A new youth orchestra has just been set up in Geneva, aimed at providing young musicians aged between the ages of 8 and 18 the opportunity to play together in a relaxed and friendly environment.
The Geneva Youth Ensemble will provide students playing a string, woodwind, brass or percussion instrument the opportunity to learn a variety of skills including teamwork, listening whilst they play, and how to follow a conductor. The choice of music will vary from classics and movie themes to popular tunes and marches, as well as seasonal selections.
According to Pianoforte Productions Director, Julie Tompkins-Wagner, who will lead the new Ensemble, and who also runs the popular Summer Music Program for children, the young musicians will take part in at least two public performances per year. She says the students will be working with and learning from professional and experienced musicians, who will sit with them and sometimes play during rehearsals.
Rehearsals will take place on Wednesday afternoons from 4:15 - 5:30 at the Geneva English School in Genthod. Prospective musicians should not worry if they have missed the auditions – they should just email Julie at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or visit the website at www.Julie-music.com and fill in the online application form.
Instruments required in the ensemble include:
Strings: violin, viola, 'cello, double bass, harp
Woodwinds: flutes, recorders, clarinets, oboes, bassoons, saxophones
Brass: trumpet, trombone, french horn, baritone, tuba
Percussion: mallets, snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, assorted small percussion -- sorry, no drum kit.
The cost for participating in the Geneva Youth Ensemble is CHF 300 per year. Payment will be due once the student has been accepted into the ensemble after auditions.
There are just a couple of weeks left to enjoy the giant cornfield labyrinth which opens each year at the Ferme du Coucou in Vaud – so head on down there if you fancy a great day out with the family!Located halfway between Cugy and Bottens, this enormouse life-size labyrinth is guaranteed to provide hours of fun for you and your kids. As you work your way towards the center of the maze, the young ones will take pleasure in searching out the six hole punchers, which you need to punch your entrance ticket before it can be submitted in the competition box located at the beginning of the maze. With prizes ranging from jewelry to a free flight, it’s definitely worth finding them all before you leave!
In the center of the maze are some picnic tables, a few tents, a slide and see saw, and a barbecue for grilling your own meat. Coals are provided in the green bin but you must bring something to light them.
It is strongly recommended that you bring sunscreen, a bottle of water, and a hat as it took Know-it-all passport editor, Lisa Cirieco, and her family 1 hour and 45 minutes to find the 6 hole-punchers ( if you can do it faster let us know)! Since they were thirsty and hot and had no opportunity to buy food on site, they headed straight for lunch to the Café du Soleil (pictured below and situated a short drive away) for some delicious filets de perche and pommes allumettes (skinny fries - in size not in calories).
After lunch, you might like to head back to the labyrinth to cut some beautiful gladiolas (Fr. 1.50.-/each) and pick up some unusual and not so unusual pumpkins (Fr. 1.- to Fr. 17.-) at the self-service garden. All in all, a great day out!
Let your hair down and join in the family fun by heading down to one of the many events being organized in Geneva this Autumn by MyBubbleCity.
Set up in April 2010 by local entrepreneurs, Carole Amselem and Isabelle Marcus, MyBubbleCity is a new Association aimed at providing different types of activities for families, where everyone can have fun together.
As former business colleagues, Carole and Isabelle are close friends who both became mothers and who have a similar philosophy about enjoying life. Carole explains,
“While we both love lots of things about Geneva, we missed some of the energy that we felt from the cities in which we previously had lived - I am from New York, Isabelle from Paris. We missed the energy of a large city, not only for ourselves but also for our children. Hence came the idea of creating different types of activities that we couldn't find in Geneva, that a parent could actually participate in WITH their child. MyBubbleCity is all about having fun as a family!!”
MyBubbleCity launched its first Bubble Kids Disco in May, 2010 at the Fenomeno club in Geneva. It was a sold-out success with enthusiastic parents and children enjoying themselves on the dance floor. Bubble Kids Discos have been created with the aim of giving the whole family an opportunity to let loose in a real dance club – one which has been turned child-friendly. Describing the discos in more detail, Isabelle says,
To give you an idea of some of the spectacular places you can visit in this region, we will feature each month a photo of one of its many great locations. Since we rely on recommendations, please send us your special photo taken, for example, on a memorable day out at a water park or from a remarkable viewpoint in the area.
Tourist Office
1663 Gruyères
0848 424 424
www.gruyeres.ch
www.la-gruyere.ch
www.moleson.ch
www.fribourgregion.ch
Directions: A1 autoroute past Lausanne, follow signs towards Grand St-Bernard onto the A12. Exit Bulle. Follow signs to Château d’Oex and Gruyère. 1½ hours from Geneva.
To give you an idea of some of the spectacular places you can visit in this region, we will feature each month a photo of one of its many great locations. Since we rely on recommendations, please send us your special photo taken, for example, on a memorable day out at a water park or from a remarkable viewpoint in the area.
Mont Mussy/Mont Mourex, near Divonne-les-Bains
Whether you are looking for a romantic walk for two to watch the evening sun set over Geneva, or you require an outing where your kids can let off a bit of steam, then Mount Mourex has exactly what you’re looking for.
We set off on foot from the town hall in Divonne, up the path past the golf course and on towards the Source of Divonne, an impressive location where the river literally comes out of the rock before starting its journey through Divonne.
The path leads you to a point where you have to cross the main road leading out of Divonne towards Gex, but from then on you remain in the woods until you reach the summit. There is a small, rustic auberge (La Ferme du Mont Mussy, telephone 00 33/4 50 20 24 52) half way up on the left hand side, which has wonderful views over Lake Geneva and offers delicious food, cooked without the aid of modern electrical appliances. Once the sun sets, it’s candlelight only!
