CSM Annual Suzuki Concert

 

 

 

 

Its AnnualSuzuki Concert weekend. Its the 35th annual concert - we've been doing this for a long time! Our first concert took place in 1973. This year we had just about 160 violinists, 8 violists and 27 cellists, with 14 teachers taking part It is my job, as Head of the Suzuki programme at the Cork School of Music, to prepare, co-ordinate annd present the concert. A team of parents, the Musicians in the Making Association, helps me.For more photos have a look at http://picasaweb.google.com/suzukipat

Monkstown Golf Club

 

 

 

This is the new clubhouse in Monkstown Golf Club. It was built and opened just a year ago. Monkstown GC celebrates its centenary nexy year, 1908 - 2008. I've been a member since 1971.

Colder and colder still

 

 

 

Its November in Cork. The winds are coming from the North Pole and the temperature is dipping. This is the temp gague in George's car. He needed to pour water over the windscreen to break the ice this morning!

Ships in the Dockyard at Monkstown

 

 

 

It was a lovely day on Wednesday and I took a walk in Monkstown. There were a few ships at anchor in the dockyard across the river.

Mags is Icon of the Day on Flikr!

http://flickr.com/photos/marcelsauer/sets/72157601328666366/show/with/2056062832/

Have a look at this link. Its a really cool photo. She played in her first UK concert with the Brent Symphony Orchestra in St John's Wood recently. A friend from her office took the photo.

Suzuki and Nigel Kennedy in Cork

Life as a musician gets hectic from time to time. The Cork Symphony Orchestra http://www.corksymphonyorchestra.ie/ is currently in the final throes of getting ready to welcome world-famous violinist Nigel Kennedy for a performance on Saturday, November 8th. He will perform three concertos, the Bach Double with our conductor and musical director Keith Pascoe, Mozart D major and the Beethoven violin concerto. He will probably also do some encores. It should be fun. We will have a mad, late-night parthy with him after the concert in the Kingsley Hotel. G and I have booked a room for the night!

In the meantime, this coming Sunday, I will be staging the 35th annual Cork School of Music Suzuki concert in City Hall. We will have about 160 little violinists and 30 cellists as well as 5 viola players, all playing works by many composers including boccherini, Brahms, Schumann and Suzuki himself. It is always a treat.

Here's a shot from last year´s concert.

Passage West from the air ...

My house is in the centre of this shot. Put your finger in the middle of the photo and you'll practically be in my back garden! Picturesque?

The River Lee

Calm waters

We have white swans here

Pleasure boats on the water at Glenbrook.

Monkstown Golf Course

The third fairway gives a lovely view out over the bay.

Looking across the 8th fairway.

The 6th hole is a pretty par 3.

Monkstown Bay

As evening falls, the wind is quiet and the waters calm on the river Lee as it opens out into the bay at Monkstown.

A man and his dog get close to the swans

The swans swim quietly up river

Monkstown Castle

Built in the early 1600`s, Monkstown Castle, now in bad repair, has been purchased and is to undergo a complete refurbishment. ILegend has it that it was built by Anastasia Gould as a surprise for her husband who was away on some war. It was buolt by loacal labour who were very bady paid - the cost was said to be 4 and three-quarter pence. Her husband got a surprise alright and it is said that when he sailed into the harbour and saw the castle he thought it was an enemy fortress and bombarded it with canon, knocking out a piece of corner stone. Monkstown Golf Club is built on the castle grounds and the castle was the original clubhouse 100 years ago. I remember going in there when I joined the club nearly 40 years ago.

The entrance stairs

The castle is in very bad repair.

The missing corner stone.

The Kights Templar ...

were original owners of Castlemartyr Manor. It was also home to the third Earl of Cork. Maybe this is why the Christmas festival programme there, which includes meals and receptions fitting to the season, for three nights' accommodation costs 1500 euro EACH! Dream on ....

The West Australian Newspaper

Compensation Culture.
Have a look at www.thewest.com.au/blogs today. There is an interesting case in WA where two young fellows on a motor bike had an accident on the dunes. One was killed. When the case went to court, the judge allowed compensation against the local council. George caught sight of this and made a comment. Look it up under the Pam Casellas link.

Castlemartyr Resort

The 300-year-old Castlemartyr Manor, about 10 mile east of Cork city, has been lavishly restored recently and is now a magnificent holiday resort for the very, VERY!, wealthy. Situated next to a 1,000-year-old ruined castle, the resort boasts and Auriga spa, indoor pool and a Ron Kirby designed links golf course. Guests can enjoy carriage tours of the grounds which are home to a historic old chapel, the tomb of the third Earl of Cork and a native woodland.

The formal gardens have been very carefullt restored and are beautiful.
There are 109 guest rooms and suites which include Grand and Presidential Suites. Prices? - if you have to ask you cant afford! Its all being provided by the Capella Hotel chain which provides top class facilities in mant parts of the world. Look up www.capellahotels.com

The most beautiful parkland, with racing horses and donkeys.

A meandering river runs through the 220 acres.