CLA France Blog: Reflection from Johanna

Today’s blog post is brought to you by another CLA participant.  Johanna is a lovely soprano from Munich and has become one of my close friends here at CLA France.  I appreciate her sharp humor and passionate approach to singing.  In this post, she shares her experience of our second concert, which took place on Monday evening.  Thank you for sharing, Johanna!

“Yesterday started off with the usual coachings. When walking through the chateau you could see everyone highly concentrated, memorizing the last lines of new pieces to be performed in the evening. In the late afternoon everybody got changed into concert wear, and luckily, this time it didn't pour down on us as it did before the previous concert evening. One last run through the common ensembles and we were off to the beautiful town Belvès for our second concert.

This concert was graciously hosted by the lovely Carol Haber in her home directly in the town center.  We were all in disbelief while entering - how stunning their home was, and it even featured staircases from the 13th century! We went to explore the house and after walking up several flights of stairs we were rewarded with a breathtaking 360° view from their rooftop. Since the town itself sits quite high already, we could see very far into the distance. And, with the beautiful weather and gorgeous background, some serious photoshoots took place.

The concert itself had a lovely atmosphere.  The audience was very attentive and interested, which to me is very important. It makes me feel appreciated as an artist and gives me freedom and comfort to unfold my artistry. Everyone did a fabulous job - it was such a treat hearing all the performances, knowing how much effort and work had been put into them.

Afterwards we got to meet the audience at the reception and we all engaged in pleasant conversation. It is always interesting for us to hear how the audience perceives a performance. Typically, they don't judge it nearly as harshly as we do ourselves.  After indulging in wonderful food and wine (oh, all the wine here in France is wonderful!), we packed up and drove back to our chateau very satisfied.

The loveliest aspect of the evening was how supportive and nice everybody was about each other’s performances and achievements. It is truly a gift to spend so much time with wonderful people who share with me a love for this unparalleled art form.”

-Johanna

CLA France Blog: Theatrical Collaborations

After two weeks of intensive coachings, classes, and rehearsals, we finally had a full run-through of our scenes.  This was an exciting opportunity to appreciate each other’s collaborations.  The ensembles cover a wide variety of musical styles, from Massenet’s Thaïs to Yvain’s Ta Bouche.  In total, there are 19 ensembles, and each singer performs 3-4 numbers.  

It was special to observe my new friends come together vocally and dramatically.  One advantage to having so many different ensembles is that we get to hear many different combinations of voices.  I was surprised by how well some of the groups blended, and several ensembles blew me away.  It’s also delightful to watch everyone take on larger stage personalities.  The mélodie concert was full of authentically sensitive interpretation, but operatic ensembles allow the singer to embody a more dramatic persona.  I found the lighter and comedic ensembles to be the most refreshing, serving as a respite from opera’s tendency towards the serious.

An important step in preparing ensembles is the theatrical development.  While solo performances encourage nuanced intimacy, the addition of a scene partner multiplies a piece’s expressive possibilities.  This is particularly interesting for me since I trained as a director in my undergraduate studies.  Another participant, Shannon Delijani, and I offered to help with staging the scenes.  Shannon began studies as a stage director while singing at Mannes, and we were both eager to contribute our theatrical knowledge to these French scenes.

While Shannon and I both have directing experience, we’ve rarely worked in such an expedited process.  We divided the scenes Saturday night and needed to stage many of the scenes the next afternoon.  My directing professor in college often assigned devised compositions to complete in class.  He would enter class with a list of requirements and gave us a limited amount of time to create a coherent piece of theatre within the guidelines.  For context, an assignment may ask the directors to include the following elements (and more): a clear beginning and end, one action repeated five times, fifteen seconds of sustained gibberish, and the line “The moon is my love”.  These wacky assignments often filled me with anxiety.  Finally, I am thanking my professor for these challenges!  

Since there was a limited amount of time to work through every number musically, I decided to meet with some of the singers after dinner.  Tomorrow’s concert includes duets from Cendrillon (Massenet), Hamlet (Thomas), and Dédé (Lalo).  I enjoyed staging these numbers because the singers brought a depth of detailed thought on their own.  I was able to quickly establish a framework of movement-based imagery within which they could supplement their own choices and artistry.  It was especially interesting to work on the duets from Hamlet and Dédé because Fernando Cisneros, a baritone, sings in both.  While working on the duet between Hamlet and Ophelie, we explored the majestic underpinnings of the music and text.  This resulted in a dramatic, slightly overwrought character.  In contrast, the other duet is a tango that requires more subtlety and interplay between the characters.  I was pleased with how quickly the singers, Fernando and soprano Judith Duerr, assumed the duet’s seductive character, and we were able to work out some very dynamic physical moments.  My favorite is an exchange where Judith momentarily lures Fernando in to tango with her, only to brush him aside and dance away in the opposite direction.  Even though the directing work extended into my free evening, I had a lot of fun working with the inventive singers.  It was refreshing to flex my directing muscles, and I look forward to watching the ensembles in concert tomorrow night!

CLA France Blog: Felicitations - First Concert!

Yesterday, we enjoyed a wonderful first concert of French Mélodie.  It was a lovely evening of intimate and dramatic songs that demonstrated a great variety of musical expression. The concert took place at La Balie, which is about a 30 minute drive from our residence.  The faculty members drove us through the rain in a small caravan of cars. 

La Balie is a beautiful residence that spans several buildings and overlooks beautiful country hills. This was the first time that CLA France has performed at La Balie, and, as he drove, Glenn told us about how this performance came to be.  Fiona, who is the owner of the estate, built the residence as a center for all of the activities that she loves - piano, yoga, embroidery, and more.  Glenn and some singers met Fiona last summer, and they quickly decided to host a concert this year.  I am so glad that the connection was made because La Balie was an absolutely stunning location for our first concert.  

The room in which we performed features a lovely contrast of modernity and rustic charm.  It immediately enchanted us from the first glance out the large windows that overlook rolling hills.  Despite the room’s intimate feel, we were so pleased to receive a full and enthusiastic audience for our first concert.  It’s always a success when extra chairs have to be found in order to accommodate all the guests!

The concert was particularly special for us singers because it was our first opportunity to hear each other perform.  Until then, our impressions were limited to muffled sounds through closed doors and the final moments of a preceding coaching.  Unlike many other programs, CLA France doesn’t have a sing-in on the first day, where the participants sing an aria for each other.  There was definitely a nervous energy buzzing in the room, as we anticipated our “debut” in front of each other.  However, there was a very strong sense of community, which has become the norm for this lovely group.  I was touched that we felt compelled to applaud  each other even during sound checks.  

Since our first concert was such a special, shared experience, I thought it would be best for you to hear from more performers than just myself.  I’ve compiled some reflections from the singers and pianists for you to read.  In my opinion, the themes of respect, community, and encouragement are particularly special.

“It was a wonderful experience to listen to everyone for the first time and feel what they had to express.  I learned a lot from each one of them and felt that we were a team even though we were singing solo pieces.  It’s beautiful to feel support and love in a group of young singers.”

“It was wonderful to hear all of us for the first time .  Everybody is so expressive and on the right track to being a professional musician.”

“Yesterday evening we heard high-level singing in a dream-like location.  The contrasting and beautiful repertoire choices made the evening even more enjoyable since we could gaze at the artists’ different personality traits.”

“It was so wonderful to finally hear everyone, especially in a somewhat non-traditional concert location.  The space was absolutely beautiful, and because of its intimacy, we got to share a lovely, communal feeling of gathering as we made and celebrated music together.”

“It was a very creative exchange to ‘live’ through each different story of each character in each piece with every singer.”

“It’s rare to be in an environment where you feel total and absolute support from your peers.  Performing last night with everyone truly felt like a family experience.”

“It has been incredible to see such monumental growth in each singer within such a short period of time.  Especially in art song, language is such a vital part of communicating and our intensive few days of French immersion led to specific and moving performances.” 

CLA France Blog: Poets in the Making

This week, the advanced French class is studying surrealist poetry.  After some conversational practice, we take turns pronouncing and translating French texts.  To supplement our studies, we translated an excerpt from André Breton’s 1924 manifesto on surrealism.  He puts forth that an artist should first clear their mind from sublime intentions and earthly distractions.  Once this state of openness has been achieved, the writer should allow their pen to simply follow the mind’s musings.  

We practiced this method of composition, and I think that we were all pleasantly surprised by the results.  Here are some of the poems that the class wrote - don’t worry, I’ve also roughly translated them to English!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Le café
Me donne du bonheur
Couchant dans ma tasse blanche
Les fleurs se réveillent en chantant pour son énergie
Les sons hauts et lourds
Quand arrive le soleil, le café sourit
Ah, j’ouvre mes bras
J’ouvre mes yeux
J’ouvre mon cœur
à ton pureté marron
Les paysans et les rois, tout le monde peut t’avoir
Mais tu es le mien seulement
Le mien

Coffee
Gives me happiness
Sleeping in my white cup
The flowers awake singing for its energy
The high and heavy sounds
When the sun arrives, the coffee smiles
Ah, I open my arms
I open my eyes
I open my heart
To your brown purity
The peasants and the kings, everyone can have you
But you are mine only
Mine
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Les roses sont une rivière
La montagne est un forêt
Je me suis jetée dans la piscine
Dans cette journée trop bleue
Le soir je me suis réveillée
D’un songe magique et puissant comme mon cœur
Ce cœur qui batte trop forte
Dans cette journée trop bleue.

The roses are a river
The mountain is a forrest
I fell in the pool
In this too blue day
In the evening I woke myself
From a magical and powerful dream like my heart
This heart that beats too strong
In this too blue day
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Que faites-vous, vous qui courrez?
Avec vos nouveaux chaussures
Écrivant sur la rue
L’encre gris-noir
Que dessinez-vous
Qu’est-ce que vous voulez dire au monde?
Si vous devez partir,
Pourquoi pas
Soyez un oiseau et
Voler?
Les dessins des pieds sont plus jolis dans le ciel.

What are you doing, you who runs?
With your new shoes
Writing on the street
The dark grey ink
What do you draw
What do you want to say to the world?
If you should leave,
Why not
Be a bird and
Fly?
The drawings of feet are more pretty than the sky.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

CLA France Blog: Joyeux Anniversaire

Today, I celebrated a wonderful 23rd birthday in France!  I don’t typically initiate grand birthday celebrations.  In fact, I wasn’t even sure if I would tell the other singers about my birthday - I didn’t want anyone to feel pressured to make my birthday special.  To my surprise, I already felt so close to the other singers by the second day, and I knew that I wanted to celebrate with them.  It’s also hard to hide one’s birthday when our conversations are filled with horoscope signs and birth months!

My first birthday indulgence was the opportunity to sleep a bit later.  Some of us stayed awake playing ping pong and foosball until midnight so that we could ring in the special day with a very dramatic rendition of Happy Birthday.  I awoke ready to enjoy an exciting and relaxing first day off in France.  We had planned a morning excursion to a market in Issigeac, a local town.  When I joined the breakfast table, I was sad to spot cold rain outside.  The market is located outside, so another dreary day would not bode well for our excursion.  As we ate, the rain started to lighten, and we decided to proceed with the trip.  

Hélène, one of our wonderful coaches, drove Temple and myself to the market in her car.  This was a great opportunity to practice some more French conversation and get to know Hélène a little better.  Since so many languages are represented among our singers and faculty - English, French, Spanish, German, and more - we have a very symbiotic linguistic community.  I feel further supported in my French studies when I can help Hélène and other French speakers with an English translation here and there.  

Issigeac offers a quaint, rustic appeal, but the market itself was immensely popular. (Quaint is one word that was completely new to Hélène!). It was difficult to maneuver oneself around the many attendees within the narrow streets. This was my first experience with a market that strings along various streets.  I have visited many farmer’s markets in the United States, which often fill vacated parking lots, as well as other European markets that sprawl around an entire square.  The linear rows of stands along the town’s streets allowed us to appreciate the surrounding buildings and picturesque alleys that branch out from the city center.  The vendors offered a diverse array of products, from foie gras to leather bags.  I certainly enjoyed many of the edible samples that were on display.  I was so pleased to find one of my favorite pastries, a canelé, at one stand.  This is one of my favorite treats, and I was able to buy a massive, delicious pastry for about one quarter of what it would cost back home in Virginia.  It was already turning out to be a wonderful birthday. 

After helping my friend pick out a light linen dress, I stumbled upon a stand featuring wooden watches and sunglasses.  The watches charmed me, and I couldn’t resist purchasing one as a birthday present to my self.  The market was a success!

We enjoyed another lovely lunch upon returning to Les Jouandis.  All felt normal, but there was a surprise brewing.  I was shocked that the staff had planned for a cake to be shared in honor of my birthday - with candle and all!  They also guessed my favorite flavor - lemon.  I received another dazzling rendition of happy birthday, and all I could think about was my gratitude for the kindness and generosity from my fellow musicians.  

Long warm naps, sunbathing, and pool volleyball filled the rest of our sunny day off (there may have been a bit of score study squeezed in there too).  I enjoyed yet another stunning afternoon walk before dinner and was so grateful for the company of my new friends.  I am still blown away by the excitement and energy that everyone shared with me.  I think that this speaks to the kind character that fills the chateau’s halls, and I’m looking forward to reciprocating the warm camaraderie that I received today.  With an extra year added to my age, I am feeling ready to take on a great week of music -  and, our first concert on Friday!

CLA France Blog: Singer Spotlight - Temple Hammen

Today’s post features the first spotlight on a member of this year’s CLA France family.  I checked in with Temple Hammen, a soprano from the United States (she is also from my home state of Virginia!) to see how she is enjoying the CLA experience thus far.

Why did you choose to attend CLA?
Last year, I started coaching with Glenn, who told me about the program.  When he invited me to come to France, I knew that I couldn’t say no to the opportunity to immerse myself in French repertoire and language.  I felt and understood that this would be the best next step for me in my career as a young artist.

What has been your favorite moment so far?
I have loved getting to know the other singers, and the one time that we’re all together is meal time. The first dinner that we had at the chateau was so beautiful and very memorable to be all together. You could see the excitement and joy in everyones eyes. Since then, the times that we meet at meals are special because we are able to relax. It is so simple, yet so great for all of us to gather as a group. 

What is one important thing that you have learned already?
For me, the linguistic exposure has been the most impactful and important aspect of the experience thus far.  I feel like I can already look at a piece of music and more easily and clearly speak the French text.  This is extremely important because as a classical singer, I must develop clear diction to be the most effective performer I can be.   

What has been your biggest traveling faux pas?
If you had a chance to read the first blog post about a girl losing her bag on the train, that was me. I was on the train coming from Bordeaux to Bergerac with two other singers in the program, and I left my seat to use the restroom. I left all of my belongings behind. I started to leisurely walk back to my seat when I heard the two girls yelling to tell me that our stop was here and I had to get off the train. I noticed that they had retrieved my belongings, so I ran off and immediately the doors closed.  Once I gathered myself, I noticed that they had forgotten my suitcase, and it was still on the train. Immediately, I panic. All of my gowns and clothes for the entire month were in that suitcase. I was able to get a train conductor’s attention. She called over to the conductor of our departed train and has asked them to pass the suitcase to an incoming train in the opposite direction. (I must mention how appreciative I am of the kind and punctual French train staff.) After a stressful half hour, my suitcase was delivered to the platform of the incoming train…the connection worked!  I was beyond relieved, and I made such great friends with the conductor who truly saved the day!  I am very thankful. 

What are you most looking forward to in the program?
I am looking forward to my French improving and becoming more innate within my singing and personal life. The venues in which we are going to perform look beautiful, and I’m very much looking forward to performing in them. I am also so thrilled to be connecting with the other singers and coaches in so many ways and developing wonderful long-lasting relationships. Everyone has been so lovely, and I can’t wait to grow together even more!

Where will you be after the program?
I will be beginning my Masters degree in Voice at Mannes in the fall, studying with Diana Soviero. CLA has already been a great spring board into the next step of my vocal studies.

CLA France Blog: Routine Sets In

The second full day introduced a rhythmic sense of regularity.  We know where and when to eat, that coachings begin at 10am, and that French class starts promptly at 10am and 3pm.  We’re also getting to know each other even better and settling into friendships.  I’ve heard many singers express a sense of familiarity that feels much deeper than the two days that we’ve known each other.  I suppose that is a special effect of the close proximity within which we are eating, singing, practicing, and sleeping.

I thought it might be interesting to read exactly what a day in the life of a CLA student looks like.  My day is certainly different than any other student’s schedule. However, I think that it reflects the robust structure of the programs’ classes and also the freedom to explore one’s own interests.

7am-8am - Morning jog with another participant.  Along the way Glenn caught up to us and we enjoyed a conversation.  Afterwards, we rewarded ourselves with hand-picked cherries.

8:30am-9:30am - Breakfast with all the other singers and Glenn.  While each of us decide to come downstairs for breakfast at our own leisure, it’s common to see everyone at some point during breakfast time.  I like to come down early for breakfast and linger with coffee and conversation.

9:45am-10:30am - Warm-Up and Practice for the day’s singing.  I like to take this time to warm-up my voice and review notes from the previous day’s coachings.  I review my diction for the pieces that I would like to coach and prepare mentally for the day’s many lessons.  

10:30am-11:00am - Coaching with Glenn lasts half an hour, and I love having my sessions in the morning.  This is a great time to check-in with my voice and work very intentionally on repertoire. Personally, I am working on specifying my vowel sounds and morphing them into the many vowels that populate the French repertoire.

11:15am-12:00pm - Coaching with Hélène lasts forty five minutes, and on days that I do not work with Hélène, I coach with Gaspard.  Hélène primarily speaks French in her coachings, which I find to be an exciting opportunity to practice the language in a very practical setting.  She is very energetic and encourages us to find more musical depth through great attention to detail, especially textual interpretation.

12:00pm-1:00pm - Break until lunch.  Today, I use this time to review the duets that I will sing in rehearsals tonight.  One of them is very tricky, both rhythmically and melodically, so I take the time to review notes by the pool.  

1:00pm-3:00pm - Lunch with all singers and instructors.  This is a great pause in the day’s many activities.  We come together to share a calm meal, and there is wine for those who desire a little extra decompression. We usually finish up by 2:15pm and have some downtime before classes resume. 

3:00pm-3:45pm - Group French Class with Raphael, who brings a great deal of expertise and energy to his class.  We discuss rules of French diction, practice our conversation skills, and read and translate French poems.  

4:30pm-5:00pm - Group French Private with Raphael to speak through assigned music with a great attention to the diction.  We worked through a duet that I am singing from Chabrier’s Le Roi du Malgré, which has lots of difficult text.  

6:00pm-7:00pm - Ensemble Rehearsals take place in the evening with Hélène and Raphael.  These rehearsals have been full of energy this week, as singers bring their preparation together into the same room.  I have enjoyed connecting with my duet partners in these rehearsals.

8:00pm-9:30pm - Dinner with tout le monde!  This is a time filled with chatter, great food, and lots of wine.  Tonight, I enjoyed conversing with Hélène in French about her children and thoughts on music education.  

9:30pm-10:30pm - I took an Evening Walk with a couple other singers. We wandered the roads sharing stories until darkness filled the night.  We were all very ready for bedtime when we returned to the chateau!

Wesley

CLA France Blog: A Cheerful, Rainy First Day

Our first full day in France brought a forecast of cold rain, but it also brought an energy of excitement as classes began.  After breakfast, scales and arpeggios spilled into the chateau’s hallways.  We were sequestered together inside the house, except for any brave soul who dared to warm-up in the other building.  

The first sounds of a summer program can often be fraught with anxiety, as peers begin to hear each other sing.  However, I found the energy to be different than other programs that I have attended.  There was a positivity and excitement surrounding the opportunity to hear all the different voices.  We strategically positioned ourselves close to coaching rooms in order to appreciate the luscious tones.  But really, eavesdropping could not be easier.  The sounds of Glenn’s coaching room on the ground floor travel through one of the house’s staircases and fills each of the upper floors.  I initially felt nervous to expose my voice.  However, as I prepared for my first coaching, I was inspired and comforted by the sounds of my colleagues at work.  I realized that we’ve already established a sense of support for each other, and because of this, we were finding great enjoyment in meeting each others’ voices.  

I feel that I should introduce myself since you’ll be hearing from me a lot over the next few weeks.  My name is Wesley Diener, and I’m from Vienna, Virginia, which is close to Washington, D.C.. I’m a baritone, received my undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia, and will be applying to graduate programs in the fall.  In addition to singing, I’ve enjoyed work as a stage director and educator at children’s theatres.  An interesting fact is that I chose to attend this program without having met any of the faculty or other singers.  As I dreamed about summer possibilities last year, I came across CLA, which had been highly recommended to me by various friends.  I was immediately drawn to the individualized nature of the program’s structure.  We receive daily coachings with two different faculty members, in addition to group French classes, private French sessions, and ensemble rehearsals in the evenings.  It also helps that I fell in love with France when I visited for a few months in 2016.  I am so pleased to be here working with the wonderful singers and faculty, and it has already surpassed my expectations.  Attending a program without any previous acquaintance can be slightly frightening, and I’m thankful for the immediate warm welcome that I received.  I have already profited greatly from the intensive and enjoyable coachings, and I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone even better.  

That’s enough about me!  I plan to spotlight some of the other singers and faculty members in future posts, and I’m sure that you’ll find their stories very interesting.  

As the day progressed, we became even more comfortable with each other, and there was a buzz of compliments circling the rooms.  Since we can hear coachings so clearly but can’t always see into rooms, there have been many humorous dialogues between singers trying to link a voice to its owner.  My favorite part of the day was the ensemble rehearsals.  Personally, I most value the collaborative atmosphere of opera, and while there is a special connection between pianist and singer, I find the creative energy to expand dramatically when more than two people are involved.  Ensemble rehearsals also call for pre-rehearsal preparation amongst ourselves, much of which took place in each other’s bedrooms. I witnessed greater bonds forming between singers, as we shared the responsibility of preparing and practicing.

Our strengthening community aptly concluded the day with a group walk along the nearby roads.  Taking advantage of the day’s first dry hour, we appreciated the setting sun and roaming sheep.  Conversations ranged from directing philosophies to horoscope signs, and by the end, we agreed that there will be many more group walks to come.  

CLA France Blog: First Impressions

After arduous travels, most of the singers arrived yesterday at our location: the cheateau Les Jouandis. For some, the trip was not as peaceful as the calm rolling hills that now surround us. We flew, navigated the French train system, and, due to rail construction, took the last leg of our journey by bus. One singer even left her suitcase on a departing train. On my end, I narrowly caught my train in Paris with only one minute to spare. However, I can confidently say that the hours of cramped leg room and rushed connections faded away as we discovered Le Jouandis in the heart of the French countryside.

Les Jouandis, our cozy campus for the next three weeks, is a peaceful paradise. The chateau sits atop a hill and overlooks the rolling fields of grass and wheat. The property itself features beautiful foliage and rustic charm. Despite its aged beauty, the buildings offer a variety of amenities, including a sauna, outdoor hammocks, and an impressive pool, which made us all very sad to learn that our second day will bring rain. We were greeted by the owners with a basket filled with ripe cherries - hand-picked on the property, of course. After enjoying our first nibbles on the large outdoor dining area, our jet-lagged spirits were already inspired for three weeks of beauty, music, and community. Personally, I found Le Jouandis to be even more impressive than I could have hoped.

The only excitement equal to discovering our beautiful home was the experience of meeting each other. We represent many backgrounds and personalities, including heritage from Mexico, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United States, in addition to the largely French staff. It was exciting to take part in the beginnings of our CLA community, and I’m looking forward to the great friendships and collaborations that will develop. I was particularly struck by the thoughtfulness of the musicians around me. It is clear that this year’s students and faculty prioritize kindness and inclusion. Even while sunbathing by the pool, I listened to productive conversations about what it means to be an effective and authentic artist.

Finally, we celebrated all together at our first group dinner prepared by the wonderful cooking staff Benoit and Emmannuel (much more on delicious food in future posts!). The faculty welcomed us and spoke about their priorities for the next few weeks. They stressed the importance of a supportive CLA community and the pleasure of performing. These two ideas are very important to me as an artist, and I was so excited to hear that they will be the foundation of the CLA experience. I feel that competition, ego, and distrust too often seep into our educational experiences as young singers. Even more so, I find that, among our studies of technique, diction, and interpretation, we easily forget to take pleasure in our performance. CLA seems to steer clear of these pitfalls, and it is clear that this will be a time for detailed work, as well as a comfortable opportunity to take risks and truly enjoy our craft.

I’m looking forward to sharing my experience at CLA with you all through this blog. If you have any questions about the experience here in France, please reach out at wesley.diener@gmail.com with questions or suggestions. More to come soon!

Sunday Reading: French History from a Donor

Contributing Editor and CLA supporter Marshall Berland writes about the little known Boulanger Sisters of Belle Epoque France--Nadia, arguably the greatest composition teacher of the twentieth century, and her younger sister, the tragic Lili, who died at the age of 24 and yet left an impressive body of work still being discovered and appreciated today. Grab your coffee and head to Paris for the afternoon!