Live Music Now in Salzburg
26 – 28 May 2010
Building on links made through Live Music Now's International Development programme, saxophone ensemble Lunar Saxophone Quartet made the first visit of LMN UK musicians to LMN Salzburg in late May. In support of continuing professional development of Live Music Now's pool of musicians, such international opportunities give musicians invaluable experience in performing for typical LMN audiences in different cultural environments. Lunar Saxophone Quartet, who formed while the four players were studying together at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, performed for adults with learning and physical disabilities and for children with special educational needs. They also took part in an illustrated lecture presented by Carol Main, Director of LMN Scotland who is leading on LMN's International Development. The lecture was attended by musicians and organisers from LMN Salzburg and LMN Vienna, the other of the four Austrian branches with which LMN UK is currently working. The aim is for a rolling programme of exchange of musicians across the LMN network of branches in mainland Europe and the UK.
As a pilot project in Austria, the Lunar Saxophone Quartet visit was extremely successful. As Hannah Riches, alto sax with the ensemble says, 'Our short trip to Salzburg was hugely enjoyable and rewarding. The concerts (and audiences) were fantastic and it was very interesting to experience how Live Music Now operates outside of the UK. We were delighted that the concerts were well received despite the obvious language barrier and it's good to know the work we do in the UK translates well to an international audience. We were glad to be able to offer a different perspective on interaction during performance to the LMN students who attended the presentation and hope that they also found it a positive experience.'
The visit was co-ordinated by Stefanie Lanzdorf of LMN Salzburg and supported by Ian Stoutzker, Founding Chairman of Live Music Now. In response to it, Stefanie Lanzdorf says, 'In our eleventh year of existence LMN Salzburg has been very grateful to participate in an exchange visit of musicians from LMN UK. The two exceptionally entertaining concerts and the workshop with our students were not only welcome to them but extremely valuable as well to our LMN Team. Thank you !
The next part of the exchange will be musicians from LMN Salzburg visiting the UK.
Carol Main
9 June 2010
