I am fortunate enough to be in this wonderful city at the time of the International Palermo Classical Music Festival. There are concerts almost every single evening and musicians perform the works of Beethoven, Rachmaninov, Brahms and Tchaikovsky.
Using my student identity card from Siena, I was privileged to watch a concert of the Mediterranea Chamber Orchestra for just 7 Euros. This concert, held yesterday, was a tribute to Brahms. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but it didn't compare to what lay in store for me this evening at the beautiful Palazzo Sant'Elia. The lovely building played host to a free concert of a quartet that played everything from Jazz to Classical music.
The building was jam-packed by what seemed like the entire intelligentsia of Palermo. It was a warm August night in the city and despite the heat, the large crowd that turned up for the open air concert in the foyer of the building loved every second of the concert. I particularly appreciated the renditions of Gershwin's compositions.
I have seen a concert at Vienna's Musikverein and an opera at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow this year and I can safely say that neither of those experiences compared to this magical evening in Palermo. Classical music was made for Italy and like the wonderful concert I witnessed at the San Agostino Church in Siena 2 weeks ago, this concert set my soul on fire.
There I was in that wonderful venue, listening to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and looking up at a star-filled Sicilian night. All I could feel was gratitude for being there this wonderful summer night. Thank You Palermo, Thank You Sicily, Thank You Italy and most of all, Thank You Professore.
On that August night in 2010, when I sent you an email at 11 pm to enquire about the Italian course, I had no clue that you would respond to me in 5 minutes and I had no clue that the course would make my life so much more fulfilling and happy. Less than 2 years later, I am in Palermo listening to one of the best renditions of classical and jazz music and interacting with some of the best people in all of Sicily.
Using my student identity card from Siena, I was privileged to watch a concert of the Mediterranea Chamber Orchestra for just 7 Euros. This concert, held yesterday, was a tribute to Brahms. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but it didn't compare to what lay in store for me this evening at the beautiful Palazzo Sant'Elia. The lovely building played host to a free concert of a quartet that played everything from Jazz to Classical music.
The building was jam-packed by what seemed like the entire intelligentsia of Palermo. It was a warm August night in the city and despite the heat, the large crowd that turned up for the open air concert in the foyer of the building loved every second of the concert. I particularly appreciated the renditions of Gershwin's compositions.
I have seen a concert at Vienna's Musikverein and an opera at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow this year and I can safely say that neither of those experiences compared to this magical evening in Palermo. Classical music was made for Italy and like the wonderful concert I witnessed at the San Agostino Church in Siena 2 weeks ago, this concert set my soul on fire.
There I was in that wonderful venue, listening to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and looking up at a star-filled Sicilian night. All I could feel was gratitude for being there this wonderful summer night. Thank You Palermo, Thank You Sicily, Thank You Italy and most of all, Thank You Professore.
On that August night in 2010, when I sent you an email at 11 pm to enquire about the Italian course, I had no clue that you would respond to me in 5 minutes and I had no clue that the course would make my life so much more fulfilling and happy. Less than 2 years later, I am in Palermo listening to one of the best renditions of classical and jazz music and interacting with some of the best people in all of Sicily.
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