The Osnabrück Singers

Photo: Björn Jidell

Together with Gunnar and singers from Stockholm, I flew down to Osnabrück, a town not so far from Bremen, to participate in the "Catholic Days" being held there. Our job was to sing at a Nordic mass, and represent the musical tradition of the nordic countries. It was quite an experience to take part in such a large event.
We also had time to acquiant ourselves with Bremen, where we stayed at the Birgitte Cloister, in the care of the most hospitable nuns. The trip lasted only two days but rewarded me with some new friends and great memories.
From the picture, you can tell the basses were digging deep (far right).

Visit to Serbia

I spent last weekend visiting my cousin Filippo and his girlfriend Zorana in Belgrade, in the heart of Serbia. My stay was filled with delicious balkanic food, noisy brass music and new acquintances.
My hosts were very knowledgeable and updated me with current affairs. Zorana told me of interesting personal experiences related to the political turmoil in late 1990´s and the eventual ousting of their notorious president. Filippo, on the other hand, laid out the broader picture for me, starting from the early middle ages and working up through the turkish occupation and the serbian uprising, etc, making me hear the drums of war thundering in the distance.

It was wonderful to pop over and check out that place.