Verneuil: The real story.

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Perhaps it's time to put a story to the pictures. Finally.

Which, by the way, have been added to! Just check our Photo Gallery .

So our life in Verneuil - a town small enough that everyone might know each other even if they might choose not to, just to keep things interesting - consists of three things: piano, food, and sleep.

No, it's not as mundane as that. It's actually quite the opposite: we receive almost daily stimulation and inspiration from our maitre, Jean-Paul Sevilla at our lessons, for example. Each of the five students is expected to prepare a small program to play for the concert at the end of the three weeks here in Verneuil. M.Sevilla invites the most distinguished guests to see this presentation and even has a write-up done of all the work the students have done and of our incredibly "diversified" nationalities (though in that sense, we are assuming a bit of poetic licence...).

At the end of this past week, we all breathe a sigh of relief as we get a short break from lessons and are treated instead to a masterclass from M.Sevilla. Assembled around his piano like a group of bugs around a light (and how fitting that comparison is, in fact, when you take into account our comparative musical knowledge!), our teacher addressed each and every question we could think of pertaining to our studies ... octave practicing, rapidly alternating, syncopated chords, appropriate lifestyle habits for a student, choosing programmes ... his answers always satisfying and his anecdotes gut-splittingly funny (which, with his permission, we might publish here), there is really never a moment that is lost.

To feed ourselves, Michel and I frequent one of two grocery stores for supplies (and being adopted Frenchmen now, it always seems to include bread and cheese) and so far, have been eating extremely well. It helps that our hosts are incredibly generous and invite us to dine with them once in awhile as well!

Our "attic apartment" here at Pierre and Françoise's place is cozy, and looks out onto their beautiful garden, where Quidditch, a cheeky little Oriental kitten, often prowls. Quidditch has the most uncanny knack for joining us for lunch whenever we have salmon, crab, or butter. He's hilarious - we'll take pictures of him soon...

Life in Verneuil is all in all, how the French would say, "très sympa." Ultimately pleasant. It's a nice repose from Paris and a good place to make music in. A great place to take pictures in no less (as you will see from our new albums!).

In any case, it's time for some sleep here for us across the Atlantic. Until next time!

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