Hugo Ticciati is blessed to be doing what he loves every day of his life—that is, making music. His old Italian violin takes him around the world to fantastic orchestras in gorgeous concert halls; it brings him together with the most inspiring artists to create music in beautiful festivals; and it sparks new creations from many composers. In his teaching Hugo explores ways to apply the physical and spiritual aspects of mindfulness to the art of practising, playing and living in music. One of the highlights of the past year was a two-week stay in an ashram at the foot of the Himalayas where he chanted by morning, meditated and swept the floors by day and in the evenings sat crossed-legged by a fire, playing Bach to barefooted monks. His musical tastes have swung dramatically during the year from contemplative Indian ragas to the megalomaniac rock-band Muse (played at high volumes) to the songs of Richard Strauss (played even louder). Hugo still lives in the blissful state of mobilephonelessness. His staple reading is the Bhagavad Gita but he has recently been captivated by the work of the French philosopher Henri Bergson. Arvo Pärt wrote, ‘Hugo has a rare ability to convey a profound understanding of the music and shed light on its spiritual intent.’