Conversation with Gordon Epperson (1995)
Interview by Tim Janof Gordon Epperson is Professor Emeritus from the University of Arizona. He is a renowned cello pedagogue and author, having written several books and articles, including The Art of Cello Teaching, which was derived from articles he wrote in the eight years he was editor of the "Cellist's Forum" in American String Teacher magazine. His recording of solo cello works by Ysaye, Crumb, and Kodaly has recently been released on CD. TJ: You went to Tanglewood in 1941, where Koussevitzky conducted and when Leonard Bernstein was a student conductor. GE: Yes, there were a number of young conductors, including Thor Johnson and Lukas Foss, but Bernstein was Koussevitzky's clear favorite and just dripped with talent. He wasn't afraid of anybody and was very brash. TJ: What was [...]
Conversation with Cordelia Wikarski-Miedel (1993)
Interview by Tim Janof Ms. Wikarki-Miedel is Instructor of Cello, the Northwest Artist in Residence, and Director of the Chamber Music Department at University of Puget Sound. Comprehensive Bio TJ: You were born in Berlin? CWM: I was born in Berlin shortly before World War II, when Berlin was not divided between East and West. TJ: Were your parents musicians? CWM: My father was professor of piano at the "Hochschule fur Musik" in Berlin, the equivalent of the Juilliard School in New York. He taught from 1927 to 1945, when he was killed by Russians who had invaded Berlin in the last days of the war. My mother was a fine pianist, and was able to play the major piano literature. My parents often played together, sometimes she accompanied him [...]
Conversation with Mark Summer (1997)
Interview by Chris White Mark Summer grew up in Reseda, California in the San Fernando Valley near Los Angeles. He studied with the Geber family - first with Edwin Geber of the LA Philharmonic, and then with Edwin's wife Gretchen. During high school he played in a Youth Symphony in LA and went to the Congress of Strings two years in a row. After high school he went to Mt. St. Mary's College (near LA) for a year and then transferred to the Cleveland Institute of Music where he received his B.A. in music, studying with Stephen Geber. He then went on to play as a cellist with the Winnipeg Symphony for three years. He has been the cellist of the Turtle Island String Quartet since its inception in 1986. [...]
Conversation with Ofra Harnoy (December, 1996)
Born in Israel, Ofra Harnoy studied with her father, Vladimir Orloff, and William Pleeth. After her family moved to Canada, her debut as soloist with orchestra at age 10 was followed immediately by solo engagements with the Toronto and Montreal Symphony Orchestras. Winning the 1982 International Concert Artists Guild award (the youngest ever) led to her concerto and recital debuts in Carnegie Hall, which won both public and critical acclaim; in 1983 she was named Young Musician of the Year by "Musical America" magazine. She has appeared as soloist with major orchestras on five continents, and has been featured in hundreds of televised solo concerts in Canada, Japan, Australia, England, and throughout Europe. Twice she has played before H.R.H. Prince Charles by invitation, and several times before members of Japan's [...]
Conversation with Colin Carr (January, 2003)
Interview by Tim Janof Colin Carr has appeared throughout the world as soloist, chamber musician, recording artist, and teacher. As a soloist, he has played with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, The Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, BBC Philharmonic, and the orchestras of Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, Philadelphia, and Montreal. He is a regular guest at the BBC Proms, he has twice toured Australia, and he recently played concertos in South Korea, Hong Kong, and New Zealand. Last year he returned to the Philharmonia in London and made his debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Mark Elder. This year he toured with Mr. Elder and the Halle Orchestra, playing the Dvorak, Elgar, and Walton Concertos. Other highlights included a performance of the Dvorak Concerto to close the Prague Autumn Festival, [...]
Conversation with Arto Noras (April, 1998)
Interview by Tim Janof Arto Noras appears regularly with major orchestras throughout the world and has recorded extensively. A former student of Paul Tortelier at the Paris Conservatoire, he was a runner-up at the Tchaikovsky Competition in 1966. He is also well-known for his appearances as a distinguished chamber musician and is a founding member of the Sibelius Academy Quartet. He is also the founder and artistic director of the Naantali Music Festival, as well as founder of the International Paulo Cello Competition. Since 1970, he has been Professor of Cello at the Sibelius Academy. TJ: You studied with Paul Tortelier. Were you the student he worked with for six hours on the first note of Schelomo? AN: No, we did that with the opening scale of the Bach's Third [...]
Conversation with Siegfried Palm (May, 1998)
Interview by Tim Janof Siegfried Palm has had a distinguished and varied performing career. He was Principal Cellist of orchestras in Lubeck, Hamburg, and Cologne, cellist in the Hamann Quartet, and a member of a trio with Max Rostal and Heinz Schroter. He has given masterclasses worldwide and has served as a jury member at numerous international competitions. He has recorded for several companies and has had works dedicated to him by composers such as Krzystof Penderecki, Yannis Xenakis, Boris Blacher, and Gyorgy Ligeti. He was Director of the State Conservatoire in Cologne, Director of the Deutsche Oper in Berlin, President of the German Composers' Society, and President of ESTA. In 1969 and 1976 he was awarded the German Gramophone prize, and in 1972 he was awarded the Grand Prix [...]
Conversation with Ralph Kirshbaum (March, 1997)
Interview by Tim Janof Ralph Kirshbaum's career encompasses solo performance, recitals, chamber music, teaching, and recording. He has appeared as soloist with major orchestras in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Each summer, he performs in chamber music festivals throughout the world. Mr. Kirshbaum is founder and artistic director of the RNCM Manchester International Cello Festival held every two years at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England, where he also teaches. TJ: You studied with Lev Aronson of the Dallas Symphony. You once said that he had a beautiful sound and right-hand technique. Was there something unique about his approach to bowing? RK: I wouldn't say that he had a unique technique, though, perhaps because of the profound experiences he had in Europe and in the [...]
Conversation with Glenn Garlick (September, 1995)
Interview by Tim Janof Glenn Garlick is the Assistant Principal Cellist of the National Symphony in Washington, DC. TJ: Looking over your bio, I see you studied at Eastman with Ron Leonard, who is now principal cellist of the LA Philharmonic. Did he have any principal themes in his teaching? GG: Time and time again I give thanks to Ron Leonard for the work he did with my bow arm. The thing that Ron did the most was to clean up my approach to the bow. He had excellent training himself, being a disciple of Leonard Rose and the legendary violinist, Ivan Galamian, who taught at Juilliard and ran the Meadowmount Music Camp during the summers. Ron also played for Casals and was the principal cellist of the Casals Festival [...]
Conversation with Zuill Bailey (March, 2002)
Interview by Tim Janof Zuill Bailey is an engaging, multi-faceted American artist; a powerful performer who dazzles audiences with his technical and artistic command of the cello. His performances encompass concerts with orchestra, recitals and chamber music in the U.S. and abroad. The 2002/03 season begins with Mr. Bailey performing with the Chicago Symphony and Itzhak Perlman conducting in the opening weekend of the Ravinia Festival. Other concerto appearances include performances with the National Orchestra de Cuba, Phoenix, South Carolina, El Paso, Illinois, Lexington, Knoxville, and San Luis Obispo Symphonies. Bailey also continues his partnership with pianist Awadagin Pratt in a series of Duo recitals in addition to his recitals in Texas, Nevada, Washington DC, Arizona, Idaho, and Arkansas. An avid chamber musician, Bailey will also be presenting concerts in [...]
Suggested Works by Black Composers for Students
I’m pleased to introduce and provide this list of graded music for cello of African-American composers for student exposure, education and use in performance. Some of these pieces are “adopted and adapted” from the Negro spiritual tradition. Such adaptation should not pose unusual difficulties for the developing cellist; however, the larger editorial challenge lies in matters of fingering and bowing. A minimum technical level of Suzuki Book 4 proficiency should be sufficient for most players to execute the majority of these pieces. This music stands apart from the larger European pedagogical tradition and technical orientation, but should find a place of similarity and alliance with the Suzuki-influenced folk song repertoire that so many of us have heard in our early lessons and gradual indoctrination into the European-American art-music tradition. It [...]
Conversation with Carter Brey (April, 2000)
Interview by Tim Janof Carter Brey was appointed Principal Cellist of the New York Philharmonic in 1996. He rose to international attention in 1981 as a prizewinner in the Rostropovich International Cello Competition. Subsequent appearances with Rostropovich and the National Symphony Orchestra were unanimously praised. The winner of the Gregor Piatigorsky Memorial Prize, Avery Fisher Career Grant, the Young Concert Artists Michaels Award and other honors, he also was the first musician to win the Arts Council of Americas Performing Arts Prize. Mr. Brey has appeared as soloist with virtually all the major orchestras in the United States, and has performed under the batons of Claudio Abbado, Semyon Bychkov, Sergiu Comissiona, Christoph von Dohnanyi, and other prominent conductors. In 1990, he was featured in a concert with cellist Yo-Yo Ma [...]
Tyshawn Sorey’s “Cycles of My Being”
Inhale, Exhale. Hope. Whirlwind. Hate. Hope. Each Day I Rise, I Know. These words represent not only a powerful and provocative landscape, but also uniquely form the six movements of Cycles of My Being; a work by the creative genius and living composer/musician Tyshawn Sorey. I had the immense honor and privilege of being invited to perform the 2018 world premiere of Sorey’s work— scored for violin, cello, piano, tenor, and clarinet—on three separate occasions. The piece was a result of a co-commission from Opera Philadelphia, Carnegie Hall, and Lyric Opera of Chicago; while the music was presented by Sorey, the libretto was provided by poet Terrance Hayes (also a MacArthur Genius Grant Winner like Sorey), with the renowned and arresting tenor Lawrence Brownlee at the forefront. What was perhaps [...]
Conversation with Lynn Harrell (June, 1996)
Interview by Tim Janof Lynn Harrell is known throughout the world as a cellist, chamber musician, recitalist, conductor, teacher, and recording artist. Mr. Harrell is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Piatigorsky Award, the Ford Foundation Concert Artists' Award, and the first Avery Fisher Prize (jointly with Murray Perahia). TJ: As a teenager you lost both your parents. This kind of trauma would emotionally cripple most people for years. How did you manage to overcome this tragedy and become one of the world's most acclaimed cellists? LH: It took me a long time to come to terms with it. It's an experience that I wouldn't wish on anyone. But I have found the resilience of the human spirit to be extraordinary. Look at what is going on in Bosnia [...]
Conversation with Irene Sharp (December, 1997)
Interview by Tim Janof Cellist Irene Sharp has been acclaimed internationally for her teaching. She has given master classes for the American String Teachers Association (ASTA), the European String Teachers Association, the Australian String Teachers Association, and the Suzuki Association of America. Although based in Northern California, Ms. Sharp has worked with students in cities such as New York, London, Salzburg, Hamburg, Sydney, Tokyo, and Taipei. Currently on the faculty of the Mannes College of Music, she has also served on the faculty of the Meadowmount School for Strings, the Bowdoin (Maine) Summer Music Festival, and Indiana University's String Academy. Ms. Sharp is Artistic Director of California Summer Music, a festival for young string players, pianists, and composers ages 12 to 23 held at Pebble Beach, California. She has been [...]