March the 16th, St. Patrick’s Day celebration was held across the globe. Ireland, France, America, Canada, the United Kingdom etc a bunch of countries was inaugurating the celebration.
Traditional Irish music, dance and cuisine are attracting world
travellers to join this spectacular festival. Yixiang Zeng is very pleased to guide you to this fantastic and exotic event.
Parade
Thousands of people were along the both sides of the road to watch the parade.
Many of them were taking photos, waving their hands, and blowing the whistles, the whole atmosphere is genuinely cheerful and jolly.
The parade started from near Hyde Park Corner, down to Piccadilly, turned to Regent Street, and then arrived Trafalgar Square, finally finished at Whitehall, from noon 12p.m. to 5p.m.
The colourful floats, attractive marching bands, costume characters and stilt walkers etc were all marching throughout the whole central London.
These spectacular performances are the highlights of the parade.
More interestingly, a few little Irish girls were dancing on the floats, the lilting music accompanying their light-footed dance brings the crowds more delicate and artistic touch.
The parade aimed to represent thirty-three counties, including thirty-two Irish counties and a London Irish contingent.
The Parade organiser encouraged everyone, who signed up to walk with a county to turn up in his or her county colours, and paraded behind a giant county flag, even making noise!
Trafalgar square stage showcase
The most distinguish Irish band, Aslan is dedicating to the crowd a legendary living showcase at Trafalgar square.
As the winner of this year’s Best Irish Band at the magical evening of Meteor Ireland Music Awards ’08.
Aslan’s living performance at St. Patrick’s Day just purely replied by fan’s cheers, screams, and shouts that truly reflected the excitable mood of the showcase.
They had performed their newly released album “For Some Strange Reason” along with songs such as “Here Comes the Sun”, “Jealous Little Thing”, “Best Days” etc.
Their majestic skills together with the stunning stage performing no wonder mesmerised in returning the endless bouts of applause from the crowd.
Though meeting the typical London weather, they just did not care less and still remain cool at the end of performing.
The performance lasted from moring 11a.m. to 5p.m.
Irish Cuisine
St. Patrick’s Day is the best time to taste the exotic Irish food, cannot wait to choose the tastiest one from the dazzling food market located at Covent Garden, the beautiful smelling of the Irish Stew already attracted a bunch of crowd.
Around 4 sterling can get a plate of Irish stew, that is not bad!
The large new potatoes, fresh carrots, chopped onions, together with Lamb loin chops, asparagus, and balsamic vinegar produced such a delicious Irish Stew.
More wonderful food such as baked ham bread, spring chicken, Irish potato soup, white chocolate & lime cheesecake, all attracted cheerful crowd.
The food market celebration started from 15th until 16th of March.
Showing posts with label festival. Show all posts
Showing posts with label festival. Show all posts
Friday, 21 March 2008
Tuesday, 11 March 2008
To Appreciate Classcial Music at Budapest Spring Festival
Are you interested in classical music? Are you eager to hear a master’s world-class performances? Are you passionate to explore Eastern Europe’s cultural heritage capital – Budapest?
If all of the answers are “Yes”, I have great news for you! Come to the Budapest spring festival, which will be held from 14th to 30th March, 2008.
Piano Recitals
The famous chain bridge is ready to welcome all of the classical music lovers from different parts of the world.
The festival will feature a few of the most prominent and outstanding young musicians, who will mainly perform Liszt, Brahms, Bartok, and Chopin.
There will be a piano recital by Mariko Nakayama on the 21st March, at 7:00 p.m. in the Marble Hall of the Hungarian Radio.
She is the most successful participant of the Franz Liszt Seminar in Sapporo, and winner of multiple piano awards in her native Japan.
The whole programme consists of Bela Bartok’s two Rumanian Dances, OP. 8/A and two Piano SonataS; Franz Liszt’s Dante Sonata and his Variations in B Minor.
“Mariko Nakayama has such a perfect technique and beautiful music sensitivity, She is an extraordinary pianist and has achieved great success with Liszt’s Second Piano Concerto with the Sapporo Symphony Orchestra.” Director of Franz Liszt Seminar.
Chamber musicians are also very active in performing Chopin for this year’s festival.
A Hungarian genius, the most unbeatable contemporary concert pianist, Tamas Erdi, is dedicating a beautiful Chopin evening to our audience.
Erdi first appeared on a concert podium when he was only 8, since then he has regularly given concerts, played at festivals and been featured on television programmes.
At the age of 15, he played a Mozart piano concerto in the Spring Festival, in the Hungarian Parliament.
At 17, he won the international piano competition in Moscow.
His extraordinary musical talent immediately attracted the world famous professor Leon Fleisher’s attention.
Offered him a 4 years scholarship at Toronto Royal Conservatory of Music, and soon regarded him as one of his dearest pupils.
Later on, he received extensive public acclaim from 23 countries.
The recital will be held on 28th, March, at 7: 30 p.m., at the Italian Institute of Culture.
Erdi will perform Chopin studies, F minor, Andantino, D flat major, Allegretto. Grazioso, A flat major, Allegretto, the ones left unmarked by opus numbers were composed for the piano school in 1840.
Waltzes in A flat major, B minor and E minor, op. 69, No. 1, 2.
Nocturnes in C minor, E minor and C sharp minor, op. 72, No. 1, Chopin: Fantaisie Impromptu, op. 66.
Orchestra Concerts
Orchestra lovers also have the opportunities to appreciate various orchestra concerts.
The concert by National Philharmonic Orchestra features Béla Bartók’s most well-known work Duke Bluebeard’s Castle and the violin concerto.
It will be held in the Palace of Arts -- Béla Bartók National Concert Hall, on the 25th March, at 7:30 p.m.
Bartók is the most controversial musician in the 19th century.
Though in the contemporary period, people consider that no other composers like him is able to produce work in which folk, and art music were assimilated with such power and modernity.
He was not a first composer to write “Hungarian” Classical music, but, whereas Brahms and Liszt had written pieces in a style that was Hungarian in atmosphere rather than substance.
Bartók marked a clear break with tradition by treating his folk melodies and rhythms as truly raw materials, emphasizing their “primitive” elements.
On the other hand, though his music was often aggressive and harsh, its essential language did not diverge completely from tonality, and the structural principles of his greatest compositions.
Barnabás Kelemen’s Bartók violin concerto brings audience the alternative interpretation, his warm and velvety music works beautifully.
Especially in the middle movement where his effortless solo voice works its best free-form magic.
His technical prowess amazes throughout – whether the fiery ostinato scale/mode-passages or the dozens of near violent double stops.
Apart from this fabulous Bartók evening, the Budapest Festival Orchestra will dedicate to our audience Beethoven’s piano concerto No. 4 in G Major, op. 58.
This piano concerto tends to be presented as a piece of coiled energy eventuating in unbridled excitement.
The great interpreter of No. 4 piano concerto, pianist Radu Lupu will guide you to this subdued tone poem.
His superlative technique, a strong and intelligently used left hand, effective pedalling all keeps his tone warm, and unfailingly delivers you the original inflected conception of Beethoven music.
The concert will be held at 7:45 p.m., on the 27th March, in the Academy of Music.
Church Music Concerts
Church music concerts are another focus during the festival, plenty of works are from J.S Bach.
J.S. Bach is no wonder the greatest composer before Mozart, and arguably the greatest ever.
On one level, his music is an example of supreme craftsmanship – he mastered with mathematical precision the formal problems of counterpoint,
And produced keyboard music in which as many as five different voices of argument are simultaneously sustained.
Organist Erich Türk will perform Bach: Prelude and Fugue in E flat major, BWV 552; O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß, BWV 622; Mozart: Andante in F major, K 616.
Franck: Chorale in A minor; Hans Peter Türk’s variation, Chorale prelude, Elegy. The concert will be held at 8:00 p.m. at University Church, on the 29th March.
Getting there
Denis Moriaty of Ace Study Tours offers the whole holiday package of visiting Budapest.
Totally cost £1,590, including flight by British Airway, hotels, all performances, breakfast, dinner or lunch, excursions, and admission.
The trip will start from 26th of March until 30th of March.
Not include: travel insurance, single room supplement £250.
Further information please visit:
http://www.acestudytours.co.uk/l/tours.subject/Music
Daytime tours
In between the concerts, Denis Moriaty of Ace Study Tours will guide you to explore the Budapest’s music legacy with visits both to the Liszt Memorial Museum.
And the Béla Bartók Museum. Budapest's art and architecture will also come under review: the Museum of Fine Arts is home to an extensive gallery of Old Masters.
Where to stay
We stay throughout in the centre of Budapest at the four-star K&K Opera Hotel, close to the celebrated Opera House.
Where to eat
We will eat at the four-star K&K Opera Hotel, also including daily arranged
restaurant.
More festivals
Budapest Autumn Festival, for more information please see:
http://www.budapestinfo.hu/en/calendar_of_events/budapest_autumn_festival_2008
If all of the answers are “Yes”, I have great news for you! Come to the Budapest spring festival, which will be held from 14th to 30th March, 2008.
Piano Recitals
The famous chain bridge is ready to welcome all of the classical music lovers from different parts of the world.
The festival will feature a few of the most prominent and outstanding young musicians, who will mainly perform Liszt, Brahms, Bartok, and Chopin.
There will be a piano recital by Mariko Nakayama on the 21st March, at 7:00 p.m. in the Marble Hall of the Hungarian Radio.
She is the most successful participant of the Franz Liszt Seminar in Sapporo, and winner of multiple piano awards in her native Japan.
The whole programme consists of Bela Bartok’s two Rumanian Dances, OP. 8/A and two Piano SonataS; Franz Liszt’s Dante Sonata and his Variations in B Minor.
“Mariko Nakayama has such a perfect technique and beautiful music sensitivity, She is an extraordinary pianist and has achieved great success with Liszt’s Second Piano Concerto with the Sapporo Symphony Orchestra.” Director of Franz Liszt Seminar.
Chamber musicians are also very active in performing Chopin for this year’s festival.
A Hungarian genius, the most unbeatable contemporary concert pianist, Tamas Erdi, is dedicating a beautiful Chopin evening to our audience.
Erdi first appeared on a concert podium when he was only 8, since then he has regularly given concerts, played at festivals and been featured on television programmes.
At the age of 15, he played a Mozart piano concerto in the Spring Festival, in the Hungarian Parliament.
At 17, he won the international piano competition in Moscow.
His extraordinary musical talent immediately attracted the world famous professor Leon Fleisher’s attention.
Offered him a 4 years scholarship at Toronto Royal Conservatory of Music, and soon regarded him as one of his dearest pupils.
Later on, he received extensive public acclaim from 23 countries.
The recital will be held on 28th, March, at 7: 30 p.m., at the Italian Institute of Culture.
Erdi will perform Chopin studies, F minor, Andantino, D flat major, Allegretto. Grazioso, A flat major, Allegretto, the ones left unmarked by opus numbers were composed for the piano school in 1840.
Waltzes in A flat major, B minor and E minor, op. 69, No. 1, 2.
Nocturnes in C minor, E minor and C sharp minor, op. 72, No. 1, Chopin: Fantaisie Impromptu, op. 66.
Orchestra Concerts
Orchestra lovers also have the opportunities to appreciate various orchestra concerts.
The concert by National Philharmonic Orchestra features Béla Bartók’s most well-known work Duke Bluebeard’s Castle and the violin concerto.
It will be held in the Palace of Arts -- Béla Bartók National Concert Hall, on the 25th March, at 7:30 p.m.
Bartók is the most controversial musician in the 19th century.
Though in the contemporary period, people consider that no other composers like him is able to produce work in which folk, and art music were assimilated with such power and modernity.
He was not a first composer to write “Hungarian” Classical music, but, whereas Brahms and Liszt had written pieces in a style that was Hungarian in atmosphere rather than substance.
Bartók marked a clear break with tradition by treating his folk melodies and rhythms as truly raw materials, emphasizing their “primitive” elements.
On the other hand, though his music was often aggressive and harsh, its essential language did not diverge completely from tonality, and the structural principles of his greatest compositions.
Barnabás Kelemen’s Bartók violin concerto brings audience the alternative interpretation, his warm and velvety music works beautifully.
Especially in the middle movement where his effortless solo voice works its best free-form magic.
His technical prowess amazes throughout – whether the fiery ostinato scale/mode-passages or the dozens of near violent double stops.
Apart from this fabulous Bartók evening, the Budapest Festival Orchestra will dedicate to our audience Beethoven’s piano concerto No. 4 in G Major, op. 58.
This piano concerto tends to be presented as a piece of coiled energy eventuating in unbridled excitement.
The great interpreter of No. 4 piano concerto, pianist Radu Lupu will guide you to this subdued tone poem.
His superlative technique, a strong and intelligently used left hand, effective pedalling all keeps his tone warm, and unfailingly delivers you the original inflected conception of Beethoven music.
The concert will be held at 7:45 p.m., on the 27th March, in the Academy of Music.
Church Music Concerts
Church music concerts are another focus during the festival, plenty of works are from J.S Bach.
J.S. Bach is no wonder the greatest composer before Mozart, and arguably the greatest ever.
On one level, his music is an example of supreme craftsmanship – he mastered with mathematical precision the formal problems of counterpoint,
And produced keyboard music in which as many as five different voices of argument are simultaneously sustained.
Organist Erich Türk will perform Bach: Prelude and Fugue in E flat major, BWV 552; O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß, BWV 622; Mozart: Andante in F major, K 616.
Franck: Chorale in A minor; Hans Peter Türk’s variation, Chorale prelude, Elegy. The concert will be held at 8:00 p.m. at University Church, on the 29th March.
Getting there
Denis Moriaty of Ace Study Tours offers the whole holiday package of visiting Budapest.
Totally cost £1,590, including flight by British Airway, hotels, all performances, breakfast, dinner or lunch, excursions, and admission.
The trip will start from 26th of March until 30th of March.
Not include: travel insurance, single room supplement £250.
Further information please visit:
http://www.acestudytours.co.uk/l/tours.subject/Music
Daytime tours
In between the concerts, Denis Moriaty of Ace Study Tours will guide you to explore the Budapest’s music legacy with visits both to the Liszt Memorial Museum.
And the Béla Bartók Museum. Budapest's art and architecture will also come under review: the Museum of Fine Arts is home to an extensive gallery of Old Masters.
Where to stay
We stay throughout in the centre of Budapest at the four-star K&K Opera Hotel, close to the celebrated Opera House.
Where to eat
We will eat at the four-star K&K Opera Hotel, also including daily arranged
restaurant.
More festivals
Budapest Autumn Festival, for more information please see:
http://www.budapestinfo.hu/en/calendar_of_events/budapest_autumn_festival_2008
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