Zagreb - Day 2
Second day in Zagreb has not been less intense than the day before. The main conductor of the programme continues with his work on the repertoire, and some interesting nuances start to arise, especially on the Rheinberger, a pieces which suits the choir perfectly. How important is to find a good balance between pieces that will have a great result, and others that can be more challenging but will get the choir to the next level! During breaks, I had some relevant conversations with choir singers about their experiences with different kinds of conductors, how is the feeling of the group with diverse kinds of methodology, communication, etc. "We all love music, and that's what unites us". A simple truth of great value not to forget!
Today I also had the chance to finally meet the Artistic Director of the choir and mentor of my internship, Maestro Facini, and work with the choir for 45 minutes on Poulenc. Standing for the first time in front of such a choir can be overwhelming, but the mentor was really encouraging and giving some very useful advices for the next day. There are possibilities to try out new things, change sound colour and make wonderful music with this fantastic group!
After some rest, in the evening I attended the opera Alan T. composed by Pierre Jodlowski, in the frame of the 33rd Edition of Music Biennale Zagreb. It was a great counterpoint to morning rehearsals with the choir and some more food for thought to end the day.