Long time no write

Long time no write.
Some people have started complaining, so this one is for them.
Wednesday I won the Grachtenfestival Award: A concert in St Petersburg in the Hermitage with Wijnand. A great prize, that will take place in 2009.
Saturday I will play with Thomas Hampson in the Prinsengrachtconcert. This afternoon we have rehearsal. We are playing Cole Porter songs with an ensemble put together by Wijnand: Liza Ferschtman, Wilmar de Visser and me. Wijnand made the arrangements which are great. The players are amazing!
Exciting times again!
I hope that I can be a bit quieter this year. I will start teaching just one day so I will have time to practice one day more, that will give me some rest.
Also I will get more into the Nederlandse Muziekprijs. I will do bach, Hindemith and Schmitt with Anner Bijlsma. The flute Partita by Bach is particulary challenging because the first movement does not really allow space for breathing. And I don't want to do circular breathing, because I think this music needs to breath, so I will have to find a musical reason.
I have wanted to play Schmitt for a long time and now the time is right. Although we first have to prepare for the CD recording in October: Martin Fondse's piece is finished and had become great! An 8 movement Suite for sax and piano and of course Wijnand's arrangement of and comment on three Bach Symphonias.
Enough to look forward to this year!

Wijnand send me this link, check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR9ZM6rI7DY