Arts and Culture have always been a way of sharing our lives through twinning. Just three weekends ago we were taking part in the Carnaval de Cherbourg with the young people from the Dolphin Marching Band and you can read about this and our previous participation in 1995/96 here
This weekend (29 April 2023) we celebrate another longstanding collaboration, through medieval and renaissance music. Anne Jones member of Courtlye Musick was born and bred in Poole and for 10 years this music group, with its specialist work, has shared with Chebourg based Ars Nova. This year, the groups are focussing on French and English music from the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, including music for ‘La Mascarade d’Arion’, written for Henri VI of France. (See https://www.arsnova-consort.com/la-
mascarade-d-arion.html ). Here Ann shares the group's last visit to Cherbourg in June 2022 and the French group's return visit to Poole and Dorset in September where they played a concert at St.Peter's church, Ashley Cross, we wish them 'bon chance et bon jumelage':
"On 23rd June 2022, members of Courtlye Musick were delighted to be crossing the channel to reconnect with members of early music consort Ars Nova. Not only were we looking forward to a reunion following Covid19 restrictions, but we also had ten years of musical twinning to celebrate!
As we sailed past Brownsea Island, we gave it a wave – by this time we were well into rehearsals for Twelfth Night with Brownsea Open Air Theatre and these would be held on the island from the beginning of July (in 2023 the play is Romeo and Juliet). Magical!
In Cherbourg, we were hosted by members of Ars Nova in their lovely gîte, close by the 16th century Château des Ravalet with its tragic history. We weren’t performing there this year but, no doubt, that will happen again?
The weather was good enough for us to enjoy an outdoor rehearsal in what would soon be our hosts’ new kitchen, followed by lunch and a lovely walk around the castle grounds.
