A Musical Retreat in Berkenrode

On April 26th, I had the pleasure of joining a musical retreat in Berkenrode alongside the octet with whom I’ll be performing Mendelssohn’s Octet for Tristan Savoye’s final exam. The violin class, led by professor Sarah Kapustin, spent a few inspiring days immersed in music and nature — and as a cellist, I was lucky to be part of it.

Our octet has been working together throughout the year, so this retreat was a special opportunity to deepen our connection as an ensemble. One of the highlights was an intensive lesson with violist Roeland Jagers, where we went through all four movements of the Mendelssohn with fresh perspective. It was incredibly rewarding to work on our interpretation together and receive thoughtful feedback.

At the end of the day, we had the chance to make a runthrough for Sarah, Roeland, and a few colleagues. Berkenrode is a peaceful and beautiful place, which made it easy to focus and enjoy the process. Spending the day there helped us connect more naturally with the music and with each other.

Now, as May 12th approaches — the day of Tristan’s final exam — I’m very much looking forward to performing this piece with the group. It’s been a rewarding journey, and I’m excited to share the result of our work!