What is Pellegrina

About

La Pellegrina summer music course in Southern Bohemian town Bechyně was founded in 1991 by the Dutch versatile musician Dirkjan Horringa. Three musical projects – one specialized for baroque music, one focused on orchestral and choir music and one devoted to chamber music – have been attracting hundreds of musicians from all over the world each year for almost three decades. The original La Pellegrina Summer Music Schools website can be found at www.pellegrina.net. To be able to develop further more, the chamber music course has moved to České Budějovice (Budweis) in 2019, to benefit of grand pianos and professional workspaces suitable for chamber music. The course has been organized separately from the two other courses in Bechyně by members of the Kinsky Trio and their colleagues since. To continue with tradition, but to point out the changes as well, we have decided to adjust the name for the chamber music part from universal La Pellegrina Summer Music Schools to similar yet different Pellegrina with the Kinsky Trio & Friends. We hope you will enjoy another couple of decades of chamber music with us.

Takeko Kubodera: »Thank you for the great chamber music days in Pellegrina this year. I was greatly satisfied and pleased and I have learned a lot. Private clinic lessons were also great.«

For Whom

Pellegrina with the Kinsky Trio & Friends is a one week chamber music course for both amateur and professional musicians – pianists, string players, wind players, harp players – organized in the Czech Republic, Europe’s most musical country. This is the place where you can immerse yourself in wonderful music, with top tutors and like-minded souls. The course is open to experienced musicians – amateur or professional, a professional attitude is of paramount importance. The enthusiasm and devotion to music are an essential part of the project. If you are the type of person who comes well prepared, and you appreciate it when others do so too, you are going to love it. It is our aim to form groups well-balanced according to their musical level. If you have any doubts about your musical level or ability, please, don’t hesitate to send us an e-mail, we will be happy to help you. Existing or pre-formed ensembles are welcome as well as individuals.

Yolande Krooshof: »Every year I meet new people in the course. My musical world gets bigger and bigger!«

How It Works

Each participant plays in two groups, which means working on two different compositions during the course. The repertoire is chosen and the groups are formed by the wishes of the participants as well as by the advice of the tutors (matching the skills of the player). The final repertoire is usually known about 3 months before the course begins to have enough time for the preparation.

Each ensemble works with a tutor every lesson. The tutor either coaches only or plays in the ensemble as well. The tutors are members of the Kinsky Trio Prague, or another sought-after Czech professional chamber musicians. The point of playing with a professional is to let yourself be inspired by his or her professional skills. If you get a chance to play with a great player, you will always profit. The members of the Kinsky Trio Prague and their colleagues have great professional qualities and a deep interest in music and musicians. Playing WITH them or UNDER their leadership will certainly contribute to the joy of making music.

If the participants come as an existing ensemble, they work on one composition as the pre-formed ensemble, for the second composition they usually mix with the other participants. That gives a chance to meet new musical friends from all over the world. And this is what the chamber music should be about.

Yuko Nagasawa: »The participants kindly helped me to play the chamber music. All the tutors coached us friendly and enthusiastically. The atmosphere was very nice. Such situation is unbelievable in Japan, because the distance between professional and amateur musicians is much bigger in Japan.«

The course is held at the Conservatory of České Budějovice – the school for the professional musical training in a beautiful southern part of the Czech Republic. There are enough suitable classrooms with good pianos and grand pianos.

The participants can tune in the inspiration for the exciting week on the Tutors Concert the first night.

The course ends up with the final concert of all participating ensembles in the Concert Hall of the Conservatory.

Accommodation

The participants can opt for accommodation in the hostel of the Conservatory. This building offers accommodation in simple single and double rooms, all with private bathrooms. All rooms have an internet connection (WiFi). The hostel and the classrooms are all in the same building.

The participants can also book their own accommodation in České Budějovice. There is a wide range of hotels, from classic ones in the center to modern ones just outside. Booking.com or Airbnb offers plenty of options.

Classrooms

The Conservatory is equipped with spacious, well-sounding classrooms with well-maintained grand pianos and upright pianos. A leading piano tuner comes from Prague to tune all instruments freshly before the course. The concerts and rehearsals of bigger ensembles take place in the Concert Hall of the Conservatory. The building has recently been renovated and now has a light and pleasant appearance.

Meals

Breakfast (unless you have a private accommodation) and lunch are included in the course fee. We all meet for organized meals as well as snacks during the breaks in the main entrance hall of the Conservatory building. Dinner is not included in the course fee. There are many good restaurants for each budget nearby.

Week Programme

  • Saturday: arrival in České Budějovice, official welcome meeting and dinner at the Conservatory
  • Sunday: tutors’ concert at the Conservatory Conccert Hall
  • Sunday through Friday: everyday coaching
  • Wednesday afternoon: free time
  • Saturday: participants’ chamber music concerts at the Conservatory Concert Hall
  • Sunday: departure after breakfast

Daily Schedule

  • 7:45-9:00 breakfast at the conservatoire (or at the hotel)
  • 9:15-10:30 chamber music coaching – first session
  • 10:30-11:00 coffee break
  • 11:00-12:15 chamber music coaching – second session
  • 12:15-12:50 Group A* lunch at the conservatoire
  • 12:50-13:30 Group B* lunch at the conservatoire
  • 14:30-15:45 chamber music coaching – third session
  • 15:45-16:15 tea break
  • 16:15-17:30 chamber music coaching – fourth session
  • 18:00 dinner (not organized)
  • 19:00-22:00 free time or free music making, all facilities for playing available until 22:00

* Due to the limited space and seats we have for dining, we will make two groups for lunch.