Internatial SWISS PANFLUTE Seminar

The Panflute students have fun together playing their favorite music in a friendly and familiar atmosphere.. Learn from Masters like Damian Luca, Simion Radu, Vasile Iovu or Cornel Pana.

Report Panfluteseminar 2009

Another Panflutey Weekend in Winkel

Some things become quite a tradition! For the 6th time I attended the panflute seminar of Michael Dinner and Dan Herford. I can tell you, that I am not the only one to come back. Almost everybody does!
As you may know, they always invite a guest teacher. This time there were 2 guests: Radu Simion and the cymbalist Nina Munteanu.
Radu Simion we knew already and it was nice to meet him again. Nina was a wonderful surprise. She lives in Ukraine but comes to play in Switzerland quite often.

This time a lot of the participants did not go home after the evening meal, but stayed in the 2 hotels in the village of Winkel. I can recommend you to do so! Certainly if you live far away.
It starts normally with a kind of informal reception. After this, everybody plays something to show his or her level. This time Michael had decided that this was not necessary. He and Dan knew almost everybody. Both of them know that for some people this exercise of playing solo in front of the others is quite a nerve racking thing. For me, for example.  Although I know that really nothing bad can happen, I always get very nervous. We made music and had fun together and we had a very nice meal.

Nina Munteanu, Dan Herford und Simion Radu

On Saturday morning the real work started. My group had 3 hours with Dan to start with. This is always hard work, but you can learn a lot!
Later in the day, we had a class with Radu Simion. In this class it is important to be a good observer. You can learn a lot by looking well. I did however have my problems with the tempo in which he wanted us to play the tunes. Playing fast is not my strength! But you are likely to be more advanced than I am.
In the evening all the people who stayed for the night, had a really nice meal in the Breitti-restaurant. I think it was a nice surprise, also for the other guests in the restaurant, when Dan grasped his guitar and started to sing. Then you can see that he is former bandleader! A bit later several panflutes joined in the festival. Michael and Dani are anyway likely to play on occasions like that. But several others did so too! Radu Simion had not brought his own panflute to the restaurant,but someone lent him one. So he too started playing. As I said, it was quite a festival!

On Sunday we started with Nina. For us that was more relaxed. Of course she knew that our group was not advanced. However, she said: “I want you to let your panflutes sing. That you cannot play fast, that doesn't matter.” In fact she encouraged us to play more slowly. I still hear her saying: “Langsam! Langsam!”
Later all the groups, and of course the teachers, practiced together for the final concert. You don't have to be too afraid of this. The audience consists mainly of family and friends of the participants. They know that we are not professionals (apart from the teachers, of course). The teachers will support the students. During the second part of the concert, the teachers play their solos and the students can listen with the audience. If you like to hear a bit of the music that we played, have a  look at the following film  http://www.panfloete.ch/csssite/Seminar/filme.html.

Simion Radu und Dan Herfod

Simion Radu und Michael Dinner

One of my favourite pieces (of the ones that we played during the concert) was the doina that we practised together with Radu Simion. However, I was glad that we students only had to play the notes La and Mi (A and E). Michael directed us and indicated where we had to change. But I liked the whole concert!
After the concert we had a nice meal together. Friends of Nina brought a tart, which was wonderful too! And then: music again! If you like to see pictures, look at this link.

 

As usual it was a super weekend! Thanks a lot Michael, Dan, Simion and Nina!
And you who were not there yet; maybe we will meet next October in Winkel?
Same of course for everybody who was present at this course!

Musical greetings
Famke

 

last update 21. Januar 2009