Announcing the Stift Musical Encounters

It is a great pleasure to announce the first edition of the Stift Musical Encounters (SME), which will be held from 11-16 April this year in and around the hub of the Stift Festival, beautiful Stift in Weerselo, Holland. 

The concept is a flexible mix of individual classes and intensive chamber music, side by side with the internationally renowned faculty. The morning will be dedicated to one-on-one tuition and after the communal lunch the focus is on chamber music, with coaching sessions rehearsals well into the evenings.

We are delighted  that the faculty for this first edition will be:

• Daniel Rowland, violin  (soloist, leader Brodsky Quartet, professor RCM London, artistic director Stift Festival)
• Vladimir Mendelssohn, viola (renowned chamber musician, long time professor at conservatories in Essen, Paris and The Hague, artistic director Kuhmo Festival, composer)
• Maja Bogdanovic, cello (soloist and chamber musician)
• Nino Gvetadze, piano ( soloist and chamber musician, professor Amsterdam Conservatory)
• Thorsten Johanns, clarinet (soloist, professor Hochschule Weimar, former solo clarinet WDR Cologne) 

The schedule will be:

11 April: from 15.00 arrival, 19.30 opening concert by teachers and selected participants

12 & 13 April: 10.00-22.00: all day lessons, coaching and side-by-side rehearsals

14 April: 10-13 lessons, coaching and rehearsals, 14-16 selected participants will join the Strijkersdag (Strings Day), a festive day for (very) young string players from all round Twente, for mini masterclasses, with concert at 16.00. From 18-22 Chamber Music Party 🙂

15 and 16 April: 10-17: lessons, coaching and rehearsals, 19.30 the final concerts in the Stiftkerk by participants and faculty.

17 April: departure.

The participation fee is kept low (300E, 250E for those applying with a trio or quartet)), this includes accommodation with host family’s and all meals (communal lunches and dinners). Individual participants as well as existing duos, trios and quartets are invited to apply. 

The deadline for applications is 15 March. 

The venues are the gorgeous 15th century Stiftkerk and the Stiftschool next to it.

Those familiar with the Stift Festival will know the charming and very pretty setting and the famous Twents hospitality!

The SME website will be live in a couple of days.  For more information, and applications please contact our production manager Tobias Behnke on productie@stiftfestival.com or on +49 15125118892.

With warm wishes,

Daniel Rowland,

Artistic director Stift Festival. 

Daniel@danielrowland.com