North America Part 1: FAI, Boston, New York...

Greetings!... right, where to start?

Well. For the first sort of 'instalment' or plan for my DYCP I travelled over to Canada and America for a few weeks. I decided to take myself off to Folk Alliance International in Montreal to peer in and see what world it beheld. A cavern of magical chaos, all types of music and people from far and wide showcasing their talents in hundreds of bedrooms across 3 floors of the rather fancy Fairmont Hotel. I can tell you now that after 5 days of 3,000 musicians (folkies mostly!!!) and industry professionals networking, drinking beer and jamming into the night, it did not smell good! BUT it was a lot of fun! ​
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I performed a couple showcases in the British Underground room and the Folkin' Genius Lounge organised by my friends from the Cumberland Culture & Arts Society, 

joined my buddy Ana Silvera for her official showcase, met the incredible cello looping legend Zoe Keating, made a whole heap of new fantastic friends both in the UK and across the seas and tried NYCKELHARPER, ​ my favourite instrument (Swedish key harp with resonant strings). 

​I'm not gonna lie - it was frikkin FREEZING outside, but Montreal is one of my favourite places ever! Somehow there was also time to eat the world famous Ruggelach (Jewish chocolate pastry treats) at CHESKIE's Bakery (my namesake!) frolic in knee-high snow and drink hot chocolate mmmm.

Looking forward to being at FAI back next year... in New Orleans!!!
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(below - Cello - on - the-mooooove...)

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...After FAI i headed down to Boston (which was still freezing!) to have some lessons with of my favourite lessons - Mike Block (cello) and Anthony Coleman (improvisation/composition). This period of my trip, as I now know, was way way way too short. But the small time I spent with Mike and Anthony was immensely rewarding. It's a great feeling to be ready to go and work on technical and creative things which have become hurdles with such incredible and inspiring musicians and teachers...Looking forward to the next chapter.

And finally...NYC

Well - NYC is always great. I had hoped to spend more time there and up-state but alas I had to cut my trip short. I did, however, have time to catch up with my New York Klezmer family, schvitz (yiddish for sweat) my arse off and eat pickles and borsht in the Brooklyn Russian Banya and catch John Zorn play at Happy Lucky no.1 space in Brookyln for the inaugural weekend of the new weekly residency series- some incrizbdle artists playing over the coming year. Go check it out! I'll be spending a longer period of time in NYC and nearby later on in the year! Until then, lots of other exciting things in the mix.

More soon
Francesca x