CSI 2024

Evensong at St Paul’s Cathedral   The pulpit John Donne preached from.  The dome

 We took the tour of Buckingham Palace. Pretty amazing. Below is a shot of the little lake on the grounds of the palace. At the bottom, the stunning paintings in the Picture Room. Note the Rembrandts, Van Dykes, and Vermeers. (No photography is permitted in the palace.)

Rembrandt’s consummate masterpiece, Belshazzar’s Feast.

 Erasmus and a small El Greco

 A dark Monet

 Two Van Goghs

 

 These names just floored me! Poet’s Corner Wow! Handel and Dickens.

Below, outside, in the nave, the coronation chair, the tomb of Elizabeth I.

 The Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace snapped from a moving taxicab.

 In Canterbury, we stayed at a lovely hotel, below, opposite an old library. This is authentic Tudor architecture. In Dallas, the beams are attached to the front in a manner we call faux Tudor. Sometimes the “beams” are simply stripes painted onto stucco, in a manner we call imitation faux Tudor.

 In Canterbury, we visited with our dear friends, Brian Capper, recently retired from the university faculty at Canterbury, Irena Marie Rieband, horn player we met in Romania in 2009, and their son Theomel, age 6. What a pleasure it was to spend a couple of days with them and visit them in their home!

 Stained glass windows in the room where Becket was murdered depict Edward IV, Elizabeth Woodville, his queen, and their five daughters. The two princes are to the left but not visible in this photograph. Elizabeth of York, who married Henry VII to end the War of the Roses, is second from the right. She has a barely visible gold crown. The high alter. The stained glass windows in the chapter house.

This is interesting: here in the room where Thomas Becket was murdered, Pope John Paul II and Abp. Runcie met together and prayed. The sculpture was created after that and fixed on the wall. Note the interesting symbolism.

 From Budapest we traveled to London and in wound for a day. Then we visited Canterbury and some dear friends. Here are some snaps of Canterbury Cathedral.

We had a great time. Near the end, the American contingent met. Then we returned to Budapest, where Ellen enjoyed a chocolate soufflé!

 This summer was the 20th Crescendo Summer Institute on the 20 anniversary of its founding (they missed one year). At the commemorative ceremony, founders Eszter Dudas and Timothy Bentch were recognized and celebrated. Pauliina Haustein and Julian Poore performed at the event. The faculty served the students.

 The orchestra is preparing Sibelius Symphony #2. The conductor is Delta Favid Gier. The violinist below is our own Kristen Van Dyck of Crescendo North America.

Ellen’s viola students, Matt, Virag, and Remi. Then joined by the students of Dinu Sufezi at the class concert, accompanied by master collaborative pianist, Hennadii Beziazychnyi.

 The Geigys and the Rinks.

  Every year, Ellen and have the privilege of leading a small group. Lovely young people! We had some very interesting discussions, on the Tune-in topics, primarily.