Lucas & Arthur Jussen

“Holiday” in La Roque

Friday 20 August 2010

We have had a wonderful summer holiday, especially because of the fact that we had been invited to play at the piano festival of La Roque d’Anthéron, a piano festival in the south of France. It is a festival featuring great pianists, such as Maria João Pires, Martha Argerich, Boris Berezovsky, Nikolaï Lugansky Grigory Sokolov, Arcadi Volodos, etc., etc., so it was a huge honour for us to join them! We had been invited to play Mozart’s concerto for two pianos and the concerto KV 365, with which we were accompanied by the Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie, under the direction of director and violinist Augustin Dumay.

“Holiday” in La Roque

The 6th of August was the day; on the stage of Etang des Aulnes, the night that was entirely in the theme of Mozart, was opened by Augustin Dumay with Mozart’s violin concerto KV 219, in which he was both playing the violin and directing. Then it was our turn with the concerto for two pianos. When we were finished we really felt it was a good performance, but as we were allowed to return on the stage twice for an encore, we knew the public had enjoyed it. Maria João Pires closed the night magnificently with Mozart’s ‘Jeune Homme’ concerto. We had heard her playing this piece on many occasions, but yet every time she knows how to touch us, and many others, enormously with her play. Incredibly beautiful!

Of course, in the meantime we have been working on a new repertoire. While we were staying in La Roque, we did not only gain a lot of inspiration by listening to other pianists, but it also gave us the opportunity to get some lessons from Maria João Pires.

La Roque d’Anthéron not only is the ideal place for musical enrichment, it also is located in splendidly beautiful environment and nature. In short, it was a fantastic holiday!

Lucas and Arthur

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