Artist Residency in Sierre (CH), Villa Ruffieux
VILLA RUFFIEUX July - August 2018
As fall begins my summer here at Villa Ruffieux in Sierre is slowly coming to an end. I've lived in between high (very high) : ) mountains and vineyards for the past two months (Sierre is located in the French speaking canton Wallis in the middle of the impressive Rhone Valley) and I can't believe how quickly time had passed. I'm sitting in my studio right across the Villa Ruffieux taking a moment to write before I start packing. The residents I stayed with have already left and so I'm the last one to go. I made good friends here sharing the house with writers Nedim Gürsel and Julie Iromuanya, visual artist Pamela Breda and net-artist Louis Frehring.
I had the most wonderful time in the middle of the Valais. The generosity of the whole team behind this Residency programme - Foundation Chateau Mercier - was truly inspiring and I would like to say thank you to René-Pierre Antille and Anne-Do Zufferey and her whole family for showing us all these beautiful places like the villages Grimentz & Chandolin in the Val D'Anniviers, the impressive Moiry dam, Raron, where Rilke lived, beautiful towns Ernen or Sion and so much more. Your hospitality and open-hearts truly inspired me. I'll miss our trips! And of course thank you so much for the delicious wine through out our stay!!! OH how glad I am to bring a taste of summer of the Zufferey winery back home : )!
During my stay I worked on the songs for the demo recording with wonderful pianist Oliver Schnyder - The Other Way Around - songs of the Great American Song Book arranged by, I'm sure you can guess, - mathias rüegg : ). It will premiere on January first in Davos! I also worked on Brahms, oh yes it is time for part three, Schubert & Schumann & Brahms - our Brahms Song Book will premiere this winter on November 2nd in Waidhofen at Schloß Rothschild and November 27th in Vienna at Porgy & Bess. And for the first time I worked on some arrangements of my own - and while working on "Zing!Went The Strings Of My Heart" I stumbled upon Chet Baker's mind-blowing solo - it is genius!!!Check it out right here!
With so much gratitude I look back on my time at the Villa Ruffieux giving me the possibility to work, discover and do things in my own time. That reminds me - I really got into yoga home practice and if you are thinking about it or getting into it right now I can recommend Yoga with Adriene, here's the link: https://yogawithadriene.com
There's so many memories I'm gonna take home : ) - the smell of the rose garden, the peacock baby, the tower up on the hill, the mint-green kitchen, the balcony, my window with the view of the vineyards, the warm wind, the apple trees, fresh sage, the thousand stairs downtown and back up, the little lake, my studio, the nights on the balcony...
Breathe in - breathe out - wave goodbye - it's time to go home!
Yours truly, Lia
