The children and staff of the 29th Franschhoek Chamber Music Workshop join in thanking you for your great and ongoing support of this unique workshop.
Our workshop this year was a resounding success with 60 participants from the Western and Eastern Cape, Bloemfontein, and from the Philippines. The students were engaged on a daily basis in 3 different chamber groups as well as evening orchestral activities, a musical quiz, an in-house soloist performance, and our much loved ‘cabaret’. In addition, the well-known Baroque specialist, Erik Dippenaar, gave a fascinating and participative 90 minute lecture, bringing his own harpsichord. Dr Bridget Rennie-Salonen also presented a very informative workshop on how best to use our bodies to maximise our performance as musicians. Our reputation for going the extra mile with our services remains of paramount importance, and the results at the end of every workshop certainly attest to our ongoing success.
I am exceptionally grateful to the 14 marvellously hard-working members of staff who assist me in this process and who have remained loyal and supportive over many years. Albie van Schalkwyk has this to say after his experience as our piano coach:
“Dear Barbara & Becky, Thank you again for asking me to be there! I enjoyed myself immensely in all the different aspects of the Franschhoek Experience! I am full of admiration for the Experience you have created over the years for the kids. It is clearly life-changing to many of them. That makes it a really satisfying thing to do. See you soon and certainly at Franschhoek 2020 if you’ll have me.”
One of the parents commented:
“Thank you for leading an absolutely amazing week for an amazingly talented group of children and instructors. Our daughter, Kirsten, was a newbie this year and she just loved it and is missing it terribly already. She can’t stop reminiscing and she’s really not very happy that she hasn’t attended before. It seems a group of them are already organising a 2019 reunion!”
We received a great deal of positive feedback from the students and their parents, and as always, our teachers are ready and willing to give of their all at our next workshop.
I have attached some photographs which I hope you can use in some way to promote our cause. We are all looking forward to next year’s workshop for which I will submit a budget for your kind consideration in the near future.
