Eva
Actually I only work at texthouse to kill time between all my various bouts of choir practice. But fortunately we have lots of fun here together, so that even in times of stress (which anyway happens only very, very rarely) there's always time for a laugh. Though my divine husband does occasionally wonder that we get paid for this as well.
Jochen
What do I get up to when I'm not at texthouse? I play cello, preferably in a piano trio. Or teach nine more or less gifted pupils how to do it. And I play the bass. Funk rock. Or, a fanatical online gamer, am busy saving the world. And I paint small model-railway engines in such a way that it makes them look awfully old, but my two children are already so big that this doesn't worry them unduly.
Geertje
I spend most of my spare time running, singing and/or reading. I'm a fan of Kermit the Frog, like tomato juice at and below 30,000 feet and would love to see penguins in the wild one day. I never go travelling without my Opinel carbon-steel pocket knife, my 3D pentomino and my hiking boots.
Rapha
When I was small – which means very much smaller than now (5 foot 7) – I wanted to be a professional footballer. But instead of shin-pads I was given a violin. And that's how I started off making music. This was followed up with other instruments like the guitar, mandolin, mandola, banjo, ukulele and electric bass, as well as regularly playing in any and every style, with the result that I'm now at home in all forms of music – even if it's a bit too atonal at times (listen to Titanic!).
Jens
When I'm not at texthouse, I carry microphones, cables and other devices into churches and clubs to record music. While other people get all starry-eyed at the sight of a sports car or an old book, I'm mesmerized by high-quality microphones – so a hobby has turned into business. Apart from that, I'm interested in everything to do with music and media, even in issues of copyright…
Eva Z.
When not kneading texts into shape at texthouse or giving papers on Handel and his contemporaries at international conferences, I exercise my bass viol or sing my way (choirwise) from the Baroque repertory to jazz. And, if any surplus energy remains (it always does, strangely enough), I recharge my batteries with Lindy Hop and Balboa, two original swing dances from the '30s and '40s.
Sören
My involvement with music stretches as far as frequently listening to it (preferably jazz), sometimes playing it (piano), and occasionally writing reviews about it. That apart, I busy myself with texts which, admittedly, very often have to do with music. But also with left-leaning goldfish, moody mooers and eggs on planet toast. And since the advent of audio books, I only read what I get paid to read, thereby contributing in my small way to the decline of western culture. My holidays I spend on the Seychelles. But only mentally, because reality's too expensive and, anyway, thanks to global warming, my balcony's now tropical enough. My favourite sport is one which requires the minimum of effort. Here, I'm still looking around and any suggestions are most welcome.
Annette
The hours spent at texthouse are almost recreation time for me – since my favourite pastime (aka my son Lukas) usually runs riot inside the house as well as in our garden and on various playgrounds. I love Prague and Venice, but watching the night sky in Kodachrome Basin State Park takes my breath away. I play piano and have directed a choir – and now know from experience: torturing singers is fun!