cellobello Archives

János Starker Remembrance Week: Starker’s Two Grandchildren Remember Grandpa

CelloBello apologizes that the last beautiful paragraph of Alexandra Preucil’s blog was originally omitted. Be sure to read the corrected version. By Alexandra Preucil Assistant Concertmaster Cleveland Orchestra For as long as I can remember, family gatherings have been synonymous with music making. Sometimes this took place in fancy concert halls, but more often than not, my family would simply come together in the music room. As a young child I would watch in awe and dream of the day that I could join them. […]

By Guest Blogger|2017-10-30T05:03:20-04:00April 28th, 2015|Categories: Artistic Vision, Interpersonal Relationships, Janos Starker, Performance, Self Discovery, Teaching|Tags: cello, Alexandra Preucil, cellobello, Janos Starker Grandchildren, Cello teacher, Janos Starker Memorial, Cello Blog, Cello Legend|

János Starker Remembrance Week: Presenting My Mentor with His Honorary Doctorate in 2006 — by Paul Katz

It is a privilege for me to be able to use my website, CelloBello.com, to honor my former teacher, colleague, and friend of many decades, the legendary János Starker, July 5, 1924 – April 28, 2013. In May 2006, the New England Conservatory of Music presented János Starker with an Honorary Doctor of Music, and I was asked to introduce him. To speak publicly of him was an emotional and gratifying moment for me, and as we celebrate him in the year 2015, it feels appropriate for me to share my words of nine years. János Starker Receiving His Honorary Doctorate at the New England Conservatory New England Conservatory of Music Commencement on Sunday, May 21, 2006 "It is my honor and great personal pleasure to present to you János [...]

By Paul Katz|2017-10-30T05:03:03-04:00April 26th, 2015|Categories: Artistic Vision, Interpersonal Relationships, Janos Starker, Performance, Self Discovery, Teaching|Tags: cellobello, Cello Blog, New England Conservatory, Cello Legend, Cello Peadagogue, Janos Starker Honorary Doctorate, Cello teacher, Remembering Janos Starker, Paul Katz, life of Janos Starker, cello, Janos Starker Memorial|

János Starker Remembrance Week: The Test

After a long journey a young man arrived deep in a forest where the teacher of his choice was living in a small house he had built himself. When the student arrived, the teacher was sweeping up autumn’s falling leaves. Greeting his new master, the young man received no greeting in return. And to all his questions, there were no replies. Realizing there was nothing he could do to get the teacher’s attention, the student went to another part of the same forest and built himself a house. Years later, when he was sweeping up autumn’s fallen leaves, he became enlightened. He thought to drop everything, run through the forest, and say “Thank you!” to the teacher. Instead he stayed sweeping, calm & smiling. [...]

By Jeffrey Zeigler|2017-10-30T05:02:01-04:00April 25th, 2015|Categories: Artistic Vision, Interpersonal Relationships, Janos Starker, Teaching|Tags: Cello teacher, Cello Blog, Cello Legend, Cello Master, Cello Pedagogue, Janos Starker Remembrance Week, Janos Starker, Jeffrey Zeigler, cellobello|

János Starker Remembrance Week: A Tribute To János Starker

By Maria Kliegel A moment of tense, expectant silence – to me it seemed to be an eternity. A couple of silent smoky clouds floating in the teaching room. Janos Starker looked at me in his typical manner, a gaze so full of intensity that I could feel it under my skin, followed by a shattering comment, uttered with a cool slowness and a stony, unchangeable look on his face: “if you ever play as inaccurately as you just did, I will deny ever having been your teacher.“ And again, an eternal moment of silence, this time I sat horrified in my chair, not being able to breathe or move. Silent smoky clouds. One of my lessons in Bloomington ended this way – the Haydn D major concerto. [...]

By Guest Blogger|2017-10-30T05:01:37-04:00April 24th, 2015|Categories: Artistic Vision, Interpersonal Relationships, In the Practice Room, Janos Starker, Performance, Self Discovery, Teaching|Tags: Cello Blog, Cello Legend, Janos Starker, Cello Master, cellobello, Cello Pedagogue, Janos Starker Remembrance Week, Maria Kliegel, Cello teacher|

János Starker Remembrance Week: Reminiscences from the Starker Studio

Cello-playing aside, Starker’s intelligence, force of personality, and personal discipline were intimidating to most people, and downright frightening to students. Our culture generally allows our geniuses and high achievers to be self-indulgent and immature outside of their field of endeavor, but Starker lived out his ideals and principles at all times (that we could see). This discipline made him virtually bullet-proof as a cellist. During my two years in Bloomington, I carried a relatively light course load, as I wanted to observe as many lessons as possible. I was in MA 155 many mornings when he came in, looking tired and/or hungover, needing coffee, and not wanting to hear anything too loud. The student would play for awhile, and Starker would listen as long as he could before had to [...]

By Robert Battey|2017-10-30T05:01:19-04:00April 24th, 2015|Categories: Artistic Vision, Interpersonal Relationships, In the Practice Room, Janos Starker, Performance, Playing Healthy, Self Discovery, Teaching|Tags: Janos Starker Remembrance Week, Robert Battey, Cello teacher, Cello Blog, Janos Starker, Cello Legend, cellobello, Cello Master, Cello Pedagogue, Lesson with Janos Starker|

CelloBello János Starker Remembrance Week: Janos Starker, Who Is, Was, and Always Will Be My Master

Starker with pianist Gyorgy Sebok – life-long friend and musical partner of Starker. By Michael Haber Many years ago, I was on a family trip to Israel. In a hotel in Beersheva, I was surprised to find Mr. Starker standing in the lobby together with the conductor of the Israel Sinfonietta. I greeted Mr. Starker………”Janos Starker, who is, was, and always will be my master.” What has remained with me since my final lesson with Mr. Starker in August 1966 is his personal brilliance as a man and his deep patience and kindness. His way of being kind, which often meant an uncompromising honesty, was perhaps not for everyone. But what is more kind, in a teacher/student relationship, than taking a student seriously enough to share with them what [...]

By Guest Blogger|2017-10-30T05:00:55-04:00April 23rd, 2015|Categories: Interpersonal Relationships, Janos Starker, Performance, Self Discovery, Teaching|Tags: Cello teacher, Cello Blog, Cello Legend, Cello Master, Janos Starker, Cello Pedagogue, cellobello, Michael Haber|

CelloBello János Starker Remembrance Week: Life as a Student of János Starker

János Starker “S” Bridge János Starker’s incomparable achievements as a performer and recording artist are well-documented. However, when I first appeared at his door as a new graduate student, my awareness of him mostly stemmed from hearing others speak about him, and from only one of his recordings: that of Zoltan Kodaly’s Sonata, Op. 8. I had developed a mental image of Mr. Starker as an austere, intimidating presence. Paul Katz, with whom I had been studying at Eastman, enjoyed a longstanding friendship with Mr. Starker, and in those years Paul would often send a graduating senior to Bloomington for further education. […]

By Brant Taylor|2017-10-30T05:00:37-04:00April 22nd, 2015|Categories: Artistic Vision, Interpersonal Relationships, In the Practice Room, Janos Starker, Self Discovery, Teaching|Tags: Janos Starker, Janos Starker Memorial, cello, Cello Blog, cellobello, Cello Legend, Cello Pedagogue, Lesson with Janos Starker, Cello teacher, Remembering Janos Starker, life of Janos Starker|

CelloBello János Starker Remembrance Week April 22-28

CelloBello Remembers János Starker Please join us for a full week of events and video releases,to remember and honor this great figure of the cello world.Preview of upcoming events: New Videos of Never-Before Seen Interviews Newly released interview videos of János Starker in conversation with Paul Katz in 2010. April 22: Growing as a PerformerApril 23: Releasing TensionApril 24: Rhythmic FreedomApril 25: VibratoApril 26: His Performance AnxietyApril 27: His Difficult, Early Years Please visit our János Starker CelloLegacy section on CelloBello.com each day to view the newest video. Daily Blogs A new blog each day at CelloBlog by former Starker students and family includingRobert Battey, Paul Katz, Maria Kliegel, Alexandra Preucil (Starker’s granddaughter),Brant Taylor and Jeffrey Zeigler. CelloChatsYour chance to ask questions about Starker’s cello teachings and hear personal anecdotes and stories of the master! 3 special CelloChats with former students of Starker Reminiscing: What I Learned From János Starkerall [...]

By Blogmaster|2017-10-30T04:59:57-04:00April 17th, 2015|Categories: Artistic Vision, CelloStream, Interpersonal Relationships, Janos Starker, Self Discovery, Teaching|Tags: Cello teacher, Remembering Janos Starker, life of Janos Starker, Janos Starker, Janos Starker Memorial, cello, Cello Blog, cellobello, Cello Legend, Cello Pedagogue|

The Feldenkrais Method Helps Cellists! — by Uri Vardi

The Feldenkrais Method is a modality used to improve body awareness that has proven to be highly effective in alleviating pain, anxiety, and movement difficulties. The Method involves the use of movement, touch and imagery as tools for learning new ways of functioning. The heightened awareness that develops through the use of this method leads to improved body image, organization and function. Musicians benefit from this enhanced awareness with an increase in artistic vocabulary, in the ability to more efficiently express artistic intention, in the prevention of pain and injury, and in expedient healing from current injury. Unlike the medical model, which prescribes ways to achieve the correct state, the Feldenkrais Method leads the participant to discover his or her own solution. It is based on theoretical knowledge about the [...]

By Blogmaster|2024-03-04T13:19:57-05:00March 24th, 2015|Categories: Artistic Vision, Beyond the Traditional, In the Practice Room, Playing Healthy, Self Discovery|Tags: CelloBlog, Feldenkrais Method, March 31, Uri Vardi, cellobello|

Air Travel with Musical Instruments: Final Ruling!

Reposted from BMI News. As of March 6, 2015, it’s official and no longer at the discretion of the various airlines. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, musicians who board planes must be allowed to carry on their instruments provided they fit in the overhead bin. If this space isn’t large enough, the musician is also permitted to purchase a second seat in which to stow their musical companion. One caveat: the airlines don’t have to prioritize musical instruments ahead of any other carry-on luggage, so if the bins are full, you’ll still have to check your instrument at the gate. To remedy this, the DoT suggests that musicians may want to pay the airline’s fee for priority boarding to ensure that there will be room for their gear. [...]

By Blogmaster|2017-10-30T04:58:34-04:00March 19th, 2015|Categories: Cello Travel|Tags: Airplanes, airline regulations, policies, CelloBlog, USA, flying with your cello, cellobello, rules, Travel, TSA|

What if We All Did That? — by Martha Baldwin

OK, not to blog-rant (is that a thing?) but I’m often surprised by basic behaviors I see in music students (and professionals) and it reminds me of a saying we have in our cello section: “What if we all did that?” Here are my top 3: 1. STAY!!!!!! seriously, just stay to the end people. I realize that many student recitals seem endless but leaving as soon as you’re done playing is, simply put, rude. I’ve seen entire rows of extended family get up and leave noisily after the first performer (their kid) is finished and I’m shocked. Really? No one else matters? Your child is so special that this entire recital is there just for his/her 4 minutes of glory? People notice these things. As a side benefit - [...]

By Martha Baldwin|2021-05-03T15:44:33-04:00March 9th, 2015|Categories: Artistic Vision, Auditions, Chamber Music, Competition, Orchestra, Performance, Playing Healthy|Tags: effort, Cleveland Orchestra, CelloBlog, Martha Baldwin, restless, cellobello|

Beneath the Surface of Brahms — by Brant Taylor

Brahms' 3rd Symphony Cello Excerpt A successful audition performance involves showing many different sides of yourself, musically, in a condensed period of time. Therefore, it is useful if not imperative to conceive each excerpt on a list in its own distinct world of character and color. Despite being works from the same composer, the well-known cello audition excerpt from Brahms’ Second Symphony, which we previously discussed, and the cello audition excerpt from Brahms’ Third Symphony, which is the subject of this post, present quite different opportunities. While these suggestions are not the only solutions to the challenges presented by this excerpt, they are a starting point for practice and discussion and illustrate some of the details that must be carefully considered in any successful performance. Sound Production In thinking about [...]

By Brant Taylor|2023-03-13T23:04:08-04:00March 4th, 2015|Categories: Auditions, In the Practice Room, Orchestra, Repertoire|Tags: audition excerpt, CelloBlog, 3rd symphony, Brahms, cellobello, Brant Taylor|

Setting Goals — by Jonathan Thomson

"The well-prepared marathoner looks after every detail of proper physical and mental training, nutrition, hydration, clothing, and equipment." — Amby Burfoot (running guru and winner of the 1968 Boston Marathon) Photo: Meb Keflezighi, who in 2014 became the first American to win the Boston Marathon since 1982 This attention to a wide range of details occurs over months of training, all with the ultimate goal of running 26.2 miles. Musicians should train for performance the same way runners train for marathons: with great organization and structure. Marathon training plans are highly detailed, with specific goals for each day. All facets of daily life become focused around achieving a personalized and realistic goal. This goal is set for one race, and is based on previous experience and current fitness. Both running [...]

By Jonathan Thomson|2021-12-29T17:14:44-05:00February 25th, 2015|Categories: In the Practice Room, Playing Healthy, Self Discovery|Tags: CelloBlog, Jonathan Thomson, Marathon, setting goals, cellobello, Practice, training|

Make it Your Own: Teaching Alexander Technique — by Selma Gokcen

The Alexander Technique has its own process of training to become a teacher of the work. Much like cellists, we take lessons from established teachers, we attend school daily and we begin from the beginning, with lots of preconceptions which are called habits. Our teachers constantly bring our attention to them, rebalancing and releasing negative patterns of use, mostly through their hands, sometimes through words, and often both. from http://www.alexandertechnique.com As the inner fog lifts and our sensory awareness improves, we begin to be able to "put hands on" others and transmit what we have received. It's so tenuous at the start and requires years of experience to be able to distinguish fine differences in the flow of energy up and down the spine, the various tension [...]

By Selma Gokcen|2017-10-30T04:56:49-04:00February 5th, 2015|Categories: Alexander Technique for Cellists, Playing Healthy, Self Discovery, Teaching|Tags: body, CelloBlog, Selma Gokcen, cellobello, performance, health, Alexander Technique|

Cello and Marathon Training — by Jonathan Thomson

Rule #1 and Rule #2 focus on the mental aspect of training: about setting your intention before working on a passage. This is necessary to practice effectively, and ultimately leads to better performances. Our experience playing the cello is a delicate interplay between mind and body, which is a balance that must be cultivated again and again as age, circumstances, and stakes change. Athletes face many of the same experiences in training and competition. Throughout my education, I found that my attitudes about the cello and the way I practiced stemmed from my experiences playing sports. Particularly during my graduate studies, running became a counterpoint to music. Running and cello both informed the other. Running helped relieve the stresses of performances, auditions, competitions, juries, and the ones made up by [...]

By Jonathan Thomson|2017-10-30T05:09:28-04:00February 1st, 2015|Categories: Auditions, In the Practice Room, Playing Healthy, Self Discovery|Tags: training, CelloBlog, Jonathan Thomson, Marathon, cellobello|

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