The first event today was a visit to the Abdraev Music School, where we saw Bakyt and Irina of the Semetei again, because they teach there. I cannot imagine coming to study every day at such a place. The building is in bad shape; the floors are uneven, the paint is old, and the plumbing is primitive.
(Michelle working with Yerzhan at the Abdraev Schoo, in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan)
Despite the obvious economic hardships there, we had a wonderful experience at the school. We heard a comuz ensemble (a string instrument played sort of like a guitar). The performers were in full traditional costume with outrageous tasseled hats, and their music is also choreographed so that sometimes all of them will tilt the instrument one way or another and play. It is such a complete experience—aurally, visually, and musicologically—to hear these children play. And they have amazing rhythm!!!
We also heard some violinists and cellists. The Soviet influence is obvious in the students here, as well as in the quartets we met in New York at the workshop in April. Everyone is disciplined and well prepared, and there is a preference for showy or impressive fingerings. Joe worked with a little girl playing a Boccherini minuet, and I was amazed at how succinct and effective his teaching was. The four of us have such incredibly different personalities, and it definitely comes out when we work with the students. Susie worked with a couple of cellists, but the real star of this school (or at least in this master class) was a little boy named Yerzhan. Yerzhan was 14 but looked about ten because of a health condition. He also has problems with his eyes and can't see that well, but apparently he had an operation recently, which helped a little. He played Wieniawski's Scherzo Tarantelle really, really well. There is definitely an emphasis on left hand facility in this part of the world. The American emphasis on sound and our better instruments give us a little bit of an edge otherwise, which is good, because hearing kids like Yerzhan and then having to perform can make one quite nervous!
(Kyrgyz rainbow)
Before lunch we went to Radio OK, a radio station owned by Americans where Zhenya (Evgeny, the cellist of Semetei quartet) does an hour show on classical music. We got to put our picture up with the other groups that have played or been interviewed at Radio OK—pretty cool. I listen to a lot of NPR back in San Francisco, and I now have even more respect for the people who do live radio and keep everything running smoothly. Having two languages and a translator only adds to the chaos! We played a few movements and talked about our experiences at home and in Kyrgyzstan and made it through the interview without too much giggling in the background.
We ate lunch outdoors at a European restaurant, except for Joe, who was fasting because his stomach was bothering him. It's strange, because we have all been eating exactly the same things. I had okroshka (cold yogurt soup—yum) and caviar.
We spent all afternoon driving to Lake Issyk-Kul, a huge mountain lake that is one of the gems of the region. On the way we stopped at a small gathering of kiosks (calling it a village would be an extreme overstatement), where it was obvious that the people were earning their entire living selling a Fanta to Joe and and ice cream and a few packs of gum to me and Susie. I have heard that many people in Kyrgyzstan survive on $400 per year, and probably these were some of those people. It really makes you stop and think about the Western standard of living that we take for granted. This place was so remote and rural that many of the people spoke only Kyrgyz and little or no Russian.
We tried to rest a little on the long drive and also saw a lot of scenery, including a double rainbow against the mountains!
- Michelle
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