Concerts

Concert 1: Until you have attempted to manouvre a piano and a double bass on and off of the vaporetti and through the backstreets of Venice, you will never know. We performed at San Polo, a church founded in 837AD but was largely rebuilt in the 15thC that is famous for it's Giovane frescos, in particular that of the dramatic image of the last supper. Rehearsals were a little tense and the crowd a little sporadic made up mostly of passing tourists and the occasional Venetian drawn in by the music prbably duen to the church's central location, but it was a splendid church in which to perform.

Concert 2: In a much quieter, more suburban area of Venice, we arrive at San Pietro di Castello. The current facade dates to the 16thC but a church has been on  this site since the 7thC. It's a minor basillica and served as the cathedral church of Venice between 1451 and 1807. Our concert was also to a smaller crowd made up of locals who use the church but were much more enthusiastic. Speaking to them outside afterwards in shaky Italian as they gave us their approval and told us that we needed more advertising was an absolute pleasure. I will also never forget administering copious amount of first aid in the vestry to all of the choir that had got infected insect bites. Not a pretty site.

 Concert 3: I have no idea where we actually were for this one but we were now on the mainland in a small village square surronded by a carosel and families out enjoying the evening air. It was such a splendid homely atmosphere with children climibing up on the stage to dance with us and thier mum's and grannies clapping along. They called for enchore after enchore but eventually things disipated. We were invited back to a local pizzaria for some drinks and pizza.