Posted by Maxim Lando, on Aug 25, 2017

This past summer I attended Aspen Music Festival for the first time, and had the wonderful opportunity to work with Arie Vardi for a month. The musical environment was stimulating, and the natural surroundings (mountains everywhere) were unbelievable! Everyday I would pass a herd of elk, and on one day a deer even came right up to my practice room. I also had an opportunity to perform a few times in the acoustically wonderful Harris Hall. Perhaps one of the best moments was having a chance to hear my teacher Hung-Kuan Chen perform a spectacular recital that simply took my breath away.

Then came Oyster Bay Music Festival, which I have been attending for the past six seasons. It is quite simply one of my favorite places to be! For eight days we run around crazily preparing music, performing in every nook and cranny of the small but incredibly charming town of Oyster Bay, eating out and and having fun with friends, and in general having a blast! I believe this year there were 22 concerts in one week of music making (of which I probably performed in at least 16)! I had a chance to collaborate with some fantastic musicians and play in some unusual venues: a waterfront warehouse (turned into concert venue for the occasion), outside on the street (always on a beautiful Steinway Grand donated by Steinway and Sons), at Sagamore Hill on the Porch of Theodore Roosevelt’s “summer white house”, in little museums, at Oakcliff Sailing Center (where Olympic athletes come to train), and in the acoustically beautiful Christ Church. Can’t wait until next year!

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