Tommy, Ning, and Brad in front of
the Bess Meshulam Simon Music
Library and Recital Center.
the Bess Meshulam Simon Music
Library and Recital Center.
Today was the last masterclass of the Natural Horn Workshop, here at Indiana University Bloomington. We had breakfast with Jonathan Stoneman (UK) and Ron Burdick (CA) at the Copper Cup and headed over to Ford Hall.
Stoneman was up first and played the first movement of the Weber Concertino. There were some nasty low multiphonics at the end of it; Manganaro (GER) demonstrated it and blasted those notes out of the water. Crazy loud. Rachel and Chris (NC) played their Dauprat (?) duet (with our accompanist, Ken Chan, on fortepiano), which is a really sweet (in the dolce sense) piece; Professor Seraphinoff was curious about the piece, so he took Rachel's place and sight-read through it once for fun. His control over tone production is stunning. Later, Seraphinoff and Manganaro sight-read the piece together.
Yoni (MA) played one of the Gallay (?) Etude Brillantes. Crazy chromatic piece. I wish I had enough battery to have taped the entirety of the performance and discussion. He hit all the notes during the performance, but when he played it after Seraphinoff advised him on a few technical aspects, the notes became much more substantial and clear.
Our trio played Brahms' Scherzo for the masterclass. Compared to when we played it in the beginning of the week... it flowed better--the momentum was maintained better. I daresay some of the phrasing on Brad and Tommy's parts was slightly more interesting too. Unfortunately, it was more messy on my part, since I was focusing on incorporating things that Auer had suggested (new fingerings... so notes missing everywhere).
After masterclass, everyone hung around for a little bit saying good-bye. We went to lunch at Mother Bear's with Manganaro and Chuta Chulavalaivong (MA), where we sadly had to cut shortish because we had one last coaching at 1:30PM with Reiko Neriki.
I was looking forward to this coaching, since all the e-mail exchange with Professor Neriki was very friendly. Her bio had showed her passion for chamber music (apparently she won best accompanist at the Tchaikovsky Violin Competition), and that she had worked with Janos Starker--with whom I had been hoping to arrange a coaching.
The coaching was wonderful. She was direct, but respectful, and full of useful advice. She took the time to demonstrate what I should be doing (how I should be practicing certain passages), and furthermore, took the time to listen to me attempt it with the new perspective. Both she and Auer underscored the main problem with my piano playing--that musically, I have the right idea, but in the technical realm, I am weak at getting it out to the audience.
However, she touched upon all sorts of technical things, which in the back of my mind all these years I knew that Someone should be advising me about; she knows the physical aspects of piano playing from general posture down to the fingertips--and knows enough about it to articulate everything clearly.
I think I'm in love. I would really like to do a master's here in which I focus on technical progress and have her clean up my bad habits.
Professor Neriki coached us for about an hour and a half and I know with specificity what my next tasks are and moreover--HOW to work on my next tasks. Thank god for good teachers, who are also conscientious.
Brad and Tommy have embarked on their 11 hour journey back to Maryland. I will be catching a taxi at 4AM tomorrow to get to the airport.
--Ning
Stoneman was up first and played the first movement of the Weber Concertino. There were some nasty low multiphonics at the end of it; Manganaro (GER) demonstrated it and blasted those notes out of the water. Crazy loud. Rachel and Chris (NC) played their Dauprat (?) duet (with our accompanist, Ken Chan, on fortepiano), which is a really sweet (in the dolce sense) piece; Professor Seraphinoff was curious about the piece, so he took Rachel's place and sight-read through it once for fun. His control over tone production is stunning. Later, Seraphinoff and Manganaro sight-read the piece together.
Yoni (MA) played one of the Gallay (?) Etude Brillantes. Crazy chromatic piece. I wish I had enough battery to have taped the entirety of the performance and discussion. He hit all the notes during the performance, but when he played it after Seraphinoff advised him on a few technical aspects, the notes became much more substantial and clear.
Our trio played Brahms' Scherzo for the masterclass. Compared to when we played it in the beginning of the week... it flowed better--the momentum was maintained better. I daresay some of the phrasing on Brad and Tommy's parts was slightly more interesting too. Unfortunately, it was more messy on my part, since I was focusing on incorporating things that Auer had suggested (new fingerings... so notes missing everywhere).
After masterclass, everyone hung around for a little bit saying good-bye. We went to lunch at Mother Bear's with Manganaro and Chuta Chulavalaivong (MA), where we sadly had to cut shortish because we had one last coaching at 1:30PM with Reiko Neriki.
I was looking forward to this coaching, since all the e-mail exchange with Professor Neriki was very friendly. Her bio had showed her passion for chamber music (apparently she won best accompanist at the Tchaikovsky Violin Competition), and that she had worked with Janos Starker--with whom I had been hoping to arrange a coaching.
The coaching was wonderful. She was direct, but respectful, and full of useful advice. She took the time to demonstrate what I should be doing (how I should be practicing certain passages), and furthermore, took the time to listen to me attempt it with the new perspective. Both she and Auer underscored the main problem with my piano playing--that musically, I have the right idea, but in the technical realm, I am weak at getting it out to the audience.
However, she touched upon all sorts of technical things, which in the back of my mind all these years I knew that Someone should be advising me about; she knows the physical aspects of piano playing from general posture down to the fingertips--and knows enough about it to articulate everything clearly.
I think I'm in love. I would really like to do a master's here in which I focus on technical progress and have her clean up my bad habits.
Professor Neriki coached us for about an hour and a half and I know with specificity what my next tasks are and moreover--HOW to work on my next tasks. Thank god for good teachers, who are also conscientious.
Brad and Tommy have embarked on their 11 hour journey back to Maryland. I will be catching a taxi at 4AM tomorrow to get to the airport.
--Ning
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