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About Ballerup Music Festival 2003.
This year the festival, all of a sudden developed and turned out to be an exiting event for MAGIBA, as we – on much to short notice – was asked if we could act as guides and host group for a "string orchestra" from Scotland! – We didn’t have much time, but decided to get us selves involved, as we do have some experience from earlier festivals and as we had been hosting groups before. From sheer interest and without a twinkle of the eye, Per, Birgit and Ove and Jette and Kurt accepted to be guides! Sightseeing in Copenhagen – no sweat, we could do that! – BUT! – there had been made other planes. It appeared that the festival comity (of cause) had made detailed planes for all the 89 groups, from 11 different countries that were coming to the festival. And they kept us busy in accordance to catch up and to be ready. As more details appeared, we where very pleased to se, that it showed out to be a mandolin orchestra from East Kilbride, named: Da Capo Alba. – By studying the plan, we saw some colliding items in the timing, but a little footwork and some hectic communication settled it, do to the very helpful leaders of the festival, so it all worked out perfect. Well – it should not be too easy, so Thursday, at the time where the group would arrive to the airport, MAGIBA was giving a concert by a consecration of a mutual community tax office (5 communities joining together) speeches from the mayors and the minister of tax. Afterwards there was a buffet. – Mean while Jette and Birgit went to the airport and held up a sign with the name: Da Capo Alba. Exited to see whom, where or when someone could be identified, as they didn’t have the flight no.- It appeared that they where delayed, but in the end the girls succeeded to pick the group up and to find the coach that should bring them all back to Ballerup, and into the place named: BAGHUSET where they where welcomed and had a meal. Prior to this, earlier that day, the guides had been involved in receiving and establishing the sleeping facilities for them at the Ballerup Seminarium, where they had 4 empty, new painted rooms to their disposal. It appeared later that they would like to have had a room for their rehearsal, but they cleared a space in the middle of the biggest room, so it worked out, an old (very) amplifier for the el-base was dough out and for a while it seemed to work, but the acoustic guitar did the trick in the end (by the rehearsal). Friday midmorning there was space for some sightseeing and some wanted to go to se TIVOLI and others just to go to the Capitol strolling around on their own. We showed them how to get the cheapest fair by the S-train and they managed fine to get along. But also there was a group, that wanted to join us for a walk to the little old village near by, named PEDERSTRUP. We where lucky to meet the attendant of the museum and he most willingly opened it for us and showed it all, and also the old blacksmiths workshop, and best of all – he was perfect in English! – whilst we where there the rain increased and we where somewhat soaked when we came home. Despite the rain, most of the group vent to se the opening ceremony of the festival in the park and had a good first hand impression of this grandiose event. Saturday a problem arise, about how they should get a hold on their instruments, when they at the same time had to be in the festival parade? – Luckily Jette remembered that we just had emptied our trailer, so she called and we brought it and loaded all the instruments and brought them to the park so that thy where easy to get hold on for the concert. – This became there after a steady routine and they ended up calling it: "Da Capo Albas trailer service"!!! – Although there was a lot of noise from all the other tents, they performed some very fine concerts and enjoyed the international atmosphere. – MAGIBA also played in side the crystal palace/tent, but as Da Capo Alba had to play almost at the same time in an other tent, they only heard a little of our concert, but enough though, to make the impression, that we are dealing with somewhat she same repertoire, so there is a basis for getting to know each other a lot better. Caused by the short notification prior to the festival, none of us had the chance to share music and maybe to have had a mutual concert. – Then, in the evening both Da Capo Alba and MAGIBA, was gathered at Jette and Kurts house, where coffee, cakes, beers and sodas where displayed. There was erected a 9 meter party tent in the backyard, and the whole house was in use. Quite a lot of people, but despite the increasing rain, it turned out to be a nice party with a lot of atmosphere and music. The last guests left at 2 o´ clock in the morning. Sunday they still had 2 concerts to perform, but on top of that they also accepted to fill in a "hole", as one of the other groups was enabled to show up. They are so lucky to be able to divide the group into various fractions and here it was the more Jazz and swinging part that performed with great success. – They are very good!!! In connection with their concerts there always was prepared a meal for them, which they liked a lot, so they paid back a little by giving a small concert in the cantina as a tribute to the personal, as they, du to the job, didn’t se so much of the festival. A very kind gesture and very much appreciated. In the evening they also where so kind as to invite MAGIBA to the Seminarium for a party, and they created such a nice evening, and also they brought flowers and gifts to say thank you for the good and close friendship caused by the festival. And again they entertained in various groups and constellations so we enjoyed it very much. And a lot of addresses and e-mails where shared between us. Monday, - every thing has an end and the "Trailer service" again was in place, and over a couple of times it managed to bring the instruments and the luggage to the BAGHUSET, where the coach later on should bring them back to the airport. – After the breakfast, there was a gab until departure, so some of them sat down and entertained by playing and singing. Then we discovered that it would be a long time before they would get their next meal, so we hurried out shopping and went home to make a little lunch pack, so that they had something to "kill the hunger". And it was most welcome and they left us with the impression that they had a very successful and most interesting time joining the festival and meeting us, as they expressed it: "we came as strangers, and now we are leaving as friends"! Such as I remembered it. – Kurt Søndergaard.
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