Maribor Musicians online

It took a little while but at last my paintings of the 2012 Maribor Music Festival are online.
See them at artsmitten.com

Thomas Demenga plays Cello
in the Aloysius Church in Maribor

Painting in Maribor (Photo Dejan Bulut )

Melbourne Cup, 2012

I went to a 'paint out' with a local art group this morning but instead of the usual 10-15 participants only one other person was there. Ah, the Melbourne Cup!

It reminded me of my first experience of Australia on the first Tuesday in November. I was in Sydney city and wondered why the streets were suddenly so bare. Could there have been a national emergency? Then I discovered that Australia grinds to a halt at 3pm once a year for a horse race. Today an outsider won the race so there was a good payout and no doubt its backers will be partying all night.

On the way to victory

United against violence

Melbourne has been consumed by the horror of the rape and murder of Jill Meagher in Melbourne's Brunswick last week and Philip's reaction was to organise a march against violence. Thirty thousand people came.

From the Financial Review. Philip in foreground holding the placard

Beethoven's 9th at the Maribor Music Festival

Tonight was the final concert of Maribor Music Festival 2012: 'Ode to Joy'. Brahms, Messiaen, then Beethoven's 9th, a truly stirring piece. With combined orchestra and mass choir it was a great way to finish the festival.  A couple of years ago they played Beethoven's 8th in the Cathedral and I remember it was just as powerful.

Listening to a concert in the Maribor Cahedral

Tomorrow the cathedral will again be full of worshippers again, as it was last Sunday when I drew the picture below.

Sunday service in the Maribor Cathedral

Maribor Music Festival 2012

The Maribor Music Festival 2012 concerts so far have ranged from virtuosic Mendelssohn to electric guitar.

Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) performed in London on 1st September and received rave reviews. They performed the same concert in Maribor on Wednesday to an equally warm reception from the packed hall. On Thursday they played Bach and Mendelssohn with an incomparable virtuosity.

The ACO are in Maribor for the whole festival this year, playing sometimes alone and sometimes joined by the Slovenian Philharmonic.

Last night they were joined by comedian Gerry Connolly and Brian Ritchie (Violent Femmes rock band). In the second half Satu Vanska sang and it turns out she is not only a virtuoso violinist but has a lovely voice and good comic timing.

Satu plays violin

Maribor, Cultural City 2012

Maribor 2012

The only outward sign that Maribor is the 2012 European City of Culture are a series of large balloons around the city. This may be the only outward sign but a lot of the city has been rejuvenated in the lead up to 2012. Another large square has been created ... finished this year at last. There is a music event taking place there as I write - the music is floating over the city, quite unusual haunting music.

Newly finished city square.
Behind the spot where the photo was taken is a very large tented podium with loud speakers etc.

All of the inner city is closed to traffic and it has a wonderful effect. People walk or ride bikes and the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly. When will Australia take a leaf out of the European book? Perhaps Sydney, Melbourne (or Umina!) could apply to be the next City of Culture?

Valkurie in Wellington

  The Valkyrie paintings from rehearsals in Wellington, NZ, are now online .... with a little story.

Pietari Inkinen conducts the NZSO

Simon O'Neill sings Siegmund