The Nice-based OceanoScientific team has embarked on its second eDNA Mediterranean Expedition. The Love The Ocean catamaran, which will tour key sites across the region, departed the Yacht Club de Monaco earlier this week following a ceremony attended by Prince Albert II of Monaco.
Following a “positive and encouraging” mission along France’s Mediterranean coast in 2023, the OceanoScientific eDNA Mediterranean Expedition has been launched anew for a second project that will see the team visit 19 of the key sites that were explored in-depth last year.
The goal is to establish a comprehensive marine biodiversity inventory of this section of the Mediterranean coastline.
The team aboard the Love The Ocean research catamaran will be led by Yvan Griboval, who has been the president of OceanoScientific since 2018. The first task for his group of researchers and scientists will be to identify the range of fish, crustaceans and cephalopods living within the boundaries of the Station Sentinelle de Biodiversité Marine in Menton.
Speaking to Monaco Life, Justine Camus, who is in charge of overseeing OceanoScientific’s missions, said, “The objective is to return to these 19 sites that we have marked to further explore them and to observe the scientific progress at these sites from year to year.”
“I am sure this expedition will produce interesting results and help us better understand the Mediterranean, our home,” said Monaco’s Prince Albert, a devoted ocean conservationist, at the launch event.
Pierre Boissery from the Rhône Mediterranean Corsica Water Agency and Professor David Mouillot from the University of Montpellier also presented a review of the results of the 2023 mission, which was coordinated by BioDivMed Mission, the Rhône Mediterranean Corsica Water Agency, MARBEC Joint Research Unit-University of Montpellier, the Centre d’Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive de Montpellier, SPYGEN, Andromède Océanologie and the philanthropic association We Are Méditerranée.
Mouillot noted, “We have invested a substantial sum into new technologies that can speed up the progress of our expeditions, such as AI, high-resolution satellites, advanced trackers and others.”
Boissery, meanwhile, spoke of the importance of missions such as these in engaging the next generation of conservationists, saying he hoped the project would inspire young people to be “curious about the Mediterranean and its evolution”.
To read more about this second mission, click here.
The Marché de la Condamine will be hosting a special Southern-themed soirée to mark American Independence Day in early July. Here are all the details.
On Thursday 4th July, between 7.30pm and 10.30pm, the Marché de la Condamine will be embracing all things American with an event that will feature live country music performances and a mechanical bull.
Vintage Drive will be providing the musical ambience while a passionate troupe of country dancers will be offering guests an initiation into the dance style, which is experiencing something of a popular revival in the States at the moment.
Reservations are recommended as this is likely to be a popular event. To secure your seat or a table for friends and family, speak to one of the market’s merchants.
For more information about the Soirée Américaine, which is being organised by the Mairie de Monaco, click here.
This year, the USA is turning 248years old, and the American Club of the Riviera is celebrating with a luncheon featuring an American-style barbecue and festive activities.
The American Club of the Riviera, presided over by Timothy Molyneux, will host its 4th of July Independence Day Luncheon Celebration from 12pm to 4pm at Le Lagon in Mandelieu. The event is designed to commemorate the 248th birthday of the United States with a range of traditional American festivities.
The luncheon will feature an ‘All American’ style barbecue, including spareribs, chicken, steak strips, hamburgers, and hot dogs, all served with the imported ‘Sweet Baby Ray’s’ gourmet barbecue sauce. Desserts include a USA birthday cake and customisable ice cream sundaes with assorted toppings.
The event will also include a welcome Champagne Punch reception, a Star-Spangled Banner birthday cake, a red, white, and blue costume contest, patriotic songs, music and games.
Attendees are encouraged to dress in summer casual attire and to participate in the costume contest by wearing red, white, and blue. The price is €75 for members and €85 for guests.
The American Club of the Riviera was established in 1962 and has since become a prominent association on the Côte d’Azur. It embodies Franco-American friendship and has hosted figures such as Princess Grace of Monaco and several American ambassadors over the years.
Simon Trpčeski shares with Monaco Life’s Celina Lafuente de Lavotha his remarkable journey from a modest upbringing in Macedonia to achieving global acclaim as a classical pianist, and his current role as Artist in Residence with the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra.
Simon Trpčeski, born in Skopje, Macedonia, in 1979, is a highly talented classical pianist. For this, the 2023-2024 season, he holds the esteemed position of Artist in Residence with both the Orchestra Philharmonic of Monte-Carlo and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. He is widely acclaimed for his exceptional virtuosity, profound expressiveness, and compelling stage presence.
The youngest of three children, Simon’s parents came from modest families in West and East Macedonia villages. They were all passionate about music, even though they were not able to study it academically. Simon says that his talented mother could have had a successful singing career. His father played a four-string instrument called the Tambura, comparable to a cithara.
Simon received his music diploma in 2002 from the University of Saints-Cyrille-et-Methode of Skopje. Even before graduating, he had already won prizes in international competitions. He has collaborated with world-famous conductors at Philharmonic Orchestras in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Toronto. Additionally, he has given recitals in the USA, Europe, and Asia and has played with English orchestras in London, Bournemouth, Stockholm, Bergen, and Helsinki.
Monaco Life’s Features Journalist Celina Lafuente de Lavotha spoke with Simon Trpčeski about his background, his journey to becoming a classical pianist, and the significant moments in his ascending career such as receiving the Diapason d’Or award.
S.Trpceski with Conductor D.Matvienko at OPMC concert. Photo credit: JL Neveu
Monaco Life: What are the stand-out memories of your childhood?
Simon Trpčeski: My childhood holds some of my most cherished memories. It played a crucial role in shaping my personality and was filled with warmth, music, and happiness during gatherings with friends and family. People knew how to find joy in the little things in life. However, my humble family upbringing kept me rooted and connected to my heritage, setting the foundation for a purposeful life, and helping me become a good and compassionate human being. Pavarotti once said, “We had so little, but no one had more than us.
I remember pretending to play the accordion using an ashtray while watching folk music shows on TV. My father noticed and bought me a small accordion as a gift. I started creating melodies with my right hand and later began taking lessons. Initially, music school didn’t teach me how to play the accordion, so the piano became the most similar instrument to me. That marked the beginning of my journey as a pianist.
What are your interests outside of music?
I enjoy simple pleasures such as spending time with my family, reading to my kids, taking nature walks, swimming in the sea, watching football (both on TV and in person), watching movies (especially comedies and animated ones), visiting museums and theatres, and experiencing new places and cultures. These activities nourish the soul.
I’ve also had success composing pop songs and children’s songs. My daughter, Lara, even represented Macedonia at the Junior Eurovision with a beloved song. I have a great love for life, and simplicity is genuinely remarkable.
Who inspired you to pursue a professional career as a pianist?
I loved music and the piano, but did not actually think about making it a professional career. The Romanov couple, teachers from Moscow, moved to Macedonia at the dissolution of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia in 1991, and I started to take more serious steps in my early education. Boris Romanov studied briefly with Konstantin Igumnov, who premiered the Rachmaninov Sonata. Later, he studied with Yakov Milstein, Richter’s close friend. I am proud to say that I was educated in the spirit of the good old Russian school that is rare nowadays. They both came from a disciplined educational mentality, which was uncommon for the Balkans but certainly produced excellent results.
Coming from a modest country, neither powerful, nor politically well positioned, nor important classical music-wise, with still ongoing transition due to world politics, the only way for me to develop and see the realities of my level within the general level was through competitions. I had yet to have other chances or connections.
Simon Trpceski, photo credit: B. Ealovega – KulturOp
So, after the London International Competition prize, I started working with management, which opened the path. I am indeed grateful to my family for their unconditional support even under a difficult financial situation, to my teachers for the right direction in the performance, and to those rare unique people for their support at the start of my development, when very few could recognise natural talent.
Concert pianists have an air of intrigue, as they are usually alone on the stage with their piano as their only company. Do you think pianists are more detached than other classical musicians?
In a way, yes, but it depends on how one looks at it. The piano is the most orchestral instrument in one piece. Therefore, it provides an immense opportunity to enjoy various sounds, volumes, and textures, which could be interpreted as an allusion to being detached and becoming a whole ensemble by yourself. It may sound funny or selfish, but it is true.
I do enjoy playing music with an orchestra because it’s a magical way to connect with people. However, I don’t mind playing solo recitals because it’s when you feel like the king of the stage and the whole world is yours. I had this exact feeling during my recital in Monaco, and I was thrilled that the enthusiastic audience there received it so well.
Which performances and recordings are you most proud of?
It is a challenging question. I have the same attitude toward every performance or recording: high professionalism, dedication, and love. There are certainly some moments that proved to be fragile due to cultural or personality differences or personal situations, so I could say that my graduation performance of the Tchaikovsky Concerto, the German debut in Berlin with Ravel concerto, the recording of the Rachmaninov and Debussy recitals, as well as the Variations (Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms) recital album, Rachmaninov 3 with the New York Philharmonic, Rach 4 in Paris, Brahms concertos with WDR Symphony, are among them. I am sure there are a few more, but all of them remain a constant and inevitable inspiration and motivation.
Each concert has a special meaning to me, so all of them are impressed in my memory. Having performed in Europe, the US, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, and Argentina, judging one more memorable than the other would be unfair.
I love variety in life. Therefore, I do approach diverse repertoire. I am proud to hear French nationals being highly satisfied when I interpret French composers, the same as Germans, Russians, Americans, Norwegians, or Polish when I interpret theirs. There cannot be a better compliment than getting positive feedback from fellow citizens. I am a romantic; you can find romanticism from Bach onwards and before him. Lucky me! (smiles)
S.Trpceski with OPMC conducted by Matvienko, photo credit: Emma Dantec OPMC
Tell us about your experience as Artist in Residence with the OPMC…
I am honoured that the OPMC chose me as its Artist in Residence. The opportunity to share a diverse repertoire with the orchestra and the audience gives me lots of pleasure, especially in the beautiful reception of the appreciative public.
The welcome from the orchestra and the public at my first concert this season was fantastic. I enjoy playing with different sounds, colours, and intensities of emotions, which is what I felt when playing with the OPMC. They are open to collaborating and sharing the moment on stage.
I look forward to my last concert this season interpreting such a colourful, authentic, and monumental concerto such as Brahms no.2, and the highly anticipated reunion with Maestro Yamada after a few years, at such a mythical place like the Prince’s Palace Honour Court, a first time for me.
I was especially delighted about the public’s reception of my world music project, Makedonissimo (very Macedonian), which we presented for the Orthodox New Year. It involves a quintet, a chamber view of Macedonian folk music that includes a piano, a violin, a cello, a clarinet, a saxophone, a kaval, and a whole set of percussions.
Do you have a favourite concert venue?
I am an easily adaptable person. I do love concert halls everywhere, but I also love churches, and I enjoy playing in outdoor venues. Recently, I had a chance to play in the rural surroundings of my father’s village in the middle of the mountains, or as the people would say – in the middle of nowhere- for the pre-premiere of Makedonissimo in Macedonia, and that was quite a memorable experience, kind of like Woodstock. If we are positive and look on the bright side, there can be opportunities everywhere to create and share the magic with the audience.
What did it mean for you to receive the Diapason d’Or award for the recording ofRachmaninov in 2010?
It was exhilarating! You know, there were also wonderful reviews such as a reference recording in Germany, or Best Beethoven solo performance at the BBC Music Magazine, Adagio, and a couple of more music magazines for the Variations album where I recorded Beethoven and Mozart for the first time, or wonderful reviews for the Makedonissimo project, and so on. It is a welcome proof of an artist’s work and dedication. So, a prestigious award such as Diapason d’Or, which comes from the sophisticated taste of the French music critic, without any other pressure than the music itself, means the world to me! I am deeply grateful for that, motivating me to progress further. Sometimes, recordings do not reach magazines. I would be happy to hear more about the Debussy Album I recorded for EMI Classics a long time ago, for example. I would learn a lot from it.
Over the summer, the Mairie de Monaco will be holding a series of free scuba diving sessions for keen underwater explorers aged eight and up.
The three scuba diving experiences will be held at the Principality’s open-air Stade Nautique Rainier III in Port Hercule on 10th July, 19th August and 4th September.
Instruction for the 10-minute dives will be given by professionals tied to the Club d’Exploration Sous-Marine de Monaco between the hours of 9.30am and 5pm.
The sessions are totally free and are open to all members of the public, regardless of experience, but participants must be aged eight or over.
No advance reservations are required, you simply need to turn up to give it a go!
From elections to shrinkflation and the introduction of a new savings plan for young people, the French government has released a rather significant list of changes starting 1st July. Here’s what you need to know.
At the beginning of each month, the French government puts out a rundown of all the new rules, regulations and allowances coming into effect. The month of July is notably busy, with changes touching on everything from energy to elections, including new savings plans, consumer protections against shrinkflation, temporary employment for health care workers, and rural revitalisation.
Arguably the biggest news may be the upcoming French elections, which will take place on 30th June and 7th July. This controversial snap election will determine the composition of the 577-member French National Assembly, ultimately influencing which parties will shape the country’s future.
Energy also gets a look in, with the simplification of the energy performance diagnostic system (DPE). This is the method used to determine the energy efficiency of a property with classifications ranging from the best- A- to the worst- G. Up until now, dwellings under 40m2 were unfairly disadvantaged by the thresholds, a problem that has now been rectified.
Also under energy is the announcement of an increase in the natural gas distribution rate after four years remaining basically the same. The new price, which represents about one-fourth of users’ final bills, has been set by the Energy Regulatory Commission to cover network maintenance costs.
A new savings plan for under-21s comes into effect on 1st July, as well. This targeted new tool, called the Future Climate Savings Plan (PEAC), allows young people to invest in eco-friendly businesses and industries, paving the way for the green transition and offers an alternative to traditional schemes.
Also new in July, consumers will now be informed when a company’s products are affected by reduflation, more commonly referred to as shrinkflation. This now-common practice involves reducing the quantity of a product sold without lowering the price accordingly. Information must now be “indicated in the immediate vicinity of the products” in large and medium sized stores.
Newly qualified health care workers will now have a minimum two year temporary employment period as a resident before taking on full responsibilities. The objective is to better support young professionals during this crucial stage at the start of their career, and affects nurses, caregivers, specialised educators, social service advisors, instructors, and educational and social companions from social and medico-social establishments and services.
Finally, the government wants to make the countryside more attractive through the France Ruralités Revitalisation programme, which is aimed at the reformation of rural revitalisation zones in the country.
