Month: June 2015

I’ve become obsessed—this isn’t too strong a word—with Arvo Pärt’s Spiegel im Spiegel, which I’m preparing for a recital with Jovanni de Pedro. I know that it’s become a bit of a cliché from being on so many movies, advertisements and so on, but every time I play it, I find something new and astounding in it.

What makes it particularly hard for me is that Pärt purposely didn’t put any dynamics, articulations or other expressive markings in there. Does this mean we should add our own? I don’t think so. One of the biggest challenges is just keeping a steady tempo of 100 to the quarter note, which is as painfully difficult to do as it is in that other famous slow cello solo, “Louange à l’éternité de Jésus” from Messiaen’s Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Even though Spiegel doesn’t have the same hard shifts and high playing as the “Louange,” I find sticking to 100 extraordinarily hard.

Continue reading “Mirrors” →

The first post in the Cello Tips section of my book website is up! In today’s post, Intonation and the Opposable Thumb, I write about how the position of your thumb on the neck of the cello can help your intonation, vibrato, shifting, and general relaxation.

Continue reading “Cello Tips” →

I am delighted to announce that my first book, Cello Practice, Cello Performance, was published today by Rowman & Littlefield. I give my heartfelt thanks to the editorial team, the designers who made the beautiful cover, and everyone who inspired and encouraged me to write down ideas from my teaching career. To my teachers, my students, my colleagues, my family: this one’s for you.

Check out the website, launched today, that ties in with my book, Cello Practice, Cello Performance! It’s hard to believe that it’s going to be published on Tuesday.

This site will feature short videos, photos, and short articles on topics related to the art of cello practice. I’ll keep this website for longer essays on all musical topics as the mood strikes me.

I’m getting so excited for my book’s publication!

I love it when members of the audience approach me after concerts. (I mean, who hates compliments?) But I’m sometimes surprised and puzzled at the things they say. The most common one I get is some variation on “You look like you’re having fun!”

I guess I was really hoping that they’d say they’d liked the music, or my interpretation of it. Maybe they did, but lacked the technical vocabulary to say so?

Continue reading “Enjoyment” →