Intercultural weddings

Two families, two musical histories, one night. Turkish and German, Brazilian and Italian, Spanish and American, Puerto Rican and French — in twenty-five years there is hardly a combination I haven't played, and no two of them sound alike.

When a culture comes up that I don't know yet, I learn it. Sometimes over weeks: I listen to what actually gets played at the family celebrations, I ask, I find out which song brings the grandmother onto the dance floor and where in the night it belongs. Until I can read the evening rather than just assemble it. It is the part of this work I love most.

What matters in the end: that both sides recognise themselves — and at some point dance together without noticing when the switch happened.

Birthdays, anniversaries, summer parties

Milestone birthdays, silver and golden anniversaries, summer parties in the garden. Occasions with a very mixed crowd, where the point is that nobody feels left out and nobody gets bored either.

No names here — private celebrations stay private.