Weaving your sound
I’ve been sitting here trying to come up with the right opening for this post, and nothing is working. You know that thing that happens with the stuff and the other thing? Well I’ve Once upon a time there was a cellist named Emily who lived in a magicalFourscore and seven years ago our Fathers brought […]
from the mailbag
Oooh weeeee I LOVE a request! Wendy wanted me to talk a little more about breathing after a conversation she had with a tuba player. (we won’t tease her too much about that). First stealthy secret about breathing: If you hold your breath, you probably don’t know you’re doing it. I want you to assume […]
der Bogen
Well, no matter what crazy antics I’m up to , there’s always room for Cello. Technique. *rimshot* Since I’m not sure if this is going to make it into my book, I thought it might be cool to post some pics here. All of the pictures here exemplify at least 80% of what I ask […]
Yes, I am doing more than just advertising my tour…
Not that you’re looking for anything more to complicate your practice, but I did something fun the other day. Try to play through a substantial portion of your current piece (I was sparring with old Saint Saens) using just one part of your bow. First, I stuck in the upper half for the first two […]
a new way to think about progress
Sometimes a change in perspective makes a long process more bearable. Enjoyable, even. I came to this realization a few days as I looked ahead with dread to the longest day of the year. I thought of the miserable summer to come, the triple digit days and only temporary relief from the searing temperatures that […]
teatime pinky
Jessie and I have had lessons for the past 2 summers, and this summer, we’re really going for a solid, efficient left hand. What she has going here is an interesting overcorrection; I cautioned her against playing with flat/smashed fingers, and in the effort to maintain a curved shape, her fingers are now all acting […]
spelunking
Eigen John T was telling me about a student of his that collapses her left arm when playing on the A string. This is fairly common, and universally destructive, as it causes tension, injury, and unreliable intonation. Try this exercise at the next lesson, and see if it helps: 1) Put all 4 fingers on […]
June=Left Hand Month!
I have a student who I am going to be photographing and modifying in terms of her left hand technique, but I invite you guys to send me your own queries.
nailing it
Hahaa! I bet you didn’t expect a technical post today! Well, I enjoy the element of surprise now and again. One of my newer readers, Eigen voiced a pretty common question about left hand technique: What is up with 1st finger in thumb position? It seems improbable that we should have to practically play on […]
Son of Bow Month
I got this fantastic email from our Far and Away friend in the Philippines, who wanted to talk some more bow. Twist my arm! (so long as it’s onto that right index finger, of course) “Ola, Ms.Wright 🙂 My student, Lyndon, complains of pain in his little finger (the photos might be a bit misleading; […]
