place hugely, the scenery is completely spectacular and there was a shiny sparkly elephant in my hotel lobby. Next to a full size replica of a horse with a lampshade on its head.
And they love music- the audience at last night's concert was so attentive and warm, with crowds of well-wishers afterwards which always makes a musician happy.
I wish every trip offered so much that I don't see every day.