2020.. Tough, but not impossible.
Hello and welcome back! While it has been tough to continue with the arrival of COVID-19, it has not been impossible to make music. Here it is what I have managed to do since my last entry in March.
Photo Credit: Andrea Martin
With the whole of March being a lockdown there was no possibility to perform any concerts, however ‘Maestro Guitars’ were hosting musicians on their instagram account I was fortunate enough to be one of the chosen players.
Photo Credit: Jen Reis
May was another tough month for playing concerts as venues where trying to come up with new ways of hosting audiences and musicians tried to compensate from two months of cancelations. During this time I turned my focus onto a new video project called ‘Spaces Of Warteck’.
SPACES OF WARTEK CONZEPT:
When Switzerland went into lock down in March 2020, like many in the creative industries, I was confronted with the sudden reality of no longer being able to continue my work. As a full time performing musician the impact was more significant than the practicality of income. A way of life that is so integral to my craft had stopped from one day to the next.
It was in this musical destitution that the idea of ‘Spaces Of Warteck’ came to life.
The concept was to find a way within this new framework of living to continue to ‘travel’ and play. Capturing a performance in different locations within a determined space (Werkraum Warteck pp) fit in with governmental regulations and could be done in a safe, respectful manner. Each video consist of two angles, each focusing a potentially new perspective to a room. Emphasis on being as noninvasive as possible within each given space was of great importance. This way the natural energy of the room would not be disturbed, paralleling that same feeling of adapting to the energy of a new performance stage.
Thank you to ‘Don Camillo’, ‘Turmstübli’, ‘Tanzstudio La Rosa’ and ‘Werkraum Warteck pp’ for your contributions in the project, I would like to continue with this concept in the future.
More information on the rooms, their projects and the Warteck can be found in the description of the video’s. and on the ‘Werkraum Warteck pp’ home page. I hope you enjoy the end result!
Photo Credit: Azura Silberschmidt
With the arrival of June it was possible to play concerts again. I was fortunate enough to be part of several ensembles along side my solo performances which kept me busy for June, July and August. While each concert seemed special, some of the highlights were performing solo at the ‘Surselva Kulturnacht 2020’ and the ‘Pyramid Stage’. Playing in quartet with ‘French Connection’, in quintet with ‘Hot Club de Bâle’ as well as several long, hot, glorious days busking in Bern as part of different quartet formations with band leader and violin extraordinaire ‘Vincent Millioud’.
Getting ready to film with Arthur Henry who is shooting for a wonderful project about artists in lockdowns, sound/video scapes and more. Click here to see more about this great artist.
I had the distinct honour of travel to Gams, in east Switzerland to visit my dear friends at ‘Guitar-Repairs’ to be part of a video celebrating a new product release from ‘Schertler’, their stunning ‘X series’ amps.
Along side this I have (finally!) started something of an online guitar school through video lessons, More on my YouTube Channel.
Finally, here are the newest videos of my slowly growing collection of covers, arrangements, transcriptions, improvisations and originals. More videos can be found on my YouTube.
It’s usually at this point in each blog entry I give a little information on what is coming next, sadly I don’t have anything to tell you yet - It is trickier then ever with the COVID-19 situation. Until the next instalment, whenever that might be, I wish you good health and good spirits. Thank you for reading.