structure Archives

Maintaining Structure and Purpose in Your Day During COVID

Reprinted with permission from The Violin Channel. Violist Kim Kashkashian shares her thoughts on how she feels students can best maintain structure and purpose in their day during this pandemic. “Thoughts and musings on performing artists living at home … Where do we fit in as artists? Where do we fit in as citizens? How can we lead a productive artistic life? Our primary impulse- indeed, our primary need as artists is to create and share pure truth. We are all, in that sense, part of the healing profession. It is humbling and inspiring to recognize the potency and power of the visceral in our art. The power of resonance, vibration, sound waves in space and the organic feedback of an audience are unique and seemingly irreplaceable. But, we must [...]

By Kim Kashkashian|2020-10-02T18:26:29-04:00September 18th, 2020|Categories: Artistic Vision, Performance, Repertoire, Self Discovery|Tags: structure, The Violin Channel, setting goals, purpose, Kim Kashkashian, inspiration, goals, motivation|

“But I Don’t Want To!”: How to Get Yourself (or Your Kid) to Practice… — by Martha Baldwin

One of the most frequent problems my students ask me about is how to get inspired to practice. Old, young, serious and casual cellists alike come to me in frustration: “But I just can’t find the inspiration to practice right now/ever/this month/today etc. etc.” Parents ask even more often how to get their child to practice without a battle. Here’s the thing—there’s a hard truth about being a cellist, about the practicing it takes. It’s not always fun. It’s hard to get started. You don’t feel inspired to practice all the time. Don’t feel bad—you know that student next to you in the practice room who’s there every day without fail? He’s not more inspired than you, you’re not missing the I-Love-To-Practice gene. Parents—you know that mom who says “I [...]

By Martha Baldwin|2017-10-24T04:04:38-04:00March 3rd, 2014|Categories: In the Practice Room, Self Discovery, Teaching|Tags: how to get yourself to practice, Habits, inspiration to practice, cellist, rehearsal, inspiration, problems, schedule, cello, routine, truth, cellobello, Baldwin, structure, Practice Room, discipline, appointment, Martha, daily routine, practicing, feel like practicing|

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: 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, generations, Tanglewood, arrangements, making a living, jazz, Tanglewood Cello Ensemble, backstage, musical comedy, classical music, Tanglewood on Parade, Blaise, musical styles, concert, Tanglewood Shed|

New and Old — by Yeesun Kim

This summer I had two very different experiences performing contemporary pieces. The first piece, as it turned out, had several performances spread over two months. Two concerts included working with the composer prior to the concert. The second piece was set up to be only performed once, without the composer's presence and with only two days of rehearsing. Both pieces were quite difficult in their own ways. The first piece called for virtuosity, stamina and the ability to clearly outline the structure and narrative in order to hold the piece together. The second piece was almost the exact opposite. Short and obsessively detailed in its use of sound effects, it abounded in the use of extended techniques. It employed extremely soft dynamics and seemed to purposefully obscure perceptible structure in [...]

By Yeesun Kim|2022-04-04T13:55:15-04:00October 7th, 2011|Categories: Chamber Music, Performance, Repertoire|Tags: cello, composers, cellobello, music, unique, dynamics, challenges, virtuosity, confidence, structure, Kim, ability, rehearsals, articulations, Yeesun, familiar, creativity, character, soundscapes, Rhythm|

Composing and Playing Music: How Composing Helps Your Playing — by Lev Mamuya

Composing one’s own music can prove to be a very valuable resource when it comes to interpreting the music of others, and vice versa. As a composing musician myself, I find that as I get more advanced in each field, each one’s development seems to promote the other’s. Through composing my own music I have not necessarily gained a greater technical facility, but a more complete understanding of the markings in the music that I play and a deeper appreciation of the composer’s intentions. The practice of putting in more detailed markings has developed over time. The music of 20th century composers is generally more specific marking-wise than the music of the Baroque era in terms of what composers actually wrote into the music. For instance, the Debussy Cello Sonata [...]

By Lev Mamuya|2017-06-17T22:34:10-04:00September 6th, 2011|Categories: High School Blogs, In the Practice Room, Repertoire|Tags: Lev, details, Mamuya, harmony, Technique, resources, intentions, vision, Interpretation, composers, complexities, artistry, composition, markings, cello, structure, cellobello, understanding, textures, music, dynamics, value, individuality, influences|