singing Archives

Sing. Paint. Dance. (Part 1)

Sing. Paint. Dance. (Part 1) Sing. Paint. Dance. I am often reminded of a statement made by Tabea Zimmerman that alluded to the idea that all instrumental problems have non instrumental solutions. With that in mind I often advocate a number of non instrumental solutions to any issues that may arise in the course of music making. Each can be connected to one of three wings : Singing. Painting. Dancing. On the occasions that I played with the LA opera, I was around Placido Domingo as both conductor and singer. The latter is clearly his identity in spades. But to hear him sing every vocal line in a rehearsal always echoed quartet life for me. Listening with a sense of integration -each voice existing within the context of the whole. [...]

By Rebecca Merblum|2022-08-11T16:01:54-04:00October 18th, 2018|Categories: Artistic Vision, In the Practice Room, Self Discovery, Teaching|Tags: imagination, language, singing, Visualization, art interconnected, internal and physical awareness|

The Swan — by Arnold Steinhardt

When I was eleven years old, my violin teacher assigned me The Swan by Camille Saint-Saëns. I had no idea that The Swan was a famous cello solo or that it was part of a much larger work, “The Carnival of the Animals.” I had never even heard of its composer, Saint-Saëns, or seen his name in print before. I wondered why there was a funny line between his two-word last name and what could be the purpose of those strange dots perched on top. And was Saint-Saëns actually a saint? I thought that The Swan was very pretty and probably associated the music’s title with its general mood in some vague way. As a child, I often saw swans gliding regally through the water on the lake near where [...]

By Arnold Steinhardt|2017-09-22T04:04:13-04:00September 10th, 2013|Categories: Artistic Vision, Interpersonal Relationships, Performance, Self Discovery, Teaching|Tags: creativity, accompany, exceptions, melody, re-evaluate, phrase, assistant concertmaster, phrasing, extended melodies, arpeggios, rocking, artistry, Camille Saint-Saëns, improvement, fiddlers, string quartets, scientists, Beethoven, Carnival of the Animals, Hess, Boston, sections of music, bow, child, ideas, intimate, changes, swaying, vibrato, CIM, Jules Eskin, bow control, The Swan, cello, connections, singing, Mary, musicality, tone production, cellobello, depth, discussion, musical essence, Cleveland Institute of Music, violin master-class, music, difference, musicianship, permier music school, Cleveland Orchestra, work, beauty, double major, phrasing alterations, Boston Symphony Orchestra, intonation, essence, respect, piano|

Exploring Beethoven 5th, Variation One — by Jonathan Pegis

Continuing our discussion of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, let us examine the first variation. As I did with the theme, I will first talk about the technical challenges of this excerpt and then look at the musical challenges. First of all, it is very important that you play this excerpt in the exact same tempo that you played the theme. A common mistake is to play this variation much faster than the theme simply because of that long first down bow. One trick that helps is when you finish the theme keep counting the quarter note rests at the end of measure 10, and then count off the two quarter note rests in measure 49. (Almost like you were making a cut!) You can do the same thing at the end [...]

By Jonathan Pegis|2023-05-01T13:22:31-04:00December 11th, 2012|Categories: Artistic Vision, Auditions, In the Practice Room, Orchestra, Performance, Repertoire|Tags: vibrato, tempo, technical challenges, cello, attention to detail, cellobello, Beethoven Symphonies, Excerpts, dynamics, Beethoven's 5th Symphony, singing, cello excerpt, Preparation, melody, Jonathan, details, musicality, intonation, legato, shifting, Pegis, Sound, continuous vibrato, Beethoven, practice tips, sound production, bow technique, Rhythm, phrasing, bow control|

The Process of Unlearning Habits — by Selma Gokcen

“It is not the degree of ‘willing’ or ‘trying,’ but the way in which the energy is directed, that is going to make the ‘willing’ or ‘trying’ effective.” –F.M. Alexander As professional musicians, we have a deeply trained muscle memory system, a network of learned movements which allows us to study and perform a huge number of works in any situation, often in a short space of time. This system is a blessing when it is reliable and accurate and a burden when it does not serve us well. Confronted by unwanted tension or a repetitive stress injury such as tendonitis or carpal tunnel syndrome, some of us, as F.M. Alexander did, may ask: what is my part in this? How have I brought about this condition? And it [...]

By Selma Gokcen|2017-11-24T04:09:57-05:00November 5th, 2012|Categories: Artistic Vision, Beyond the Traditional, Performance, Playing Healthy, Self Discovery|Tags: Preparation, Alexander Technique, professional musicians, process, Gokcen, unlearning habits, neck, brain, relationships, function, musicians, Selma, nervous system, energy, back, Technique, head, training, tension, Habits, effort, cello, muscle memory, cellobello, singing, Effective|

Exploring Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony — by Jonathan Pegis

Here in just a few measures is an excerpt that has confused, befuddled, and downright scared more cellists than just about any other excerpt (please click image to enlarge): The theme from the second movement of Beethoven's fifth, along with the first two variations, shows up on the vast majority of cello audition lists. I thought it would be educational to spend some time exploring this theme, and future blogs will explore the first and second variations. To begin with, this excerpt is one of a handful that I have coached for many years where I am actually LESS confident than I used to be. Why? Because every teacher, every coach, and every conductor has had radically different ideas about all the different aspects of this theme. Temp, color, dynamic, [...]

By Jonathan Pegis|2017-07-15T05:12:25-04:00October 19th, 2012|Categories: Auditions, In the Practice Room, Orchestra, Performance, Repertoire|Tags: dynamics, release, orchestral excerpts, orchestra, recording, Beethoven, accents, Preparation, singing, bow speed, blog, control, sustain, Rhythm, bow changes, Symphony, vibrato, technical challenges, phrasing, legato, cello, variations, practicing, markings, cellobello, confidence, education, teacher, Audition, Excerpts, pressure, Teaching, coaching, nerves, inflection, mistakes|

Bernard Greenhouse: January 3, 1916-May 13, 2011

Bernard Greenhouse left us May 13, 2011. Please scroll to the bottom of this posting and add your personal recollections and tributes for Bernie in the comment box. Bernard Greenhouse, one of my true cello heros and a man I loved and admired, passed away this morning in the middle of his 96th year. It was a peaceful death, middle of the night, in his sleep. It was not unexpected, yet it is so hard to accept. Thousands of friends, family and colleagues, generations of students will be saddened by this loss, for his music, his teaching, the legendary warmth of both his cello sound and his personality, have truly inspired the love and devotion of untold numbers. I had been eagerly looking forward to an upcoming visit to Bernie’s home on [...]

By Paul Katz|2011-05-13T23:30:38-04:00May 13th, 2011|Categories: Bernard Greenhouse|Tags: Katz, dynamics, Paul, elegance, imagination, experiments, character, frustration, collaboration, Greenhouse, alignment, perfection, inspiration, Beaux Arts Trio, recording, Teaching, Bernard, singing, weight, vibrato, celebration, cellobello, Cleveland Quartet|