For a long time, I have carried an idea with me. This autumn, I am finally bringing it to life: a series of house concerts in my home in Cavaione.
Just ten or twelve people, the piano, and a glass of wine shared afterwards. An intimate evening with music, in the warmth of a small gathering. Close enough to hear the piano breathe, and perhaps to discover something in the music that might otherwise pass unnoticed.
I will begin with Franz Liszt, a composer who is close to my heart. Maybe only a few people know that as a young man, he longed to become a priest. Although that wish was denied him at the time, it never left him. Late in his life, he took religious orders and became Abbé Liszt. His lifelong search for meaning, faith, and inner peace is the starting point for this concert series.
I have shaped the five programmes as a spiritual journey through his music. But this is not a narrow path. Along the way, we encounter the many sides of Liszt: the overwhelming virtuosity, the tenderness, the grandeur, and the dark, barren, and innovative music of his final years.
The first recital opens with Vallée d’Obermann, a work filled with questions about who we are and what we are seeking. Gradually, the journey leads us towards Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude, the blessing of God in solitude.
From questioning to contemplation, from restlessness towards peace.
We begin with the first recital, and those who wish are welcome to accompany me through the entire cycle, one recital at a time. There is no rush. I will return to the first programme for as long as there are people who wish to hear it, before moving on to the second. In this way, the cycle will grow slowly, over time, at its own pace.
Cavaione is a special place, perfectly suited to this journey. It was the last village to become part of Switzerland, in 1875. For much of its history, it stood between worlds, a community without a state, belonging nowhere and, perhaps, everywhere. Deep in my heart, that may be part of what draws me to this place. Music that searches for belonging, that moves through doubt towards some form of arrival, feels particularly at home here.
I would love to share these evenings with you.
Because my home can welcome only about ten to twelve guests, places are limited, and I keep a list of those who would like to come. If you feel drawn to the idea, simply send me a text or WhatsApp message, and I will let you know when a place becomes available.
The contribution starts at CHF 30.-, including the apéro we will share after the concert. Payment is in cash or by TWINT on the evening. If you feel moved to contribute more, you are very welcome to do so.
Above all, I hope these evenings will offer something increasingly rare: the chance to sit together, listen deeply, and let music bring us a little closer to ourselves and to one another.
Text or WhatsApp: +41 76 589 18 64