Bundanon 5 week 3

The beginning of our third week saw many departures. Rachael had to leave on Monday to celebrate her Mothers birthday in Melbourne, and Lisa went back to Sydney on Tuesday to celebrate her own birthday with her family. And then there were three!

Nicole, Julia and Danny spent Tuesday morning looking at the enormous collection of works by Arthur Boyd, his family and Entourage, including Sidney Nolan, John Perceval, and Charles Blackman, and there is even a piece by Picasso. We were also able to flick through the archives including letters and sketch books, which was a fascinating insight into the mind of Arthur Boyd. He has left such an incredible gift for the Australian people. Bundanon and Riversdale are a testament to the forsight and intelligence of this man, and as a result artists and musicians are able to enrich themselves not only by immersing themselves in the incredible landscape of the area, but also through access to the wonderful collection at the homestead and in the art center.
Julia (yes, ANOTHER Julia), one of the curators for this amazing collection,showed us a painting that is a kind of collaborative joke by Arthur Boyd, and Sidney Nolan, but signed with the name of Brett Whiteley! Just the kind of thing that composers also get up to when they are partying together...
On Wednesday we thought we might get a visit from Peter Garrett, Federal Minister for the Arts, who was planning to visit both Riversdale and Bundanon while he was in the Illawarra. Unfortunately he didnt make it all the way down to Bundanon but we had fun trying out some string trio music just in case; lots of early classical composers, and the formidable Mozart Eb Major Divertimento. We had a visit, instead,from the art students of SCECGS Redlands, who were staying at Riversdale for a Yr 11 art camp. They did lots of sketches of us (we tried not to pull too many faces!)
Later that arvo we went for a fantastic walk back along the driveway of Bundanon, along the river, and went a bit snap happy with our cameras as the light was so beautiful. You can see some of the results above.
Heather, one of Ironwood's younger musicians, turned up on Thursday, especially to discuss Ironwood's mentoring project in April with the young artists of Adelaide Chamber Players (link??). We will be working with them for a week,on music of the baroque era, culminating in a concert in Adelaide's Elder Hall on April 16. We had a very good planning brunch at Hyams Beach Cafe, and sampled all their different ways with eggs...
In amongst the playing and planning this week, we also discovered a bit more of Bouderee National Park, and did the walk past Murrays Beach, and around Governors Head. Spectacular views back along Jervis Bay and St Georges Basin, and we found some excellent, tasty, spicy sausages for the BBQ at Huskisson butcher on our way back to Bundanon!
Kirsty turned up again on Saturday, and we did our final bit of playing,had lunch for the last time on the Musicians Cottage verandah,and walked around Bundanon, this time the Cedars walk, looking at the amazing rock and tree outcrops, and savouring our last bit of silence for a while. We celebrated our last evening at Bundanon with a glass of french champagne and a final evening stroll around the homestead.

So,at the end of the residency; as they say 'tired but happy' we all say thanks to Bundanon Trust and all the staff there, for an incredible place and opportunity to 'be' with our artform - music, mainly, but also words, movement, and visual art - to explore and to 'play' in all senses of the word, in a childlike and in a serious manner, with ideas and music. Bundanon is a unique and special place, for artists, and for all Australians. As I drove out of the gate on Sunday, I said my usual little 'Thanks Arthur' in my head. We'll be back. Thank you!

Our next posts will be about the recording we're currently finishing with Diana Doherty, oboe, and on our Musica Viva National Tour with Miriam Allan, soprano. Til then, happy Bundanon dreaming....