Lack of funds this year have meant no concerts but that has not stopped the local musicians from organising some magnificent masterclasses in this very hall.

Two star students this morning the first a 23 year old pianist from Vicenza presenting Liszt Totentanz and Schumann Carnaval and a 17 year old boy also from Vicenza with Chopin B flat minor Sonata Some remarkable piano playing as Boris pointed out and that coming from the head of one of the most important piano faculties in the world is a compliment indeed.

Always ready to show them how to improve already accomplished performances ,showing them how project and make them understand more the character of the pieces they had already mastered.The different types of Waltz in Carnaval or the demonic aspect of Dies Irae in Liszt where death was not the consolation and liberation as in Bach, but a reckoning time before the final judgement .

A fascinating morning of how to relax in order to project the sound without harshness or how to listen and regulate the pedal in this very resonant hall.
Always making the students think about what they were doing and never imposing one way or another .
Wonderful restaurant in the courtyard that not only I remembered from my last visits but also the owner remembered me too !

How lucky the people are in this area to have Virsaladze on one hill and Berman on another two of the most sought after teachers in the world .

Boris Berman off after this week to Portugal,Lucca,Finland and St Petersburg  before recording all the Debussy Preludes in France this autumn .