Is this fall season a start of activities for you?
Yes, a much-anticipated start since the beginning of the pandemic last March. We decided to webcast the concert as the concert halls remain still closed. 7 Miniatures will be webcast from December 1st 2020 at 7pm up to January 1st 2021 at midnight. You can purchase your tickets on this link to watch it at your convenience on Livetoune.
Don’t your fingers get too numb after this break?
Certainly, at the beginning, there was a heavy atmosphere because of all the negative news that we were constantly hearing on the radio, on the internet and on government platforms. We were concerned about the health situation. This heaviness caused a lack of motivation for the practice at first, but after two or three weeks, the desire to develop positive thoughts pushed us to get back to the piano and move forward with our various projects as much as possible. The pandemic has certainly not prevented us from moving forward in our projects. It was also a time of reflection, adjustment and creativity.
How did you occupy your free time following the successive cancellations due to the pandemic?
We are pleased to have been able to continue at least part of our professional activities: we have had the opportunity to realize our long-held dream: After 15 years of teaching in our music studios, my sister and I are concentrating our teaching activities within the TwinMuse Piano Academy (S.E.N.C.), the company we founded in the summer of 2020. Within the Academy we offer piano lessons for all levels and in three languages (French, English, Farsi). Lessons are held either in person or online. We also offer music theory courses.
So, during the pandemic we continued to teach the piano, like many other music teachers. At the time of the confinement we switched to the virtual teaching mode for students who wanted to continue their learning. Fortunately, we had a very high demand for registration and a lot of openness from the students. It warmed our hearts during these difficult times that we are all going through.
What is the state of the 7 Miniatures project?
The project is progressing very well. We have carried out all the technical aspects of this multidisciplinary show, such as the integration of video in synchrony with our live performance. We also worked on the concept of light and staging. Another positive point is that we were able to rehearse in the practice rooms at the Montreal Arts Council while respecting the sanitary measures. Our technical director and the lighting designer were present and the composer joined us by Zoom. The opening of the Arts Council rehearsal rooms gave us a window of hope and allowed us to regain some routine and somehow bypass the difficulties. We’re really looking forward to present 7 Miniatures to the Montreal public!