About Us

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"Both Aaron and I really enjoyed performing for you all in this wonderful setting. The audience was so warm and appreciative and the Shigeru Kawai was perfectly suited for the acoustics of the space. We loved its responsiveness and the variety and warmth of its tone.

Thanks for inviting us and I am so delighted that the audience seemed to really appreciate and enjoy the music"

All best wishes

Professor Fali Pavri

Head of Keyboard 

Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

"I wish to echo Fali's praise for the Shigeru Kawai, which was well-balanced for the room's acoustics, as well as being very responsive. Its tone was also refined and well balanced. 

It was a great pleasure for us to play for the Piano Retreat. You have created something very special in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Congratulations!"

Best wishes,

Aaron Shorr

Director of Music 

Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

Dear Anca and Quintin.

I wanted to thank you again for such a tremendous time at Ardtornish.

I loved the opening concert and having dinner with the duetting musicians.

The time table worked well with plenty of opportunities for all of us to practice.  I enjoyed the relaxed informal fun concert mid week. I’m sure that and the master group classes made some of us more confident. Duetting was great fun (...)

It was a joy to meet Georgina and a privilege to listen to her fabulous closing concert.  I can’t wait to tell my music teacher all about the piano retreat.

I will try to  continue to practice the technique you set me and look forward to learning some new repertoire.

As ever, the delicious meals were eagerly anticipated and enjoyed. (...)

Dear Anca and Quintin,

The 2024 Retreat was my fourth and, as always, I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

The concerts given by Aaron and Fali and Georgina were outstanding; you

always seem to find such wonderful players (including yourselves!) for

us to listen to.

I thought the twin focus on technique and duets was a great idea,

(...) The duets were a delight and the multihanded playing was

the greatest fun.  Everyone should try it.

Jamie's catering was excellent, as always.  I've said before, but it's

worth repeating, that having the catering done for us, and to such a

high standard, is a major element in the Retreat's success.  (...)

The surroundings at Ardtornish are absolutely beautiful, as you know,

and that too is an element in your success.  The remoteness of Morvern

helps participants to distance themselves from everyday concerns and

focus on the music.  At the risk of over-emoting about it all, I recall

some of the words of James Agee's poem in the Barber setting that

Quintin and I played: "All is healed, all is health.  High summer holds

the earth.  Hearts all whole."

It seems a long time until the 2025 Retreat, but it and the Reunion are

both in my diary.  In the meantime, very many thanks to both of you and

to Jamie for a wonderful few days.

best wishes to all"