Please download WhatsApp and add the following contact. Then message me hello! I will add you to the group chat.

We will use the group chat function to convey messages, so this is absolutely essential!

Brianna Matzke
+1-763-245-4946

Please save WhatsApp in your phone and stay in touch with me about any travel delays or problems.

IF THERE ARE ANY PROBLEMS IN THE COURSE OF YOUR TRAVEL, MY (Brianna’s) CELL NUMBER IS 763-245-4946. I WILL HAVE IT ON ALL DAY. CALL OR TEXT ANYTIME. TEXT PREFERRED!

The rest of the Sessions you can reach me (Brianna) via text during daytime hours most days, or email me at info@cortonasessions.org. You can reach

• Allie, our Operations Manager, at operations@cortonasessions.org,

• Anthony, our composition program director, at composition@cortonasessions.org,

• and Brendan, our production manager, at production@cortonasession.org. 

If you are flying, you will want to fly in and out of Amsterdam. From there it is very easy to take the train straight to Ede. See the page linked below for complete travel info.

Fellow Information

DO NOT FORGET YOUR PASSPORTS!!!!!  

Also make sure your passport does not expire within one month of your trip. The airport will turn you away and make you get a rushed passport. This happened once and someone had to come a day late because of it. 

Allie (operations@cortonasessions.org) will send a request for your travel itinerary so we can monitor successful arrivals and send help if/when needed!

Visas

If you are traveling with a Chinese passport you will need a Visa to travel to the Netherlands. Some other countries will also need a Visa. United States citizens do not need a Visa. The Cortona Sessions can provide a letter of invitation to support your Visa application; please email Brianna at info@cortonasessions.org to request a letter. Please apply for your Visa as early as possible; we have had a few instances of participants missing all or a part of the Sessions due to Visa issues.

Please see https://www.netherlandsworldwide.nl/visa-the-netherlands/visa-required to determine if you need a visa, and for more information. 

Arrival

July 19 is the arrival day. Check in to the dormitory starts at 3PM – arriving before that they can hold your luggage. We will plan a banquet dinner for that evening, with the understanding that there will be some late arrivals. 

Departure

August 1 is the departure day. Checkout must be completed by 10:00am. We don’t recommend buying a plane ticket that leaves prior to 11:30am on August 1 unless absolutely necessary. You can, just make sure you account for the train travel time so you do not miss your flight. You are responsible for securing your own travel arrangements on departure day. Most of you will want to take the train back to Amsterdam!

Housing Address

Nieuwe Kazernelaan 2, D42, 6711 JC Ede, Netherlands

Allie (operations@cortonasessions.org) will email your roommate assignments individually.

Amenities

Akoesticum dormitory rooms are equipped with twin-sized beds. Each bed comes with sheets, a comforter, and a pillow. The rooms have a place to hang your clothes, and each bed has a bed-side table. Each room also has a chair. Each dorm room has its own bathroom; you will be given towels and soap/shampoo. Sheets and towels will be changed by housekeeping every few days throughout our stay.

Please observe quiet hours of 10:00pm to 8:00am in your housing. That means no practicing during those hours, and no loud conversations. 

Breakfast is provided daily - the menu can be found here.

Room Descriptions and locations

• Map of Akoesticum is here, with images of shared spaces where we can hang out together. 

• Auditorium - https://akoesticum.org/en/auditorium  

• Garden Room (aka "Tuinzaal") - https://akoesticum.org/en/tuinzaal-2 

• Studios (we only use some of them) - https://akoesticum.org/en/studios 

• Bedrooms - https://akoesticum.org/en/stay-the-night 

Laundry

Akoesticum can offer a laundry service; 1 or 2 times during your stay they will collect the laundry bags. If you hand in the laundry bags, the clothes will be returned clean in about 2 days. The clothing items must fit the laundry bag. No jackets. No shoes. 

Costs are estimated at €10 per person/per laundry bag. 

Internet

Free wi-fi available.

Please bring at least 7 clean, new facemasks along with you. You should plan to wear a mask while traveling to avoid getting sick. Facemasks, along with frequent hand washing, are the best way to ensure you can enjoy the full Sessions without illness! If you begin to show signs of COVID-19 or any illness, we will work with you on a case-by-case basis to determine proper treatment and if any isolation or quarantines are needed. Anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19 or any illness should wear a facemask at all times when around other people to prevent the spread of disease.

Daily Schedule Available Soon

Generally, our schedule for the Sessions will consist of classes, rehearsals, and lessons scheduled from approximately 8:30am-12:30pm and 1:30-5:00 each day. Concerts will happen in afternoons and/or evenings. We will plan to take lots of time to socialize and enjoy one another's company.  There will be one day off, one morning off, and one afternoon off – please see more information below.

Everyone should be mindful of start time and end time for rehearsals - although events are marked on the schedule for the full hour, it's best to conclude at least 5-10 minutes early to allow transition between events when needed. Rehearsals that occur before concerts should especially end with plenty of time to transition to the concert.

Once schedules are announced, any subsequent schedule changes will be communicated between members of the groups, and also will be marked in pencil on the master schedules which will be hung up in an easily viewable spot at Akoesticum. I will not handle schedule changes, it is up to you and your groups.

Competitions

Performers will have the chance to compete for a cash prize within the first five days of the Sessions. Sign up here. Full competition information is available at this link.

We may devise some other smaller-scale fun competitions during the Sessions if there is time.

The Music

Timeline for Composers:

• Instrumentation assignments to be sent April 15-20. Expect to write for 3-6 players generally, 6-10 minutes of music.

• Composition due date: June 15

Composers will be assigned instrumentation to compose pieces for premiere at the Sessions. Generally, each performer will be assigned at least one piece for premiere at the Sessions, and two additional ensemble performance assignments. If you have additional contemporary repertoire you'd like to perform, that's great; we have scheduled one "open mic" concert, and you'll be able to sign up when you're at the Sessions. There may be additional opportunities for performance and improv sessions as well. We will send a separate email to ensure you all have the scores you need.

Practicing / private lessons / master classes

When you get here you'll be able to sign out the rooms for those purposes. Faculty will get first dibs on room sign-out, then pianists/percussionists, then everyone else. Rehearsal room space/time is very limited, so those of you who can carry your instruments should plan on practicing in your dorm rooms whenever possible, of course with respect to quiet hours of 10pm-8am.

Concerts

• (TBA) Access the list of programs/concerts here.

• (TBA) Access performance assignments here.

• (TBA) Access scores here.

Performers/Conductors

Please cross-check your schedule with yourperformance assignments. (Scores will be in a Google Drive folder if you have misplaced any.)

Composers

You will have daily composition seminar meetings. In addition, you'll see rehearsals for your piece(s) on your schedule. Please DO NOT go to the first rehearsal of your piece, and also do not go to all the rehearsals of your piece. Give the performers some time to settle in with one another, and then you can plan to attend a rehearsal or two for notes and workshopping.

Days Off

July 24 and 28 will be your two full days off (there will be other mornings or evenings free). You can feel free to use those days however you wish. Most of the rehearsal rooms will be closed that day so we encourage you to take the day to explore! We recommend taking the train to Amsterdam and getting to know the city, but there are lots of other great options for visiting nearby cities such as Utrecht, Amersfoort, or Arnhem. 

Please note: if you plan to visit the Van Gogh Museum or the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, you must book your tickets many weeks in advance, or they will be sold out. 

• https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/visit/tickets-and-ticket-prices

• https://www.annefrank.org/en/museum/tickets/

See this document for tips on what to do and how to get around in Ede!

Bicycles!!!

The Netherlands has some of the most amazing cycling culture in the entire world – there are more bikes in the country than people! Therefore, the easiest way to get around is by bicycle!

WE URGE YOU TO RENT A BICYCLE. IT’S NOT REQUIRED BUT WILL MAKE GETTING AROUND MUCH EASIER. ALSO, IT’S THE CULTURAL THING TO DO!

It’s the most convenient way to quickly get around town whenever you need to go somewhere. Here are some places you can rent a bike for a few hours, a day, or a week.

INFO https://www.visit-ede.com/nature-activity/cycling/bike-rental-charging-stations-ede

I recommend using Fiets & Verhuur Ede B.V. as the best place I have found so far for longer-term rental, but please be in touch with them via email ahead of time! Here is the message they sent me:

“If someone wants to make a reservation, they can send an email to info@fietsenverhuurede.nl and we will then schedule the reservation with delivery.

Please do so at least 48 hours before the start date, so that we can also ensure that the bicycles are picked up at our storage location.”

Last year they charged approximately €100-125 to rent for the entire Sessions. You can pay them in cash (best option) or possibly by credit card.

Their email address is info@fietsenverhuurede.nl. You can write in English but they may write back in Dutch – just use Google Translate to read it.

Fiets & Verhuur Ede B.V.

website: https://fietsenverhuurede.nl/tarieven-winkel-en-bezorgservice/

address:

Telefoonweg 11
6712 GA Ede
Phone number: (+31) 318-727260
Mail: info@fietsenverhuurede.nl

Other possibilities:

• https://www.deelfietsnederland.nl/ - bike sharing service

• https://www.ns.nl/en/door-to-door/ov-fiets - bike sharing service with a few bikes available at the train station

• https://www.werbo.nl/ (30 minute walk away)

• Mountain bikes -https://anderhalfbar.nl/

Concert Dress

We are pretty casual at the Cortona Sessions, but please plan to dress "nice" for your performances. We are definitely NOT formal, so do not bring suits, tuxedos, ball gowns, etc. You can see photos of typical concert attire on the website and social media. 

Regular Attire/Weather

Weather in the Netherlands in July is warm during the day and cool at night. There can be cool days and occasional very warm days. See this link for details - Weather in Ede in July. You will want to bring layers of clothes and a jacket/sweater for the evenings. It is likely we will have some rain while we are there as well so a little rain coat/umbrella is possibly a good idea. In town, regular tourist dress is fine. Bring comfy shoes! 

Toiletries

There are pharmacies and supermarkets with all the essentials in town so no worries about that. Plenty of creature comforts. 

Exercise

In the past, participants and faculty have formed groups for running, meditation, and yoga. There are miles and miles of lovely trails through the forest that start very near to Akoesticum. You can run, walk, or take a bicycle (see info about bike rental below)! 

Money/Food

Most places that are accustomed to tourists in Europe take Visa and Mastercard credit cards. They don't like AmEx because they charge higher fees, although some places do take it. However, in a smaller, local city like Ede, most Dutch people pay with their debit cards, and non-local debit cards are not accepted. Some stores will only accept payment via debit card; look for "PIN-only" signs, indicating that only payments from a PIN debit card (usually from a Dutch bank) are accepted. In order to be prepared for this situation, please have at least 20 Euros cash on you at all times, for convenience and emergencies. There are ATMs at many locations in town. In total, I encourage you to come with about €100 cash and then use the ATMs when you need more. 

Your tuition and lodging includes the following meals:

• breakfast buffet every morning (menu here)

• free coffee, tea, and water all day, every day

• 2 banquet dinners (July 19 and July 31)

We will note your dietary preferences and sent them to the caterer so there will be acceptable and adequate food for everybody. Other than what’s listed above, you will be on your own for the rest of your meals. You can use Google Maps to explore your options nearby, or check out this list (note that some on this list are in nearby Otterlo and not in Ede).

NOTE: Because Akoesticum runs a cafe and catering service, they do not allow guests to eat meals from other places in the public gathering spaces.

Akoesticum has generously provided us with a room for having off-campus meals. There is a refrigerator for people with medical necessities only (e.g. Celiac, medication). Otherwise you will not have access to a refrigerator or a space to prepare food.

Power

In the Netherlands, power plugs and sockets (outlets) of type C and type F are used. The standard voltage is 230 V at a frequency of 50 Hz. You will need an adaptor to connect electronic equipment. Newer computers/cameras and small electronics do not need a voltage converter, but things like speakers, projectors, or more powerful things do. Very good description here https://www.power-plugs-sockets.com/us/netherlands-holland/

Cell Phones/Data

Check with your cell phone service provider about the rules/rates for making calls/texting overseas. Most carriers provide some kind of service. Check this website for great recommendations for how to approach it with each carrier - https://thesavvybackpacker.com/how-to-use-smartphones-data-plans-sim-cards-europe/. We highly recommend using an eSim for cheap high speed data! 

Packing

PACK LIGHT!!! If you can manage it, pack in a carry-on size bag. If you do check your luggage, leave room in your bags for souvenirs. You’ll be glad to have small and light luggage when you are navigating the train.

Printing

There are no printers available to us at the facilities, so be sure to print out everything you need before you leave home! 

Composers

Bring manuscript paper, pencils, examples of your work for lessons and presentations including scores and recordings. IF YOU ASK FOR PREPARATIONS in your music, I advise you to bring your own mallets, rubber strips, etc just in case you want to try something different. If you have mini speakers you can travel with, that is great for sharing your music with your colleagues. We will have an audio setup, but moving it around gets complicated once there are a bunch of things happening all at once.

Performers

Bring instruments, music, additional music to work on in lessons/coaching or to perform throughout the festival, and pencils. Please make sure your scores are bound for performance. If you will perform with loose sheets, that is fine, just make sure they are ready, or bring tape with you. Rounding up tape and poster board is not always easy! 

PIANISTS – if your piece calls for preparations or external materials (mallets, etc) BRING THEM WITH YOU! 

Just come with a relaxed and easy-going attitude because that is the way of life for the Cortona Sessions. No stress, no pressure, just friendship and music making. Perfection is not the goal. The goal is to share, create, learn, and enjoy. 

Statement of Ethics

Please review our statement at https://www.cortonasessions.org/statement-of-ethics. There is nothing for you to sign as simply setting foot at the Sessions means you agree to all parts of the statement below. We are very serious about issues concerning equality, inclusion, and respect, and we expect everyone involved in the Sessions to not only come excited to share amazing music, but to share amazing kindness, love, and friendship.