Wednesday, March 7, 2007
The quest for perfection
How many times have you practiced a piece perfectly, only to lose it on stage? This morning on WBEZ-FM public radio, Nathan Gunn, the famous baritone, said that a conductor helped him think differently about his disappointment with a less than "perfect" performance. The conductor said that the purpose of practice is perfection, but the purpose of performance is communication with the audience. Think about it!
The Triada Music Festival
Summer camp is a great opportunity for music students to strengthen skills and make new friends. Many offer scholarships.
Last summer, the girls of SugarStrings attended the Triada Music Festival (http://www.triadamusicfestival.org/) in Ludlow, Vermont, for a month of rigorous instruction, practice, performance (solo and chamber), master classes, and making new friends. Thanks to the rigor of the curriculum and the amazing instructors and performers, the girls made great strides in their skills and performance.
Cellist Mara McClain, one of the founders of Triada, offers the following thoughts about the Triada experience. Think about it as you're deciding on the right camp for your student. (Application deadline: April 1, 2007)
-------------------------
Triada Music Festival was founded in 2006 by Marko Dreher, Avi Friedlander, and myself. As young musicians starting out in our professional lives we desperately wanted to be able to spread our energy, enthusiasm and love of playing to young students. We wanted to create a supportive and educational environment for our own students and invite others to join us. With the help of our guest faculty and artists, our hope is to motivate them to succeed to even higher levels than they have already achieved. More importantly, we encourage them to not lose sight of the joy that comes from collaborating with their peers in chamber groups as well as the hard work they do in their own personal practice.
The importance and benefit of participating in a summer music festival is immeasurable. It is very difficult to recreate the intensity of study and focus a festival can inspire. The school year is filled with homework, after school activities and many other distractions. In the beautiful setting of Okemo Mountain, Vermont, we invite our 30 students, of all ages, to be inspired by their surroundings, their peers and their teachers.
Along with our resident faculty, the following world class guest faculty and guest perfomers will join us throughout the summer to provide chamber and solo recitals, master classes, chamber coachings, and private lessons. These guest teachers, orchestral musicians and chamber musicians are from some of the finest conservatories, universities, and symphonies in the world:
~Roland and Almita Vamos, violin professors, Northwestern University
~Hans Jensen, cello professor, Northwestern University
~Kenneth Olsen, assistant principal cellist, Chicago Symphony
~Deb Fayroin, former cellist, Detroit Symphony
~Benjamin Peled, violinist, Royal Concerctgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam
~David Bowlin, violin teaching assistant to Ronald Copes of the Juliard School
~Duo Diorama -- pianist Winston Choi, acting professor, Oberlin Conservatory, and violinist Minghuan Xu
~Dr. Laura Talbot, violin professor, Oklahoma State University
~Dr. Nick Curry, cello professor, University of South Dakota
~Dovid Friedlander, associate concertmaster, North Carolina Symphony
~Dmitry Kustonovich, violist, Fort Worth Symphony
Faculty and guests are integrated into the daily lives of the students both musically and socially. The interaction between the students and teachers during lessons and master classes as well as at meal times and during school outings is highly effective in creating the tight knit, supportive family atmosphere we strive to create.
To apply, students must submit an application by April 1, 2007. Scholarship assistance is available, but is limited. Go to http://www.triadamusicfestival.org/ for details.
Last summer, the girls of SugarStrings attended the Triada Music Festival (http://www.triadamusicfestival.org/) in Ludlow, Vermont, for a month of rigorous instruction, practice, performance (solo and chamber), master classes, and making new friends. Thanks to the rigor of the curriculum and the amazing instructors and performers, the girls made great strides in their skills and performance.
Cellist Mara McClain, one of the founders of Triada, offers the following thoughts about the Triada experience. Think about it as you're deciding on the right camp for your student. (Application deadline: April 1, 2007)
-------------------------
Triada Music Festival was founded in 2006 by Marko Dreher, Avi Friedlander, and myself. As young musicians starting out in our professional lives we desperately wanted to be able to spread our energy, enthusiasm and love of playing to young students. We wanted to create a supportive and educational environment for our own students and invite others to join us. With the help of our guest faculty and artists, our hope is to motivate them to succeed to even higher levels than they have already achieved. More importantly, we encourage them to not lose sight of the joy that comes from collaborating with their peers in chamber groups as well as the hard work they do in their own personal practice.The importance and benefit of participating in a summer music festival is immeasurable. It is very difficult to recreate the intensity of study and focus a festival can inspire. The school year is filled with homework, after school activities and many other distractions. In the beautiful setting of Okemo Mountain, Vermont, we invite our 30 students, of all ages, to be inspired by their surroundings, their peers and their teachers.
Along with our resident faculty, the following world class guest faculty and guest perfomers will join us throughout the summer to provide chamber and solo recitals, master classes, chamber coachings, and private lessons. These guest teachers, orchestral musicians and chamber musicians are from some of the finest conservatories, universities, and symphonies in the world:
~Roland and Almita Vamos, violin professors, Northwestern University
~Hans Jensen, cello professor, Northwestern University
~Kenneth Olsen, assistant principal cellist, Chicago Symphony
~Deb Fayroin, former cellist, Detroit Symphony
~Benjamin Peled, violinist, Royal Concerctgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam
~David Bowlin, violin teaching assistant to Ronald Copes of the Juliard School
~Duo Diorama -- pianist Winston Choi, acting professor, Oberlin Conservatory, and violinist Minghuan Xu
~Dr. Laura Talbot, violin professor, Oklahoma State University
~Dr. Nick Curry, cello professor, University of South Dakota
~Dovid Friedlander, associate concertmaster, North Carolina Symphony
~Dmitry Kustonovich, violist, Fort Worth Symphony
Faculty and guests are integrated into the daily lives of the students both musically and socially. The interaction between the students and teachers during lessons and master classes as well as at meal times and during school outings is highly effective in creating the tight knit, supportive family atmosphere we strive to create.
To apply, students must submit an application by April 1, 2007. Scholarship assistance is available, but is limited. Go to http://www.triadamusicfestival.org/ for details.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Myrtle who?
Our friend and harpist extraordinaire, Rashida Naomi Black, has launched a new site for musicians called the Myrtle Hart Society (MyrtleHart.org). MHS is "an Internet-based music research and educational resource committed to illuminating the historical and contemporary accomplishments of classical musicians of color."
So who's Myrtle Hart?
Born into a family of musicians in 1878, Myrtle Hart was possibly the only African American musician to play the harp during that time. At the age of 15, Myrtle was asked to perform in the British Exhibit at Chicago's World Fair in 1893. A local paper said she was "the only Black to play harp." Today's black harpists owe much to the legacy of this amazing woman.
So who's Myrtle Hart?
Born into a family of musicians in 1878, Myrtle Hart was possibly the only African American musician to play the harp during that time. At the age of 15, Myrtle was asked to perform in the British Exhibit at Chicago's World Fair in 1893. A local paper said she was "the only Black to play harp." Today's black harpists owe much to the legacy of this amazing woman.
Help with chords
Even the best musicians need help with chords from time to time. If you don't know all your chords, check out these handy sites:
HotFrets.com
MedianMusic
PianoChordFinder.org
DanMan's Picture Chords
HotFrets.com
MedianMusic
PianoChordFinder.org
DanMan's Picture Chords
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Importance of fingering
When I studied piano as a child, I never understood why my teacher, Mr. Barnes, would spend so much time writing down the fingering I should use on my pieces and technical exercises. I mean, what was the big deal? Why couldn't you just read the notes and then play 'em?
Mr. Barnes would painstakingly write down the little numbers over the notes then tell me to get off the piano bench so he could test it out. He might change a sequence or two, and then he'd test it again.
In this way, he'd work out the fingering that I would use to learn my pieces. Sometimes, in subsequent lessons, he made adjustments to fingering if he saw that I was having difficulties. Every once in awhile he'd let me keep fingering that I intuitively figured out on my own.
Little did I realize how important fingering is to a musician's ability to perform and memorize a piece well. If you've ever tried to change the fingering of a passage that you already memorized, you might have experienced confusion and forgetfulness. Why? Because fingering and muscle memory and confidence all work together. When you change one aspect of the formula, you risk forgetting the notes.
There's a science and art to working out fingering, especially as pieces become more and more difficult. Whether you're playing a flute, a violin, or piano, fingering is fundamental. Your fingers are doing so many things at once that the last thing you need to worry about is what finger to use on what note. Remember the Bugs Bunny cartoon where he plays the piano so fast that his fingers get all tied up in knots? Probably the result of bad fingering!
Well-thought out fingering will help you learn the swampy measures. There's something about playing a difficult passage the same way, with the same fingering, over and over that nails the notes in your muscle memory.
So the next time your teacher spends a lot of time on this, be patient. It will help your playing in the long run.
Mr. Barnes would painstakingly write down the little numbers over the notes then tell me to get off the piano bench so he could test it out. He might change a sequence or two, and then he'd test it again.
In this way, he'd work out the fingering that I would use to learn my pieces. Sometimes, in subsequent lessons, he made adjustments to fingering if he saw that I was having difficulties. Every once in awhile he'd let me keep fingering that I intuitively figured out on my own.
Little did I realize how important fingering is to a musician's ability to perform and memorize a piece well. If you've ever tried to change the fingering of a passage that you already memorized, you might have experienced confusion and forgetfulness. Why? Because fingering and muscle memory and confidence all work together. When you change one aspect of the formula, you risk forgetting the notes.
There's a science and art to working out fingering, especially as pieces become more and more difficult. Whether you're playing a flute, a violin, or piano, fingering is fundamental. Your fingers are doing so many things at once that the last thing you need to worry about is what finger to use on what note. Remember the Bugs Bunny cartoon where he plays the piano so fast that his fingers get all tied up in knots? Probably the result of bad fingering!
Well-thought out fingering will help you learn the swampy measures. There's something about playing a difficult passage the same way, with the same fingering, over and over that nails the notes in your muscle memory.
So the next time your teacher spends a lot of time on this, be patient. It will help your playing in the long run.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Freebie!
Have you ever wanted to compose music? Check out Finale NotePad® 2007, free music notation software. I've used it to arrange music and got hooked! http://www.finalemusic.com/notepad/
Saturday, February 17, 2007
More than one way to bow a string!
Loved him! Violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR & The Mission) with Ayanna, Adé, and Mira after his concert at the Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. DBR makes his violin sing rock, hip hop, jazz, funk, and everything in between.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Putting the musician in the music
"Every single note on this album is there for a reason." Vanessa Carlton
Making music is different from playing notes. This is a difficult concept for students to often grasp but extremely important if you are to transform a piece from just mechanics to artistry.
Excellent technique is fundamental to making beautiful music, and dynamics can really get the ball rolling, so don't ignore those p's, ff's, <'s, etc.
As important as dynamics are, those little instructions are just the beginning to mastering a piece. Ayanna's teacher often asks her, "How would you do this phrase? How do you feel about it?" Those are some of the most courageous questions a teacher can ask a student because anything can happen (and often does). But these questions are absolutely essential for the musician to put him/herself into the music.
It also takes courage for the student to make this leap. "What if it's not right?" But if you can take a chance and play a piece the way you feel it in your heart or hear it in your head, you're going to find the fun in performance and even practice. A little bit of confidence will go a long way.
Making music is different from playing notes. This is a difficult concept for students to often grasp but extremely important if you are to transform a piece from just mechanics to artistry.
Excellent technique is fundamental to making beautiful music, and dynamics can really get the ball rolling, so don't ignore those p's, ff's, <'s, etc.
As important as dynamics are, those little instructions are just the beginning to mastering a piece. Ayanna's teacher often asks her, "How would you do this phrase? How do you feel about it?" Those are some of the most courageous questions a teacher can ask a student because anything can happen (and often does). But these questions are absolutely essential for the musician to put him/herself into the music.
It also takes courage for the student to make this leap. "What if it's not right?" But if you can take a chance and play a piece the way you feel it in your heart or hear it in your head, you're going to find the fun in performance and even practice. A little bit of confidence will go a long way.
Friday, February 9, 2007
Bach's advice
"There's nothing remarkable about it. All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself."-- Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Teach well (or else!)
This joke is making the rounds on the net:
"Haven't I seen your face before?" a judge demanded, looking down at the defendant.
"You have, Your Honor," the man answered hopefully. "I gave your son violin lessons last winter."
"Ah, yes," recalled the judge. "Twenty years!"
"Haven't I seen your face before?" a judge demanded, looking down at the defendant.
"You have, Your Honor," the man answered hopefully. "I gave your son violin lessons last winter."
"Ah, yes," recalled the judge. "Twenty years!"
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Review of Imani Winds concert
The Hyde Park Suzuki Institute and Ravinia hosted Imani Winds in concert yesterday. Although I couldn't make it, Adé was there, and here's her review.
Adé Williams
The Imani Winds concert was wonderful and fantastic. Imani Winds is an all winds quintet. There are five people in it: four ladies and one man. The man plays the tuba and the ladies play the clarinet, flute, oboe, and bassoon. My favorite two songs were their variation of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" and another song that I really liked. It was kind of a salsa dance type of song. After they played, the man told me that it looks like somebody copied my mom's face and put it on me. :) The concert was FANTASTIC!
Adé WilliamsThe Imani Winds concert was wonderful and fantastic. Imani Winds is an all winds quintet. There are five people in it: four ladies and one man. The man plays the tuba and the ladies play the clarinet, flute, oboe, and bassoon. My favorite two songs were their variation of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" and another song that I really liked. It was kind of a salsa dance type of song. After they played, the man told me that it looks like somebody copied my mom's face and put it on me. :) The concert was FANTASTIC!
Classical music for Black History Month
Richard Greene has a thorough, well researched site listing classical music recordings of black composers. It includes more than 135 composer names and more than 800 recorded works. He sent me an email, sharing the sites of other young African American ensembles. In honor of Black History Month, check them out!
Buskaid String Project
Imani Winds
Marian Anderson String Quartet
Ritz Chamber Players Society
The Young Eight
Buskaid String Project
Imani Winds
Marian Anderson String Quartet
Ritz Chamber Players Society
The Young Eight
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Bravo!
Joshua GreerOn Sunday we had the pleasure of hearing 3 rising stars in the classical music world at Ravinia's Bennett-Gordon Hall. The amazing thing is that they were 9 (Adé, violin), 13 (Clayton Penrose-Whitmore, violin), and 14 years old (Joshua Greer, viola). In a word, these young African American musicians were AWESOME! They received a standing ovation after each performed a movement of the thrilling Violin Concerto No. 4 in D Major by 18th century French-born black composer Chevalier de Meude-Monpas. I know he must be cheering in his grave.
These students practice at least 2 to 3 hours per day. Sorry, kids, it's the only way!
The event, titled "Pine and Protégés," was the annual benefit of the Highland Park Strings. Rachel Barton Pine (www.rebf.org) also performed and was simply spectacular.
These students practice at least 2 to 3 hours per day. Sorry, kids, it's the only way!
The event, titled "Pine and Protégés," was the annual benefit of the Highland Park Strings. Rachel Barton Pine (www.rebf.org) also performed and was simply spectacular.
Great practice resources
Ayanna's cello teacher, Avi Friedlander, submitted the following resources to help make your student's practice more effective!
"A great website to link to is www.violinmasterclass.com/index.php. Sassmannshaus has great masterclasses, technique work, and lesson ideas on this webpage that can be used for any string instrument.
"Another great technique helper is the book 300 Basics by Simon Fischer. It is a violin technique book that can also be used for cello. (Richard Aaron made me get this book when I was studying with him.) Fischer was a Dorothy Delay student and he explains her teaching methods in this great technique book. "
Avi Friedlander
avideuce@yahoo.com
www.triadamusicfestival.org
"A great website to link to is www.violinmasterclass.com/index.php. Sassmannshaus has great masterclasses, technique work, and lesson ideas on this webpage that can be used for any string instrument.
"Another great technique helper is the book 300 Basics by Simon Fischer. It is a violin technique book that can also be used for cello. (Richard Aaron made me get this book when I was studying with him.) Fischer was a Dorothy Delay student and he explains her teaching methods in this great technique book. "
Avi Friedlander
avideuce@yahoo.com
www.triadamusicfestival.org
Friday, February 2, 2007
Practice tip from Suzuki: LISTEN!
As a child, I learned a piano piece by first hearing my teacher play it once, then by working out the notes and fingering in daily practice. But hearing it just one time wasn't enough. I would have learned my pieces more quickly if I had listened to them more often, like Suzuki students do.
When students listen to a piece on a CD over and over, the notes and dynamics get into their heads. This helps them to learn pieces more quickly. Memorization comes more easily. Rhythms and notes aren't so difficult to figure out.
It's crazy but I used to think that listening to a piece while trying to learn it was cheating somehow. Professional musicians use the listening strategy all the time. Sometimes they'll even listen to several different performances of the same piece. When they start practicing, they bring their own artistry and interpretation to the music.
When students listen to a piece on a CD over and over, the notes and dynamics get into their heads. This helps them to learn pieces more quickly. Memorization comes more easily. Rhythms and notes aren't so difficult to figure out.
It's crazy but I used to think that listening to a piece while trying to learn it was cheating somehow. Professional musicians use the listening strategy all the time. Sometimes they'll even listen to several different performances of the same piece. When they start practicing, they bring their own artistry and interpretation to the music.
Music instruction boosts academic performance
Music is a core academic subject of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 (Title IX, Part A, Sec. 9101-11)—yet, drastic reductions in funding for music education in public schools across the country are wiping out music and other arts programs.
Music education is an effective antidote to low academic performance and student behavioral problems. A University of California (Irvine) study showed that after eight months of keyboard lessons, preschoolers showed a 46 percent boost in their spatial reasoning IQ.
Researcher Amy Graziano studied the effects of piano instruction and math software usage on 237 second graders. The group that took the piano lessons scored 27% higher on proportional math and fractions tests than the children who only used the math software.
Music education is an effective antidote to low academic performance and student behavioral problems. A University of California (Irvine) study showed that after eight months of keyboard lessons, preschoolers showed a 46 percent boost in their spatial reasoning IQ.
Researcher Amy Graziano studied the effects of piano instruction and math software usage on 237 second graders. The group that took the piano lessons scored 27% higher on proportional math and fractions tests than the children who only used the math software.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Trying to get out of practice
At camp last summer, a music student was overheard saying that she tried to get out of practice by offering to do the dishes. The mother smiled and said, "Go practice...and then do the dishes!" Got any other gems? Let us know!
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Adé at Ravinia!
Adé Williams
SugarStrings violinist Adé Williams will be one of three students to perform with Rachel Barton Pine and the Highland Park Strings at Ravinia's Bennett-Gordon Hall. When students perform with professional ensembles and orchestras, the experience is invaluable. The event is titled "Pine and Proteges," and the concert is the annual benefit of the Highland Park Strings. Also performing will be Joshua Greer, viola, and Clayton Penrose-Whitmore, violin. Adé, Josh, and Clayton will each play a movement of the Violin Concerto No. 4 in D Major, by 18th Century French-born black composer Chevalier de Meude-Monpas. General admission is $40, $20 for students, which includes a 2 p.m. preconcert lecture. For tickets, call (847) 831-3622. For information, visit www.highlandpark.org/hpstring/.
SugarStrings violinist Adé Williams will be one of three students to perform with Rachel Barton Pine and the Highland Park Strings at Ravinia's Bennett-Gordon Hall. When students perform with professional ensembles and orchestras, the experience is invaluable. The event is titled "Pine and Proteges," and the concert is the annual benefit of the Highland Park Strings. Also performing will be Joshua Greer, viola, and Clayton Penrose-Whitmore, violin. Adé, Josh, and Clayton will each play a movement of the Violin Concerto No. 4 in D Major, by 18th Century French-born black composer Chevalier de Meude-Monpas. General admission is $40, $20 for students, which includes a 2 p.m. preconcert lecture. For tickets, call (847) 831-3622. For information, visit www.highlandpark.org/hpstring/.
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