repertoire Archives

From Improvising in Caves to Spoken in Waves

Spoken in Waves is a new piece for cello and string quartet by Chris Beroes-Haigis, commissioned by cellist Cicely Parnas. The video performance was premiered in December of 2023. In this blog post, Cicely and Chris tell us a bit about the backstory of the piece, the journey to recording the piece, what it's like to perform the piece and more. The video performance can be found below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML40XGq2qI4 In 2019, I was on tour with my cello rock band and found myself in El Paso, TX, the city where my good friend Chris Beroes-Haigis lived. We had met two years earlier as fellows at the Sitka International Cello Seminar in Alaska, and I remember I was struck both by Chris’s beautiful music-making on the cello, and that [...]

By Cicely Parnas|2024-02-05T14:49:26-05:00January 22nd, 2024|Categories: Artistic Vision, Beyond the Traditional, Chamber Music, Interpersonal Relationships, Performance, Repertoire, Self Discovery|Tags: Contemporary Music, Cello Repertoire, Chris Beroes-Haigis, Cicely Parnas, Spoken in Waves, repertoire, Solo Cello, Solo Cello Repertoire, New Cello Repertoire, New Music|

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 [...]

By Tim Janof|2021-07-05T18:34:19-04:00June 28th, 2021|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Artistic Vision, Interviews, Performance, Repertoire|Tags: Ofra Harnoy, Practice, Vladimir Orloff, performance, repertoire, Technique, Pierre Fournier, Jacqueline du Pré|

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, [...]

By Tim Janof|2021-06-28T04:45:27-04:00June 14th, 2021|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Artistic Vision, Interviews, Performance, Repertoire, Teaching|Tags: Interpretation, Maurice Gendron, Teaching, repertoire, Technique, Anner Bylsma, William Pleeth|

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 [...]

By Tim Janof|2023-05-15T13:35:14-04:00May 3rd, 2021|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Artistic Vision, Interviews, Performance, Repertoire, Teaching|Tags: Aldo Parisot, Lev Aronson, Technical Freedom, Bach, Interpretation, repertoire|

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 [...]

By Tim Janof|2023-05-01T13:22:05-04:00April 5th, 2021|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Artistic Vision, Interviews, In the Practice Room, Performance, Repertoire|Tags: recordings, Joel Krosnick, Stephen Kates, Bach, Loran Stephenson, Practice, repertoire|

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 [...]

By Timothy Holley|2021-04-12T15:48:59-04:00March 23rd, 2021|Categories: Performance, Repertoire, Teaching|Tags: Difficulty Level, spiritual, repertoire, Music by Black Composers, Suggested Repertoire|

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 [...]

By Tim Janof|2023-02-27T12:56:12-05:00March 22nd, 2021|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Artistic Vision, Interviews, Performance, Repertoire|Tags: Technique, Mstislav Rostropovich, laurence lesser, Aldo Parisot, Stephen Kates, Interpretation, repertoire|

The “Instead” List

While the list of pieces that appear in cello-piano recitals is incredibly short - same 10 pieces keep circulating in different order - we cellists actually have very large repertoire. Orchestras don't program much more than 10 Concertos and apart the Bach Suites there are maybe 5 pieces that make their way to concert programs. There are always multiple reasons for great music falling out of general attention. It may have to do with style, gender, origin, problems of notation, lack of publisher, wrong publisher, fashion, lack of social skill, too keen self promotion or any combination of these. Often the reasons have nothing to do with the quality of the music. And the quality itself is totally dependent on who is the messenger, in the wrong hands most music [...]

By Anssi Karttunen|2020-09-17T02:35:21-04:00March 23rd, 2020|Categories: Artistic Vision, CelloFun, Chamber Music, In the Practice Room, Performance, Repertoire, Teaching|Tags: Instead, Sonata, Solo Suite, Concerto, inspiration, repertoire|

Conversation with János Starker (February, 2004)

Interview by Tim Janof "With his peerless technical mastery and intensely expressive playing, Janos Starker is universally recognized as one of the worlds supreme musicians." (New York Times) János Starker was born in Budapest in 1924 and began studying the cello at the age of six. By the age of eight he was coaching his first pupil, and by eleven he was performing in public. His early career took him through Budapest's Franz Liszt Academy, and on to positions of first cellist with the Budapest Opera and Philharmonic at the end of World War Two. In 1948 he emigrated to the United States where he subsequently held the posts of principal cellist with the Dallas Symphony, Metropolitan Opera of New York, and the Chicago Symphony under Fritz Reiner. In 1956 [...]

By Tim Janof|2020-03-10T15:02:17-04:00August 5th, 2019|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Interviews|Tags: Janos Starker, ICS, repertoire, internment camp, Greenhouse, controversy, articulation, Starker, soloist, Hungary, Tim Janoff, Concerto, Internet Cello Society, Leonard Rose|

Conversation with János Starker (June, 1996)

Interview by Tim Janof János Starker is known throughout the world as a soloist, recording artist, and teacher. Born in Budapest in 1924, Janos Starker came to the United States in 1948, where he subsequently held the principal cellist chair in three American orchestras, including the Chicago Symphony under Fritz Reiner. Starker then resumed his international performing career in 1958. Since then he has performed thousands of concerts with orchestras and in recitals throughout the world. When not touring, János Starker holds the title of Distinguished Professor at Indiana University in Bloomington, where his classes have attracted talented string players from around the world. TJ: Is there such a thing as a student with no talent for an instrument? JS: I wouldn't say that a person has no talent, [...]

By Tim Janof|2022-01-17T11:12:43-05:00August 5th, 2019|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Interviews|Tags: Tim Janoff, dupre, Interpretation, Internet Cello Society, Concerto, Leonard Rose, ICS, Janos Starker, Rubinstein, repertoire, golden era, talent, National Cello Congress, recordings, musicality|

The Rep…More than Quartet — by Thomas Rosenberg

More or Less...String Trios, Quintets and Beyond It is generally agreed that the string quartet is the ultimate chamber music idiom. While there are surely those that differ with that assessment, I confess that I agree from my perspectives as both a listener and a performing artist. Many of the greatest composers from Haydn to the present day have tried their hand at quartet writing. Many have succeeded in giving us their best creations, some of which are regarded to be some of the greatest creative work of human kind. When asked about repertoire for other combinations of strings, most musicians can come up with a relatively small list of trios, quintets, sextets and more. However, in reality, there is a lot of music for string ensembles that are not quartets. Although the most well known [...]

By Thomas Rosenberg|2022-12-19T13:19:01-05:00July 17th, 2016|Categories: Chamber Music, Performance|Tags: chamber music, thomas rosenberg, repertoire|

Opening the Beethoven A Major Cello Sonata: Obsessing Over the First Five Bars — by Brian Hodges

The five Beethoven Cello Sonatas are iconic for a number of reasons. First and foremost, they’re some of the first pieces to include the cello in a true duo partnership, something the violin had been enjoying for a long time. While the first two sonatas (Op. 5, 1 and 2) are actually listed as Sonata for Piano and Violoncello, things have changed by the third sonata, Op. 69 in A Major, with the cello now getting top billing. The sonata was written during Beethoven’s middle period and immediately one can sense his expansive creativity at work in full force. The opening is one of the more notorious openings in all of the cello literature. It starts with the famous melody played by the cello alone, like a soliloquy. [...]

By Guest Blogger|2022-07-27T20:58:13-04:00June 15th, 2016|Categories: Artistic Vision, Repertoire|Tags: Sonata, Beethoven, repertoire, chamber music|

Power is Energy, Unblocked and Properly Directed — by Selma Gokcen

"The words of truth are always paradoxical." —Lao Tzu Paul Katz was here recently in London giving a workshop on the bow to the members of the London Cello Society and raised an interesting point about strength. His Tai Ch'i teacher once said to him, "Hardness is Weakness, Softness is Strength: Hardness is Death, Softness is Life." This remarkable saying inspires this article. As cellists we need to be able to call upon reserves of power to play our big repertoire, to perform long concerts and tours. No way are we not interested in knowing about power and strength, but as soon as we raise the question of where it comes from, then hundreds of viewpoints can be found. Weight training, strength training, aerobic conditioning, and the list goes on. [...]

By Selma Gokcen|2021-10-11T12:08:13-04:00May 6th, 2014|Categories: Alexander Technique for Cellists, Performance, Playing Healthy, Self Discovery|Tags: back, tours, Spine, energy, freedom, repertoire, direction, shoulders, balance, T’ai Chi, concerts, flow, power, Alexander Technique, muscular over-exertion, cello, Gokcen, musical education, cellobello, properly received energy, Katz, Selma, quality of attention, Paul|

Backstage with the Boston Cello Quartet — by Blaise Déjardin

A few weeks ago, I had a video conversation with my 4 years-old nephew and my brother on Skype. At one point, my brother (also a cellist) tells my nephew: “You know Blaise plays in a cello quartet? He plays with three other cellists.” My nephew starts laughing: “A cello quartet? Noooo…That’s not possible!” Yes, it is! But it is indeed a strange concept and I believe it is rare to get a chance to have such a group with a long-term commitment. Since the Boston Cello Quartet is now releasing its first CD album, “Pictures”, it was interesting to look back on our three years together and talk about the challenges of being in a cello quartet. When I asked my colleagues to form a cello quartet, I knew [...]

By Blaise Dejardin|2021-06-28T04:45:52-04:00February 2nd, 2013|Categories: Beyond the Traditional, Chamber Music, Performance, Repertoire, Videos|Tags: generations, Tanglewood, arrangements, making a living, jazz, Tanglewood Cello Ensemble, backstage, musical comedy, classical music, Tanglewood on Parade, Blaise, musical styles, concert, Tanglewood Shed, Boston Cello Quartet, cello, new arrangements, structure, tango, Boston Symphony Orchestra, cellobello, orchestra playing, Boston, virtuosic music, Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, Ozawa Hall, BSO, change of concept, success, quartets, orchestral musicians, comedy, repertoire, rotating chairs, virtuoso, Dejardin, skype, compositions, fun classical music, strange concepts|

Bach Suites and You – by Robert Battey

“In a work of art the intellect asks questions; it does not answer them” -Friedrich Hebbel Few tasks are more daunting than attempting to discern and convey J.S. Bach’s precise intentions for his Cello Suites. Just playing them is hard enough, but a true and meaningful interpretation of the Suites requires an entirely different heuristic model than that of our other repertoire. This is because the autograph of the Suites has been lost, and we are left only with several flawed and inconsistent copies. Since there is no original source, everything, from notes to rhythms to phrasings, must be questioned. With many pieces, one can rely on the fidelity and accuracy of a high-quality edition, prepared either from autographs or composer-supervised prints. There, you have the simple choice of either [...]

By Robert Battey|2021-07-26T15:08:34-04:00January 16th, 2013|Categories: Artistic Vision, In the Practice Room, Performance, Repertoire, Self Discovery|Tags: Rhythm, careless, textual, personality, interpretive ideas, accuracy, personal research, cello, conclusions, The Fencing Master, judgment, ambiguity, Pierre Fournier, cellobello, curiosity, transcribing, Instruments, liberation, Anna Magdalena, printing, Bach Suites, dilemma, uncertainties, virtuosity, lute, Anner Bylsma, publications, editors, enjoyment, lute arrangement, artistic, rainbows, flawed, recordings, meaningful interpretations, autograph, response, phrasing, genius, complexities, monochromatic, Pablo Casals, Bach Cello Suites, sloppy, challenges, historical, Battey, normal teaching model, Bach, Bach's original intentions, slurs, repertoire, inconsistent copies, robert, painting, Teaching, Bach’s precise intentions, study, colors, instrument control, Editions, parameters, Janos Starker, Barenreiter, text booklet, interpretive creativity, experimentation, paris|

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