#this is important to me as a beginner cellist

[lenskij]

still riding the high fron monday's cello lesson when my teacher said my phrasing was good

[dinosaurtsukki]

[ waltzing with your gloves off ]

pairing: fyodor dostoevsky x f!reader

word count: 3.5k words

contains: slight royaltycore vibes, cellist instructor!fyodor, slight instructor x student dynamics, vague historical setting yet again, lots of yearning, fitzgerald is also here cause why not?

summary: your life had forever changed after you first met the famous cellist, fyodor dostoevsky, and found out he was going to be your instructor. but with him leaving the day after your eighteenth birthday, how are you going to let him know about your feelings

a/n: i want to bury my head in the sand for writing this because it’s so self-indulgent and i didn’t think my fyodor brainrot would end up like this. i... have no excuse except that i am absolutely smitten with this man

(music pegs at the end of the fic)

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“ah, ah, ah. you were half a beat off again, my lady,” fyodor tutted as he fixed himself a cup of tea near the window. you huffed at his perceptiveness and stopped your playing abruptly.

“again?” you sighed, stretching the aching fingers of your left hand. your back ached from having to maintain your posture, your fingers throbbed from pressing on the cello strings and your head was spinning from reading sheet music. but, this was your favorite part of the day. while stretching your fingers, your eyes drifted up to watch your cello instructor as he sipped his tea contemplatively while staring out the window. he looked like a vision, especially with deep amethyst eyes, and your breath caught in your throat again.

the first time you met fyodor dostoevsky was on your birthday, three years ago, when he played the cello for you and your party guests in the middle of the dance hall. he was technically a gift from your father and a ploy by your mother to get you interested in learning and playing a musical instrument. but in that moment, you didn’t care. the sound of his playing had the hair on your arms standing on end. it wasn’t quite like your experience watching live orchestras with your parents. when fyodor played, it sounded like he was enticing you, specifically, and you didn’t even realize how far you were leaning forward. 

“y-you played beautifully,” you stammered after he finished his piece and approached you and your family. you could tell he was a foreigner by the way he dressed, the way he spoke, and of course, his name. he introduced himself as fyodor dostoevsky, a musical prodigy and famous cello player, and you didn’t even care about his slight arrogance because of how entitled he was to it. 

“thank you, my lady,” he bowed before you, holding a hand to his heart. you saw that he wore white gloves. even after knowing him for a few seconds, you felt a pang in your chest thinking that you would never meet fyodor again. that was until your father placed a hand on your shoulder and granted you the best birthday wish you could ever ask for. that fyodor was going to be your cello instructor from now on.

“can’t i play something simpler? something that i’ve learned and played by heart?” you asked as fyodor sat down on the seat right in front of you. “like...”

“the bach cello suite?” he sighed.

“...yes?” you smiled innocently.

“that’s a beginner’s piece and you are not a beginner,” fyodor shook his head. 

“but would anyone be able to tell?” 

“you’re right, maybe they won’t,” your cello instructor said, setting his cup down on the table beside him. “but, i would awfully like to see a stunned look on the audiences’ faces when they see my student play.” 

you felt yourself flush at the sound of ‘my student.’ anything that declared you as ‘his’ was enough to make you smile. “well, it’s still quite unreasonable for father to expect me to learn a new piece in just two weeks before my birthday.” 

“i have to admit, it was,” fyodor nodded. “however,” his violet eyes glanced at you from the side. “i don’t mind having our extra sessions.” 

“i’m... glad then,” you pursed your lips, trying hard to conceal your emotions, and turned back to the sheet music in front of you. you raised your hand again to the neck of your cello to press your fingers against the strings when the door opened behind you.

“miss l/n,” you recognized the voice belonging to one of your servants. “sir fitzgerald has arrived. he’s waiting for you in the gardens.” 

“he’s a whole hour early,” you said through gritted teeth. 

“he’s... requesting your presence, my lady,” your servant said.

“tell him--”

“--that he has arrived too early, which is quite rude for a guest no matter what their status is. this isn’t his house,” fyodor insisted, his voice firm and unyielding. “and if sir fitzgerald argues, tell him that practicing for her upcoming performance in two weeks is of the upmost importance. her father specifically requested for it.” 

you admired how he spoke. he was talented, yes, and treated well by your family because he was your instructor. but unlike you, fyodor wasn’t born into a family with royal blood. he was born in small village with only his mother and an older brother to raise him. if it wasn’t for his older brother who saw his talent and the help of a patron, fyodor would have never been able to enter a music conservatory and truly hone his skill. but despite that, or maybe in spite of that, he held himself in high regard and was never fearful of speaking his mind around those of a higher status.

your maidservant knew this, muttering “understood,” before leaving the room. you smiled shyly at your cello instructor.

“thank you. i thought i’d have to spend an extra hour with fitzgerald.” in your head, you fantasized about fyodor wanting to spend more time with you and chasing away your suitor by making you stay to practice more. however, that probably wasn’t the case.

“of course. you’ve been playing beautifully today and it’s a shame to waste this moment,” fyodor said. you smiled with your  lips tight, knowing you were right.

“i’ll... go through the piece again,” you said softly, lifting up your bow and turning back to your sheet music. fyodor liked to close his eyes whenever he was listening to music, just to concentrate on the sound a bit more. he did this all the time when he was playing or when he was listening to you.

but for the past few months, he had been watching you intently as you played. ‘you’ve improved very well, my lady,’ he thought.

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a week passed and thanks to more continued instruction, you had improved greatly in playing your piece. enough to even earn a small round of applause from fyodor himself that kept you awake at night. of course, that didn’t mean you shortened your practice sessions with the cello. not only to dodge fitzgerald’s attempts at courting you, but because you knew very well that this last week before your birthday were the last few days you were going to have with your cello instructor.

even though it felt as if a part of you was going to die when you heard the news that fyodor was going to leave, you also cursed yourself for thinking that he would be your cello instructor forever. at heart, he was still a performer and you had heard enough stories from him to know that he loved to travel. why would he want to remain here, in this estate, teaching a young girl to play the cello forever? 

of course, in your fantasies, he wouldn’t be just your cello instructor. sometimes, you liked to imagine you and fyodor taking a stroll in the gardens, a smile on his face as he held your hand. or maybe even sitting near the fireplace with your head on his shoulder, watching and listening to him read poetry.

“come in,” you heard him say from inside his room. you opened the door and stepped inside to find fyodor sitting beside the window with a book in his hands. there was such a calm smile on his face when he saw you come inside.

“apologies. was i bothering you?” you asked.

“you haven’t even come in yet,” he chuckled softly. “but, you could never bother me, my lady. sit down,” he stretched his hand out to the seat in front of him. “is there something the matter? fitzgerald up to something?”

“he’s always up to something,” you sighed. “would you believe that he couldn’t keep his hands to himself for just half an hour?”

“what an uncouth man.” 

“i hope he falls off his horse or something,” you muttered.

“now, now. a lady shouldn’t wish or say such things,” fyodor tutted before casting you a sneaky glance. “how about choking on a crust of bread?”

you giggled at the sight of fyodor’s naughtier side. “wouldn’t that be a waste of bread?”

“indeed,” he laughed. “and we can’t have him falling headfirst into the teacups.” 

“i’ll make sure to save them just in time,” you smiled and twiddled your fingers around the box you brought with you. “actually, i came here for a different reason.”

“and what is that?”

“a... a gift,” you swallowed nervously before placing the box on the table and pushing it in fyodor’s direction.

“my, you’re the one who’s having a birthday and yet you’re giving me a gift?” fyodor chuckled. 

“it’s, more of a going away present,” you said softly. “open it... please.” 

you watched as fyodor slipped his gloves off before unclasping the small velvet box. you didn’t intend to buy him a gift when you were out in town to fit the dress for your party. but the brooch you came across with the deep violet amethyst in the center was hard for you to leave behind.

“how beautiful,” fyodor mused, holding the brooch up in the light with his fingers.

“it.... reminds me of your eyes,” you smiled. 

“oh? and wouldn’t it make more sense for you to keep it for yourself then?” fyodor glanced at you. 

“i-” you stammered, realizing the implications of what you just said only for fyodor to chuckle.

“i’m teasing, of course. thank you for the gift, my lady,” he smiled down at the brooch in his hands. “i’ll treasure it forever.”

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finally, the night of your eighteenth birthday came around. as per tradition, your family threw a party in the hall of your estate and invited esteemed guests from all over the county. in your brand new dress and hair all done up, you were of course the center of attention. young men, potential suitors, all waited for their turn to dance with you. but to you, only one pair of eyes mattered. 

“fyodor,” you smiled, walking up to him in a corner of the dance hall, slightly breathless from the previous dance you had just finished. “you came.”

and he looked much different than he usually did. you had never seen fyodor dressed in anything other than a pair of simple breeches and a shirt so the sight of him now, in a handsome white suit with silver buttons that matched his gloves, was something you were quickly committing to memory. 

“you’re surprised,” he raised his eyebrows in an amused expression. “i know i may not like events like these but, i wouldn’t miss your birthday for the world, my lady.” you smiled broadly when you saw amethyst brooch you gave him pinned to his collar.

fyodor followed your gaze and touched the brooch lightly with a finger. “does it suit me?”

“it does. you wear it well,” you nodded, feeling a pang of sadness remembering that fyodor was going to leave tomorrow. but, all of a sudden, your thoughts were interrupted when he stepped over to your side and offered his hand.

“i’m afraid i have nothing to give you for your birthday--”

“fyodor, it’s alright, you’ve--”

“however, can i at least offer a dance?” he asked, smiling down at you. 

a dance? you swallowed as you stared at his hand. “can i make a request?” you asked.

“of course.”

“can you... take your gloves off?” you finally said. fyodor was protective of his hands and fingers, especially with his profession, and only removed them when he was playing or eating meals. in those three years of knowing him, you wondered how it would feel like to actually hold his hand. 

and to your surprise, he obliged, slipping the gloves off his hands and tucking them in his pocket. then, he grasped your hand in his. fyodor’s hand was cold, but not unpleasantly so, and despite how fragile they looked his fingers were quite strong wrapped around yours. he ran his thumb gently across your knuckles. 

“better?”

in this hall of guests, he was the only one who mattered to you. you smiled and nodded your head before fyodor led you to the center of the dance hall. there were whispers from your guests, some even tried to draw nearer by dancing nearby. but when the live orchestra stopped and began to play a new piece perfect for waltzing, that no longer mattered. not when fyodor pulled you close and placed a hand on your back.

“i... didn’t peg you as much of a dancer, fyodor,” you said, making conversation as you two danced.

“i may have picked up the skill from watching people,” fyodor hummed. “besides, it’s not too different from playing music. all you have to remember is keep time, and...” with a smirk he suddenly let go of your waist and stepped back. if you hadn’t spent most of your life learning different social dances, you would have missed the cue completely. instead, you twirled expertly and returned to his arms.

“...add a little variation,” he finished, returning his hand to your back. “and might i say, very impressive, my lady.”

“you’re always full of surprises, fyodor,” you smiled.

“i guess i’ll have to find even more ways to be... unexpected.”

“i wish...” you smiled sadly. “but, when you meet new people after you leave tomorrow, i’m sure you’ll find a way to surprise them.”

“ah, that’s true,” fyodor said. he ran his thumb lightly over your knuckles again. “and... i’m sure you’ll continue to flourish with playing the cello even without my guidance.”

“but it won’t be the same,” you said softly, gazing up at the man you’ve adored for so long. your chest hurt so much with knowing that you were going to wake up tomorrow and return to the practice room to find that fyodor was no longer there, making himself a cup of tea while waiting for you to arrive. that you would never see that beautiful sight of him playing the cello again.

the music slowed to a stop and so did you and fyodor. still, you wouldn’t let go of his hand. “when you leave...” you said somberly, lifting a hand to rest it against the side of his jaw. fyodor’s expression was unreadable but you continued nonetheless. “please don’t forget me. even if you just remember me as a girl you once taught the cello to, please don’t forget me.”

fyodor opened his mouth as if to say something only for you both to be interrupted by fitzgerald, of all people, appearing beside you.

“my lady, you look absolutely breathtaking today. i could barely keep my eyes off of you as you danced,” he exclaimed. “and sir... cello instructor. you move pretty well for a musician.”

“thank you,” fyodor said stiffly, his eyes still on you.

“now, i believe it’s my turn to have a dance,” fitzgerald said, smiling down at you. “it is common courtesy to dance with all your suitors, is it not?”

“of course,” you nodded, finally letting go of fyodor’s hand. that shook him out of his reverie and fyodor quickly put his gloves back on.

“if you’ll excuse me, my lady,” he bowed and stepped back. you squeezed your eyes shut for a second and let yourself be led back to the middle of the dance hall by another man. 

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fyodor was excellent at suppressing his emotions, but even he found it difficult not to look on with distaste as he watched fitzgerald pull you closer to him in the middle of the dance floor. “how uncouth,” he muttered under his breath before his eyes drifted to the sorrowful look on your face and then another thought entered fyodor’s mind.

“even if you just remember me as a girl you once taught the cello to, please don’t forget me.”

maybe three years ago, when fyodor just saw you as his student and a way for him to earn income, he would do just that. but now, how could he? how could he when you looked at him with such unparalleled adoration? how could he when you were the only one who could arise a chuckle from him with your shared smiles and secrets? how could he when he knew you were the happiest during your cello lessons with him? how could he when he lay awake at night, thinking about the way the warmth in your hands seeped into his despite his gloves on?

how could fyodor let someone else have you? how could he allow himself to only keep an amethyst brooch and a memory of the girl who gave it to him?

after the dance, you were brought to the front of the hall with a chair and your cello all ready and laid out before the crowd of guests. fyodor made sure he was at the very front of the crowd, directly in front of you. he could see the way your hands trembled as you picked up your bow and lay the neck of the cello against your shoulder. your eyes met his and fyodor smiled encouragingly with a nod of his head. you paused with your fingers on the strings before closing your eyes and playing the first note.

instantly, fyodor knew you weren’t playing the piece you had practiced for, the haydn cello concerto that he had chosen. but he recognized this piece: ‘le cygne’, the thirteenth movement from saint-saen’s famous musical suite. a piece that perfectly encapsulated the image of a dying swan. it was the piece that fyodor had performed for your birthday, many years ago.

he didn’t even know you had learned this piece. his eyes were wide open as he watched your head sway slightly with the music and the movement of your arm, nailing each crescendo. at the same time, fyodor knew playing the piece perfectly was the least of your concern, that you’ve now transcended into playing the cello as a way of giving music. 

and fyodor knew that it was all for him. that this was your goodbye.

the three minutes of your performance passed by all-too quickly and fyodor felt himself in a daze when the round of toasts began. even more so when the intentions behind this birthday party was revealed. it was your debut, a way for your family to show that you were eligible now for marriage. and fyodor had an idea of who was going to snatch you away at the first chance.

he had to do something.

he knew exactly where to find you after the party ended: sitting by the fountain in the garden. you were still in your dress but with your hair down and the same forlorn expression on your face. you didn’t even notice when fyodor sat down beside you.

“you played beautifully, my lady,” he said, laying a hand on top of yours. at that, you looked up at him.

“you noticed.”

“how could i not?”

“i think... i’ve loved you since the day i met you,” you said softly. fyodor knew you must have abandoned all hope to say this now. but hearing this from you ignited its own feelings inside him. “you must think i’m stupid.”

“i don’t,” fyodor shook his head, taking your chin with his hands. he admired how your eyes widened and your lips trembled at the sheer closeness of your faces. “how would you feel if i told you that i hate seeing you in the arms of someone else?”

“so, you... do you...” you couldn’t seem to find your words and fyodor chuckled.

“the only thing i’ve ever loved so far was the cello and music,” he mused. “and, i think i’m falling for something new.”

“so, what will we do?” you whispered. fyodor smirked.

“are you ready to throw away your life for me?”

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fyodor marveled at how easily you two were able to stage a suicide. all it took were torn fragments of your dress, your shoes left at the banks of a lake, a few scattered rumors, and weeks on end of waiting and waiting. you were born into the high life but fyodor admired how much you were committed to leaving this world behind with him. while your family organized search parties, you were hidden in the upper floor of an inn, visited only by fyodor himself.

he left right after the funeral on a boat headed far, far away, with what appeared to be a young boy beside him. your hair was uncomfortably tucked into a cap and the breeches you wore itched terribly, but you’ve never been happier with your hand held tightly in fyodor’s.

later that night, in the privacy of your cabin, you were allowed to let your hair down and wear one of the few, simple dresses you had packed. fyodor’s gloves were off, his one hand behind your back and the other clasping your right. there were contented smiles on both of your faces as you danced a slow waltz to the music only you two could here. 

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music pegs:

le cygne (the swan) -  by camille saint-saens, the 13th movement from ‘the carnival of the animals’

taglist (check out my post for details on being part of my taglist): @waitforitillwritemywayout @atsumu-brainrot​ @laure-chan @goodfoodxoxoxo  @ah-kaashi​ @guardianangelswings

[choralmusicghana]

What Were Musicians Doing During Lockdown?

Among the most startling changes the outbreak of COVID-19 in Ghana brought, the city-wide lockdowns were among the most dramatic. For most of us in the music space, the government-enforced stay-at-home orders and restrictions on social gatherings meant a temporary loss of income, vital connections, and excess time on our hands.

While being stuck at home took its toll on nearly everyone, it presented a rare opportunity to do things differently, try our hands at new skills, and engage with those we love in exciting, unconventional ways.

We spoke to some of your favourite musicians to find out what they made of their time at home.

Bernard Odai

Cellist at National Symphony Orchestra, Cellist with Musicians without Borders

Every musician fears a time when gigs would not be available. My worst fear was becoming a reality when the president put a ban on social gatherings which saw imminent gigs canceled.

As if that wasn’t enough, the lockdown was instituted and I was to stay home since, by definition, I am not a frontline worker.

I resorted to working online by registering with a website called Fiverr which helps and manages freelancing. I registered as a freelance cellist where I played a lot of pieces composed by people outside our borders. I created my own personal studio in my home with a phone, my laptop, cello, and headset. As ridiculous as it may sound, it worked! Some of these jobs included playing sections of songs to be mastered in studios and the pay was handsome.

I also continued my cello lessons with Dr. Sally Singer who came to Ghana last year for some performances and a masterclass. She gave me exercises that kept me busy throughout the lockdown and it improved my technique as a cello player.

Being a member of the National Symphony Orchestra, we were tasked to practice Beethoven’s symphony no. 5 which is to be performed later this year. This piece was really a challenge for me since the cello has major roles to play in the 2nd and 3rd movements.

For me, the lockdown, contrary to my fears, served as a retreat from daily rounds to make myself better. I can testify that I have improved as a cellist

Moses Torto

Tenor Soloist, Music Youtuber, tenor singer with Harmonious Chorale Ghana

Getting time as a musician to work on your art is one of the most difficult things to do. It takes a high form of work discipline to push some time in one’s busy schedule. 

As much as this pandemic is causing a lot of havoc, it has given artists much time to work on themselves.

I used this opportunity to work on my vocal art. I learned more tenor arias to enrich my repertoire. I also started taking some lessons on the piano which I almost gave up on at a point in time. 

I started making comedy skits relating to classical music and other relatable topics based on the genre. I went crazy for a minute and turned into King of the Night smacking my cloned self with a slipper. 

My most prized possession is the New YouTube Channel I created for my Brand Called Team Tenor which introduces beginners to classical music in a more fun and entertaining way. We never stop learning so that advanced musicians can also watch for fun.

Rita Fafali Nkonu

Music Director and Organist at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Tarkwa Brenuakyinim

Assuming the role of a music director and a keyboardist in my church comes with the responsibility of attending choir rehearsals and playing at Sunday masses and some weekdays. I sometimes get external gigs from church choirs and choral groups to play at church services, weddings, and funerals. I am also a keyboard teacher.

These aspects of my life as a musician integrates with my normal day to day activities and other aspects of life. 

However, during the lockdown, all these tasks ceased. Initially worried about the boredom it would bring, I realized it was the best opportunity for me to upgrade myself as a musician. I grabbed that opportunity. 

I was able to learn some new chord structures; the use of the blues scale for jazz and hymn variations. This helped me to come up with a contemporary style intro of  "Adom ne ahumobro" which was posted on the Triumph Symphony Facebook page. l practiced playing of scales with the right technique to improve my fingering and speed in playing the keyboard. I learned new pieces and revisited those I had learned before. All these were included in an increase in practice time to 3 hours a day. This however made me pay more attention to details of effective performance. I had to practice better posture, exceptional stage performance, and good conducting techniques.

Having more time on my hands helped me transcribe some pieces from the staff to solfa notation to speed up teaching when my choir resumes rehearsals. 

It was time to embrace making appearances on social media: thus shooting videos of either myself performing alone or with a group. Some of the pieces included "the trumpet shall sound" by Handel,  “Voi che sapete by Mozart”, “Adom ne ahumobro” by Newlove Annan, and some others. 

Again, I accompanied our priest to the radio station where we had a mass on-air which was streamed live on Facebook. I employed all the skills I had learned early on while singing and playing the keyboard. 

Finally, I worked on my few compositions and composed additional pieces which I hope to premiere before the year ends. I believe I have been refined after having more time to learn my trade.

Samuel Teitey Ninyeh

final year marketing student at the University of Ghana, Legon, Keyboard accompanist at VocalEssence Chorale, sound engineer at Prof Music Production (PMP)

The lockdown journey began basically with online lectures which included submission of lots of assignments. But that did not deter me from engaging in musical activities. I hosted Facebook live sessions where I played some Presbyterian hymns on Sundays. 

Aside that, I started rearranging some of our Ghanaian choral songs in classical style. Some of the works I rearranged were Yesu din and Basel mission( both songs by Osei Boateng). I also rearranged James Varrick Armaah's Hosanna which surprisingly trended on Social Media. 

I had a collaboration with one of Ghana's finest clarinetists, Daniel Kyei. We performed some pieces together. I recorded some choral songs and Presbyterian hymns with Caleb Nii Sowah Nsakie (a singer and a hornist of The National Symphony Orchestra). All these activities were solely aimed to bless and entertain everyone in the choral music fraternity. 

Last but not least, I took a few lessons on sound engineering in order to better my knowledge and skills in that area.

Sebastien Dakey

Keyboard accompanist at Tema Youth Choir

The transition into quarantine season was spontaneous and brought so many uncertainties. For someone like me who is mostly out of the house, the thought of staying in the house indefinitely was frustrating. 

Nonetheless, I can’t deny that I had more time on me this time around. What better way to make the most that time than growing my craft. Over the past 15 years, I have played, taught, and on very rare occasions conducted. My choirmaster at church has always encouraged me to go into music composition. The lockdown offered a great opportunity to explore this new area. 

Although I could rely on my years of experience as a keyboardist to write my own songs, I decided to be conservativeby arranging popular pieces to test the waters. My first arrangement “Sunsum Cantata” was a huge success. This gave me the confidence to pursue another arrangement, “Onnso Nyame Ye”. This was another success. 

The success of these arrangements has proven that I have a potential in the composition space. Even more rewarding were the mistakes I made along the way, which taught me a lot. These humble beginnings will be an invaluable memory I will hold on to some years to come. Should I say the lockdown was good? Well, I guess the whole point is that it is important to make the most of your situation. 

In the coming days, I look forward to learning new classical pieces to keep my fingers active.

The government has since eased restrictions on public gatherings and other activities since those early weeks of the outbreak. Gradually life has returned to “normal”, and many of us who were forced to sit at home can now venture out to do the things we love best: make music.

We’d love to know how you fared during the months of nation-wide restrictions, and especially when the major urban areas were under lockdown. How challenging was it? What did you learn? We’d love to hear your inspiring stories!

[learnspanishfans]

The Catalan Language: How to Learn Catalan Quickly

The Catalan language may have a small global footprint with approximately 10 million speakers. But when you learn this language, a whole new world opens up to you. First, you’ll be introduced to some beautiful places. The majority of Catalan speakers are found in Catalunya (often referred to as “Catalonia” in English), in the northeastern corner of Spain, a place where you can both laze on idyllic beaches and climb dramatic mountains. Catalan is also spoken in the Mediterranean paradises of the Balearic Islands and the city of Alghero in Sardinia, Italy. A variant is also spoken in Valencia, Spain, home of the world-famous paella. There are Catalan speakers in southern France along the border with Catalunya. Catalan is also the national language of Andorra, a tiny country tucked high into the breathtaking Pyrenees mountains. [caption id="attachment_20121" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Winter hiking in the Catalan Pyrenees. Photo credit: Lisa Hoashi.[/caption] When you learn the Catalan language you get greater access to the Pyrenees – full of climbing, trekking, paragliding and skiing routes – as well as to magnificent Mediterranean islands and beaches, lovely countryside, and vibrant cities. You’ll be able to fully appreciate many historic sites leftover from the Greeks, Romans, Moors, and the many other peoples who invaded these historically sought-after lands. [caption id="attachment_20123" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Platja del Port Peregrí in Calella de Palafrugell on the Costa Brava. Photo credit: Andrea Ciambra[/caption] You’ll meet some great people, get to know their rich cultural history, and desirable way of life. Famous Catalans include artists Salvador Dalí and Joan Miró, cellist Pablo Casals, architect Antoni Gaudí, and chef Ferran Adrià. [caption id="attachment_20124" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Game of Thrones, season six, filmed on these steps leading to the Cathedral of Girona, Spain. Photo credit: Georges Jansoone[/caption] The gorgeous, friendly and culturally vibrant seaside city of Barcelona is the capital of Catalunya. It has great architecture, fabulous restaurants and lively festivals, such as La Mercè, a city-wide, multi-day party every September featuring free cultural and music events. Catalans are known for their delicious Mediterranean cuisine. (Many say that in Spain, their only rival in regional cuisine are the Basques). The recipes are simple; what makes them so outstanding are the tasty and fresh ingredients, including delectable olive oil, seafood, tomatoes, cheeses and charcuterie. The wine and cava (Catalan sparkling wine) also excellent – and very affordable. This is a place to savour your food and drink in the sunshine. Finally, they have an awesome soccer team. Lionel Messi might be from Argentina but he plays for Barça! [caption id="attachment_20125" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Lionel Messi of Barcelona against Osasuna. Photo credit: Jeroen Bennink.[/caption]

Learning the Catalan Language is (kind of) Revolutionary

If you’re going to learn Catalan, there is some important cultural and political background that you should know. First, Catalunya is officially considered an “autonomous community” within Spain. It has its own government which includes, for example, its own president, parliament and police force. This democratic political set-up has been in place since 1978, three years after Spanish dictator Francisco Franco died. A couple of important notes about this: First, the Catalan language was banned when Franco was in power. Franco enforced the use of Spanish in its place. During this 36-year period, Catalan went largely underground. School was conducted entirely in Spanish. Many Catalans continued speaking the language in the privacy and safety of their own homes but it disappeared from the public arena. Today – in most parts of Catalunya outside Barcelona – you’ll find that most people speak exclusively Catalan. The older generations, those raised during Franco’s dictatorship, can produce a rusty Spanish if needed, but they generally prefer to speak Catalan. Some elderly also don’t know how to write Catalan very well since they never learned it in school. After democracy and the autonomous Catalan government (known as the Generalitat de Catalunya) was restored in 1978, the Catalan language reemerged in the public arena once again, in full force. Seen as a key element of Catalunya’s national patrimony, Catalan is promoted by special funding and initiatives of the Generalitat de Catalunya (some of which especially benefit Catalan learners - see the resources section below). Second, there is a strong independence movement in Catalunya. Most recently, the Catalan government announced a referendum in November of 2014 to see if the majority of the population wanted to split from Spain. When the Spanish government declared the referendum “unconstitutional,” Catalan president Artur Mas went forward with it anyway, even though the results would be “non-binding.” In that referendum, 81 percent voted for independence, though voter turnout was only 42 percent. Depending where you visit, you will find some people highly opposed to breaking from Spain and others staunchly in favour. Where I live, a rural town in the centre of Catalunya, it seems like the majority of people are pro-independence. (Our mayor was recently arrested after she refused to take down the Catalan independence flag on City Hall during elections!). Speaking purely Catalan and participating in Catalan cultural activities – such as castells (building human towers) – are seen as pro-independence actions in places like these. [caption id="attachment_20126" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Castells is the making of human towers, a purely Catalan phenomenon. Photo credit: Escuraxemeneies.[/caption]

Why Catalan is Easy and Fun to Learn

Catalan is not difficult to learn – especially if you already speak another Romance language. Many people think Catalan is a dialect of Spanish and that’s not true at all. It’s as different from Spanish as is Portuguese or Italian. Like these languages, it did come originally from Latin. So there are many similarities. When it comes to vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar, Catalan actually has more in common with French than Spanish. That being said, however, many people – like me – come to Catalan by way of wanting to learn Spanish. I know I am not the first person to land on Barcelona’s sunny shores ignorantly expecting to practise my Spanish – only to learn that the dominant language here is Catalan. Like many people who visit Catalunya, I fell in love with the culture and lifestyle and end up staying. (In my case, I literally fell in love with a Catalan farmer, and married him!) Spanish is my strongest second language. Japanese is the language of my father’s family, so I also grew up exposed to it. I’ve taken beginner courses in Japanese, French, and Arabic. I know, especially from trying to learn Arabic, that when picking up a new language it helps to link new vocabulary and grammar rules with what you already know. Arabic was very difficult because I felt like I had nothing to “hook” the words to in my brain – no similarities or associations to help me remember. By contrast – thanks to having lots of Spanish and a little French, I had plenty of “hooks” for Catalan. It was very “sticky” – plus I really like the way Catalan sounds. It’s not as musically effusive as Spanish. It’s more emphatic like French. There are plenty of examples of verbs that are the similar or the same in Spanish and Catalan, and in French and Catalan. Here are a few for Spanish:

Acabar – to end, to finish

Cantar – to sing

Caminar – to walk

Estar – to be

Poder – to be able to

Saber – to know

Ser – to be

Yet the verb conjugations are quite different. See with example of the verb “acabar”: And here are some of the similar verbs between French and Catalan: See how many similarities you’ll find if you speak another Romance language? Easy!

How Catalan Pronunciation is Similar to Spanish

Before we dive into the unique letters and sounds found in Catalan, it’s worth mentioning a few that you’ll already know if you speak Spanish.

The Rolled “R”

Like the Spanish, the Catalans roll their r’s.

The Sounds of “V” and “B”

In Catalan, as in Spanish, the sound of the letters “V” and “B” are the same.

“Ñ” Becomes “YA”

Catalan doesn’t use the letter “ñ” – instead they spell out the sound phonetically as “nya”. For example, Catalans would spell their home, “Catalunya” – whereas the Spanish would spell it as “Cataluña”. Another example: The word “to accompany” in Spanish is acompañar, whereas in Catalan it’s acompanyar.

Unique Letters and Sounds in Catalan Pronunciation

Maybe because I’m a writer and avid reader, I enjoy learning how to spell words in a new language. I love how Catalan introduced me to some totally new combinations of letters and sounds.

Pronouncing “X” as “CH”

My favorite by far is the Catalan “x” which is pronounced as “ch”. For example, the word for “lamb” – xai – is pronounced just like that spicy Indian tea drink: “chai”. Bet you can guess what this is: xocolata. That’s right, it’s chocolate. And here are two proper nouns: Xile and Xina. Have you figured them out? You got it: Chile and China.

“G” can also make a “CH” Sound

The “ch” sound is very common in Catalan. The “g” can also make this sound (or something very, very similar). For example, you may have at some point run across this common Catalan surname: Puig. An English speaker might take a stab at this one as “Poog”. But to pronounce it correctly in Catalan it instead has a real bite: “poot-CH” with the “CH” extremely curt at the end. Another common “g” word is vaig which means “I go.” The pronunciation is something like, “baa-CH”.

The Cedilla “Ç”

The “C” with the cedilla (the little tail underneath the “c”) is a Latin script letter that is pronounced in Catalan as a hissing “s” (as in “snake”). For example, the verb “to begin” is començar, pronounced “comenssar.” Or, take the word for “effort”, which is esforç. That’s pronounced “esforss.” This letter doesn’t occur very often in Catalan.

“LL” - a Challenging Sound to Learn

The unique sound of the “ll” is very challenging to learn – and it’s common in Catalan! First, do not assume this will make the same sound as in Spanish. It’s quite different. In Spanish, the “ll” basically makes a “ya” sound. Me llamo = “may yamo.” However, in Catalan, the “ll” makes more of a “yeuh” sound. For example, the word for “language” is llengua and is pronounced as “yeuhng-wa.” To make the correct sound of the “ll,” you must learn a whole new way of using your mouth: You have to flatten the front of your tongue and push it against the back of your top teeth to produce it. It’s really difficult! And the worst part is that Catalans often don’t understand what word you’re getting at unless you make this sound correctly. If it makes you feel any better, some of my Catalan friends say that they had to practise making this sound over and over when they were kids. One even suggested sticking the tip of a pencil vertically inside my front teeth to properly train my tongue (Hey, that kind of works!).

“NY” - Another Challenging Sound

This is also a very common letter combination and quite difficult, especially maybe for visual learners (like me) who see “ny” at the end of a word and want to pronounce it “nee”. The “ny” sound essentially is the same as a Spanish “ñ” – but without a vowel following. If this doesn’t make any sense to you, you’re not alone. In Spanish, an ñ is always accompanied by a vowel afterward, such as in mañana (man-ya-na) or baño (ban-yo). Now try to say baño but without the “o” at the end. That’s how you say bany in Catalan, which also means “bath.” Did that totally stump your brain? Yeah, me too. I’m still trying to figure out this sound. The blank looks that I get when I say any (“year”) or lluny (“far” – which has the added fun of the LL too) assure me that I still have some more practising to do.

Catalan Resources: Free Online Courses for Learning Catalan

With the movement afoot to encourage more Catalan usage and speakers, you can benefit from some really great resources in learning the language – especially from the Generalitat de Catalunya. The best is Parla.Cat, which offers free online Catalan courses developed by the Generalitat de Catalunya. You can sign up to use this website from anywhere in the world (my mom signed up in Portland, Oregon) and choose to either have a self-guided course or a hire a tutor additionally for a nominal fee. The website’s design and functionality feels a little dated, but the materials and lesson plans are top-notch. Catalan is also an option on Duolingo, although only if you have the website language set to Spanish. That means that if your native language is English – you get a double workout in the tutorials, translating Spanish to Catalan and vice versa.

Catalan Language Courses: Low-Cost Classes for Learning Catalan

If you are able to actually spend some time in Catalunya (Hello, Barcelona!), you can also take advantage of highly subsidized in-person classes offered by the Consorci per a la Normalització Lingüística. Most medium-sized or larger towns in Catalunya offer these high-quality classes. In my town of approximately 20,000 people for example, I was able to take three levels of beginner courses. A course generally lasts three months, meets twice a week for two and a half hours, and costs under €15 for the entire semester. What a bargain! These classes are an interesting sociological immersion as well, where you will meet fellow immigrants to Catalunya. In my classes there were people from other parts of Spain, China, Morocco, Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Venezuela.

How to Practise Catalan with Native Speakers

Catalans are accustomed to foreigners speaking Spanish or English, so if you strike up a conversation in Catalan, they will likely be both surprised and pleased. Many people in Catalunya are also eager to learn English, so you should have no problem finding partners for language exchanges in person, or through websites such as italki.

Begin Your Catalan Adventure

Are you learning Catalan? I’d love to know your reasons for doing so - and any challenges you’ve faced. Tell me more in the comments. Continue your adventures into català, and you’re sure to meet many wonderful new friends along the way.

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