The Violin Channel recently caught up with violinist and long time Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center musician, Ani Kavafian, to talk about her perspective on playing chamber music with colleagues of different generations.

Violinist Ani Kavafian Discusses Learning from Musicians of Different Generations

Chamber Music, my first love... 

When I was a student at Juilliard (some years ago!), I used to attend concerts at Alice Tully Hall given by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. I was particularly impressed by the camaraderie amongst the performers as I was hearing the spectacular music played by some of the best chamber musicians in the business, I came to the realization that a position with this organization would be the best “job” a musician could have! At that point, it was only a dream I would someday actually be up on stage alongside those that I had admired from afar.

My “break” came at the behest of Young Concert Artists’ director, Susan Wadsworth who set up an audition with her husband, Charles Wadsworth, the artistic director of CMS. I was thrilled beyond words to be added to a list of assisting artists at the Society. This meant that I would be playing as a second violinist to the premier members of the group. What an amazing opportunity to learn from these highly experienced knowledgeable musicians! By sitting alongside those that I respected....actually even revered, I kept my ears open to all suggestions made by them, learned about the music as well as how rehearsals were conducted. Who spoke when, who seemed to have the shortest fuse, when to stop talking, etc.. Briefly, I had to make a huge learning curve to garner the respect of those that were my seniors by some 30 years. I saw how patient they were with my excited suggestions (Oh let’s do it this way!!) even though they knew already that my ideas had been tried by them before and had NOT worked!

There is absolutely no substitute for learning by doing. There is also no substitute for learning from musicians from a different generation.

Having been on stage with the likes of Leon Fleisher, Walter Trampler, Peter Pears, and so many other great artists, I cannot think of a better gift than the musical foundation they gave me. Now that I have “graduated” to that older generation, I feel the responsibility of channeling, to my younger colleagues, what I learned in over 35 years of playing with CMS, i.e.being patient while they suggest something that I have tried and know it may not work, how to speak to colleagues during and after rehearsals, and how to achieve the best performance.

Although there is much to learn from working alongside those from an older generation, I do not take for granted the excitement and energy that’s generated by younger players who are superb musicians. I gain so much from their enthusiasm and am enormously grateful to those that are some 30 years my junior who remind me of what it was like to be on the stage at Alice Tully Hall and have the “job” I dreamt of.

- Ani Kavafian

Do you have an idea for a blog or news tip? Simply email: hello@theviolinchannel.com

As an artist-member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, violinist Ani Kavafian enjoys a prolific career as a soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician. She regularly teaches and performs at several music festivals, including the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival/Yale Summer School of Music, the Heifetz International Institute, Sarasota Music Festival, and the Meadowmount School of Music. 

Born in Istanbul, Turkey, Kavafian began piano lessons at age 3. At age 9, in the United States, she began studying violin with Ara Zerounian and eventually with Mischa Mischakoff. She went on to study violin at the Juilliard School with Ivan Galamian, eventually earning a Master of Music degree with highest honors. She plays the 1736 Muir McKenzie Stradivarius violin.

The post Ani Kavafian on Learning from Musicians of Different Generations appeared first on World's Leading Classical Music Platform.

We sat the four down to get a better understanding of what makes the team tick - on and off stage.

The post Up Close & Personal With The Solera Quartet [INSIGHT] appeared first on World's Leading Classical Music Platform.

London's Royal Academy of Music Faculty Member and Official Pianist of the Menuhin Competition

Have a clear idea in advance of the phrasing, tempo, and character.

This isn’t to say it can’t be flexible once you meet up and rehearse, but with a short rehearsal, it is imperative that you have already thought these things through.

I make sure I know both parts very well in advance of the rehearsal.

It’s particularly important to know how the parts fit together with one another, and to appreciate who has the primary part at any given moment - not all fortes are equal...!

Try not to get bogged down with unimportant detail in a short rehearsal.

Priorities:

Clear musical character and phrasing.

Convincing tempo and timings (breathing at key moments, relaxing tension when needed etc).

Matching articulation is important, especially in a classical sonata. The piano often needs to take the lead on this because of the nature of their sound decay.

Make sure you feel very confident with all beginnings and endings. If you are limited by a short rehearsal time, these moments can feel exposed and scary

Andrew Armstrong

Rohan De Silva

Juilliard School Faculty Member and Official Pianist of the Joseph Joachim and Indianapolis International Violin Competitions

Noreen Polera

Chih-Yi Chen

Jacobs School of Music Faculty Member and Official Pianist of the Indianapolis International Violin Competition

Tempi and the style of playing are critical to a successful performance especially when rehearsal time is limited.

I want to be sure to match the temperament of the player and be sure that our musical personalities are complementary.

More importantly, I want to be sure that we sound like a team that has been collaborating for a long time even if we have only had one or two rehearsals.

The better an instrumentalist knows the music, the easier it is for me to follow their lead

Eduard Laurel

Thomas Hoppe

Hanns Eisler School of Music Faculty Member and Official Pianist of the Joseph Joachim, Queen Elisabeth and Indianapolis International Violin Competitions

My priorities are to mash my interpretation with that of my partners in such a way that they feel comfortable – and free to express what it is they'd imagined.

In a situation like this of great stress and pressure, I will also try to provide musical and human confidence ... and trust.

Dina Vainshtein

Boris Kusnezow

Hannover University of Music Faculty Member and Official Pianist of the Joseph Joachim International Violin Competition

Having only a short amount of time, I think it is most important to be empathic and quickly get on the same wavelength as your musical partner - not only on a musical level but also on a personal one.

The feeling of trust and unity on stage is not only powerful for the audience but it also allows each of the musicians be be truly free and creative.

John Arida

The post What to Prioritize in a Short Rehearsal? appeared first on World's Leading Classical Music Platform.

How do you tackle those delicate parameters? Please let us know in the comments below. We’re all keen to learn more from you.

PUBLIQUARTET MEMBERS SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCE ADAPTING TO DIFFERENT VENUES AND ACOUSTICS

Dear Sarah,

People say there’s an inherent duality in making music...but, as an improvising new music string quartet, PUBLIQuartet thinks of music-making as more of an ever-expanding set of contradictions... You work feverishly to make a beautiful sound, JUST for yourself; then for a person you might be trying to express something to...then your colleagues and friends, then for family gatherings, communities, then judges and teachers and competitions. For some, you make music towards history and a larger social/political discourse.  

Making music for the space you are in is a microcosm of this chaotic set of contradictions. You walk onto the stage, you are nervous, the lights are not exactly as they were in the dress rehearsal, everything is different, the sound is a bit drier than you remember, and you can’t stop your bow from shaking a bit or your vibrato from having that urgent edge in this grazioso music….

I mean...asking how important it is to adjust is like asking "How important is it to listen to the person you are having a conversation with?  How important is it to tailor your ideas or be socially malleable? Conversely, how important is it to stand up and do what you believe and feel passionate about, despite opposition…"

As an improvising string quartet, one might imagine that we react exclusively to the environment around us, which is partially true, but a lot of what makes a group improvisation feel successful to us is how inward we can be within the ensemble. Being able to listen to each other, zone out the audience, and create a safe and exciting space to compose spontaneously together is a skill we have had to develop. To tap into the interlocking trust of action and reaction within an ensemble is the core of our chamber music experience. During our 90 minute improvisation on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, we improvised to the 3rd presidential debate, and a lot of what made that sustainable and fun was the feedback loop of ideas and energy between the quartet members; we welcomed the impulse from the new collaborator, the debaters, and left the room, the millions of viewers, and the physical space out of consideration.

That being said...

In PUBLIQuartet, we end up playing a lot of music that features extraneous noises and tones that work well under the microscope of the microphone but get lost in the wash of a concert hall.  In that case, we prepare for the space: play a little closer to the bridge, with a lot more weight, the ping and projecting edge to the tone, and a more condensed and impactful bow stroke. It’s chamber music, a conversation between the sound and the space.

We all have different needs of focus; feeling good individually, with each other, and with our audience.

For example, in an improvised arrangement of Hildegard that we are recording on our next album FREEDOM and FAITH, celebrating the music of women in history, there are some growled whispers and speech of old religious chant that sound perfectly horrifying when we record, but mumbled and almost soothing in a washy hall. So, we adjust.  We want to be heard and felt, and we want to hear what the audience thinks about our expression after the show.

This, of course, affects each instrument in a unique and specific way. We can’t ask for more low end in wet spaces, and as little high’s as possible in the dryer ones. The tempo and articulations adjust based on whether you can hear all the little notes in fast passages from far away, and with microphones, we have to be a touch less percussive in our rhythm chains, stomps, and martele, while being warmer and richer in the sustained passages. Our playing also depends on the concept of the program; if we are part of a larger format of other musicians or performers, we might phrase differently, either with more ornate shapes or a simpler sound to get out of the way. We were in a run with a set of premiers with LA Dance project last year, which was a test of our ability to adjust to the vibe of the dancers’ movement, while still being consistent and dependable with tempo and articulation.

Performing is all of the above: knowing when to give and take, and when to be rock solid. Before Google maps, you’d often find yourself going down a highway and wondering if you missed your exit, asking "Do I stay the course, or turn back..." Of course, as you travel more, you learn to trust and own your choices, you become an expert in the flow of your own movement.

At the end of the day, you are you, your music is yours, and that is why an audience comes to hear YOU. Whichever path you take is the one we as the audience are on. That is what makes being the one on that stage so unbearably vulnerable from time to time: The conversation of give and take, the emotional highway of constant choice becomes the audience’s fodder, and that type of sharing is something rarely experienced, and in our opinion, a moment to be cherished and celebrated.

–PUBLIQuartet

Do you have a burning question for one of the Pros?
Simply email: hello@theviolinchannel.com

Comprising violinists Curtis Stewart and Jannina Norpoth, violist Nick Revel and cellist Amanda Gookin, the PUBLIQuartet are former quartet in residence at the Juilliard String Quartet Institute, Robert Mann String Quartet Institute, the Shouse Institute, Banff Centre and New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. They have recently launched a fundraiser to promote the Recording of works by female composers that explore themes of spirituality, resilience +inspiration: https://bit.ly/2At4mvb

The post PUBLIQuartet on Adjusting Your Playing to the Performance Venue appeared first on World's Leading Classical Music Platform.

What are your thoughts on the matter? Please let us know in the comments below. We’re all keen to learn more from you.

CALIDORE QUARTET ON HOW  REPERTOIRE EVOLVES WHILE ON TOUR

A teacher once told us that we can practice a piece as much as we want, but we can't achieve the highest level without having the experience of performing the work.

For instance, we have performed Mendelssohn's String Quartet Op. 80 nearly one hundred times in concert and have included it on our upcoming album Resilience.

Through the years of performing op.80 in diverse settings and for audiences across the world, we have learned how to emotionally pace ourselves for a piece that is so demanding.  

We’ve learned where to conserve energy and when we need to "bring it."

For example, so much of Mendelssohn’s quartet is filled with audible rage and angst, everything is directed outward. The beginning of the third movement, however, brings introspection and vulnerability.

This is where Mendelssohn seems to stop raging about his sisters’ death and looks wistfully with nostalgia on the time they spent together.  

It is at this point that we must channel our energy and rein everything in to create this intimate moment after so much heat and passion.

It takes a tremendous amount of control and requires us to find the right amount of space between movements to gain poise.

If our playing has any lingering intensity in this moment, then everything sounds homogenous. This is something we have learned over the course of years of performances and is something we are always honing.

With each performance of this or any piece, we learn from playing for an audience. We record all of our performances, then listen to it the next day before the next concert, rehearsing the spots that weren’t as we imagined them to be, making changes when needed.  

There is nothing like the pressure of an imminent concert to encourage efficiency in our practice.

It could become almost a chore to regurgitate the same interpretation of a piece night after night, so though we practice to have cohesive ensemble, matched articulation, and homogenous phrasing when necessary, we find it essential to explore the moments where we can have flexibility with timing, dynamics or freedom in the phrase that keeps us present and on our toes during the performance.

We are always discovering new ways of interpreting a piece to maintain the feeling of creating music in the moment.

–Calidore Quartet

Do you have a burning question for one of the Pros?
Simply email: hello@theviolinchannel.com

Comprising violinists Jeffrey Myers and Ryan Meehan, violist Jeremy Berry, and cellist Estelle Choi, the Calidore Quartet are former top prize winners at the M-Prize, Fischoff, Hamburg, and ARD International Chamber Music Competitions.

The post VC Artists Calidore Quartet Discusses How a Piece Changes As They Bring it On Tour appeared first on World's Leading Classical Music Platform.

Steven discusses his personal assertion why chamber music should never be treated as "just a hobby."

The Integral Role of Chamber Music in Every Musician's Life

Chamber Music - not just a hobby!

Optimism seems to be a rare luxury at the moment – well, it does feel that there’s not much reason for it in many aspects of our world. But in our little music world, I feel that in some ways there IS some reason for cautious celebration of some developments. (Is that guarded enough?) And one of these developments is the general attitude to chamber music.

I remember many years ago talking to a cellist in a very successful American string quartet who – in front of his colleagues – snorted in disgust: ‘Yeah, great – I went through all those years of college, practising all those hours every day; and now I play in a quartet. Thanks a lot!’ His colleagues merely raised their eyes to the ceiling, obviously being used to these rants; but I was shocked enough to remember it today. He wasn’t being malicious (he was actually a very sweet guy, who sadly ended up giving up the cello); he was just spouting an attitude that was surprisingly prevalent at that time. Young players were being groomed to be ‘soloists’ (please note inverted commas!) – to play loudly all the time, at full intensity no matter what emotion the music was (should have been) expressing. Oh, and then perhaps they might be sent to some chamber music festival for a summer, to ‘make contacts’. Yuk.

But, even given the fact that some young musicians (though by no means all) do want to spend much of their lives playing concertos, what sort of players were being produced by that attitude to music? To take the violinist products of that ‘ambition school’: they were being taught to play classical sonatas, clearly marked and intended by the composer as sonatas for piano and violin, or absolutely equal duo sonatas, as if they were sonatas for solo violin with a little background decoration. Pianists (humiliatingly referred to as accompanists) were forced to play with the lid down, to allow every little accompanying figure in the violin to blast out, frequently drowning out the melody in the piano part; some unfortunate pianists were even instructed in the use of body language, warned to stand behind the ‘soloist’ at all times, and not to attract the audience’s attention away from the – snort - star. It seems rather unbelievable as I write it now; but some famous teachers really did inculcate that attitude into their students. I’m absolutely sure that the composers of these sonatas would have been flabbergasted – and furious.

When it came to concertos, the same problems infested performances. Concertos are not as a rule just solo pieces with a light smattering of accompaniment (there ARE some such pieces from the early 19th century – Schumann complains vociferously about them in his critical writings – but few are heard today, because they’re just not interesting). Concertos are dialogues between soloist and orchestra, the tuttis setting out themes that are then commented upon and developed by the soloist, with constant interaction between soloist and orchestra. Of course, the soloist has to be audible, and may therefore have to play somewhat louder than in chamber music; but that does not mean that he or she shouldn’t listen. Listening is a vital part of dialogue; people who talk without hearing what is being said to them are as boring in music as they are in life.

Anyway, as I said at the beginning of this rant, I do believe that attitudes have generally improved, both among young musicians and their teachers.

Playing chamber music is now seen, quite rightly, as a necessary part of being a musician; and it is proving to be hugely beneficial for every aspect of artistic growth.

Young artists are learning to think far more deeply about their role in music. To be a true musician, it is essential to be aware at all times whether one is playing the principal melody, the bass-line, a counter-melody, a decoration, or is part of accompanying harmony; whether one is taking over in the middle of a phrase from another player, or starting/ending a phrase; whether one is questioning or stating; and so on – and where better to learn to do that than in chamber music? Learning to listen and to react in that way will help one be a better teacher or concerto soloist or any other sort of performer (or listener). And that is only to talk about the musical/educational benefits. The musical/personal rewards can also be endless; the joy of discovering a work together, of finding that one is on the same wavelength as one’s colleagues, of the magic that can transpire between players when a performance is truly taking off – these are unique, priceless pleasures.

Chamber music should be at the absolute heart of our education and subsequent musical life; there’s still room for improvement, I think - but I’m glad to say that the musical world does seem (largely) to be realising that. So not all in our world is doom and gloom! -Steven

Do you have an idea for a blog or news tip? Simply email: hello@theviolinchannel.com

Internationally renowned British cellist Steven Isserlis enjoys a diverse career as a soloist, chamber musician, educator, author, and broadcaster. He appears as soloist with the world's leading orchestras and is an active chamber musician for many distinguished festivals and venues, including Wigmore Hall, 92nd Street Y, and the Salzburg Festival. He plays on the Marquis de Corberon (Nelsova) Stradivarius of 1726, kindly loaned by the Royal Academy of Music.

The post Cellist Steven Isserlis on the Importance of Playing Chamber Music appeared first on World's Leading Classical Music Platform.

What are some ways you improve your ensemble playing? Please leave a comment below, we are keen to know your thoughts.

Photo Credit: Alexandra DeFurio

Violinist Francesca DePasquale Discusses Ways to Develop Ensemble Playing

Dear Annie,

The opportunity to collaborate with other musicians is one of the true joys of music making. Whether it’s working one on one as a duo or performing as a larger ensemble, the communicative skills required for chamber music translate into all areas of musicianship—as a soloist, it’s absolutely vital to respond to the conductor and orchestra with this sensitivity, and orchestral players rely on chamber music communication and listening between various sections of the group.

Score Study

An understanding at all times of voicing throughout the work, as well as how everything fits together, is incredibly important. This influences how the group sound and phrasing will function. Taking the time to really study the score prior to any rehearsal will not only save time, but also deepen the process. In preparation for the violin and piano works on my new debut album, I frequently practiced off of the score to visualize how both parts fit together and influence one another at any given moment.

Rhythm

It goes without saying that having a strong rhythmic backbone in any ensemble is key, but it can be easy to forget how much comes from this other than simply playing together. Though musicians often turn to color and rubato first for expression, more often than not the musical character will stem first from the rhythm. Rather than feeling constraining, a strong sense of group rhythm and pulse actually allows for greater spontaneity in performance.

My piano trio frequently uses the technique of expressive counting—by counting any of the given subdivisions in our parts within a phrase verbally, and as expressively as possible, we are able to experience the rhythmic intention of a phrase as a group without the influence of our instruments. Though it may seem counterintuitive, removing the association of our instruments clarifies the rhythmic intention beyond any accidental instrumental influences that may unknowingly affect the character.

Body Language

Body language is essential for great ensemble playing. This can range from truly subtle to a huge cue, or simply mean embodying the musical character. One of the works on my new debut album, Bartók Rhapsody no. 1 for violin and piano, required the use of body language between myself and pianist Meng-Chieh Liu to navigate its difficult and sudden tempo changes, especially in the beginning of our rehearsal process.

Musical Commitment

The greatest musical impact an ensemble can achieve is through a total group commitment to musical characters, colors, sound, and phrasing. At any given moment, the entire group should be striving for the same musical goal, and this is one of the fun parts of the rehearsal process—hearing how someone else influences a phrase with his or her sound, perhaps in a different way than how you initially heard it, and responding to that. This can be as natural as playing and simply feeling it together, or it can open the table for discussion.

“Live, Breathe, and Die” is a technique from the Cavani String Quartet that my piano trio frequently uses.

It allows for group experimentation in supporting each member of the ensemble and discovering different musical ideas. Each person in the group takes a turn as the inspirer for a phrase in the piece, while the rest of the group lives, breathes, and dies for the inspirer’s tempo, timing, sound, articulation, breath, and character. After each member of the group has a turn as the inspirer, one final round is played in which each musician contributes equally before discussing. It’s amazing how much this exercise improves communication within an ensemble before a discussion even takes place. Of course, it’s also vital to verbally discuss different ideas and opinions, and respecting the different thoughts amongst the ensemble with a willingness to try is key.

- Francesca

Do you have a burning question for one of the pros? Simply email: hello@theviolinchannel.com

American Violinist Francesca dePasquale is a former 1st prize winner of the Irving M Klein International String Competition and is a recipient of the prestigious Leonore Annenberg Fellowship Fund for the Performing and Visual Arts career grant. She previously served as a Teaching Assistant to both Itzhak Perlman and Catherine Cho at The Juilliard School and is currently a member of the violin faculty at Oberlin Conservatory of Music and Juilliard School Pre-College Program. She is also on the violin faculty at the Heifetz International Music Institute and serves as the director of its Program for the Exceptionally Gifted.

The post Violinist Francesca dePasquale Shares Her Thoughts on Improving Your Ensemble Playing appeared first on World's Leading Classical Music Platform.