Music
“Where words fail, music speaks.” – Hans Christian Andersen
Music has always had a special place in my heart. As a child I loved to sing but in 2002 I decided to fulfill my dream and start learning how to do it properly. I was extremely lucky to meet Anna Riveiro, a great singer specializing in Sephardic and ancient music. She has been teaching me to sing ever since. From 2002 till 2015 I sang in the amateur ensemble called “Los Bilbilicos” and now I take part in Anna’s weekly workshops. Although I am not a professional, I am happy to develop my voice and sing new pieces, even if only for friends. I sing Sephardic and ancient songs in different languages.
When I was a member of “Los Bilbilicos” I decided to add an instrument to the ensemble. I started to teach myself how to play an Irish whistle, but it turned out it is not fully chromatic so I changed to a baroque recorder. For a few years I played a soprano, now I mostly play my alto recorder. It always makes me laugh when people think this instrument is “easy” or “childish” – it is neither one nor the other. I have been learning to play it for more than 10 years now and it is still a long way before I can play all the baroque pieces I would like to master.
Music
“Music is the strongest form of magic." – Marylin Manson
My musical taste is probably not "standard". I would listen to anything, but my favourite is classical music. As I play baroque recorder, I love baroque music most, as for me it is the most sensitive, clever and sophisticated music ever written. If you ever listen to Thomaso Albinoni (particularly oboe pieces), Antonio Vivaldi, Paolo Benedetto Bellinzani or Georg Philipp Telemann you will know what I mean. However, I like instrumental music, folk, ancient music and even pop, if it is a good song.
I discovered opera by pure chance. I bought a friend a ticket to the opera as a birthday present and decided to go as well. I thought I would spend a few hours bored but I was absolutely hooked. The performance that opened this magical world for me was "La traviata". I loved the performance, the music, the emotions and I could not get enough. I understood that you cannot just listen to an opera, you have to see it and I started exploring the topic a bit more. Nowadays I go to an opera when I can or watch performances online if I find time.