Master Class Report

Last Friday, we had the amazing opportunity to perform in a master class for Mr. Alan Kay. It was a fantastic experience, and we wanted to share that experience.

We had the benefit of being second to perform, so we got to familiarize ourselves with Mr. Kay's style first. We immediately noticed that Mr. Kay seemed to do so little in order to get a large response, in both his playing and his teaching. He knew exactly what to do or say to get the precise outcome he wanted, no more and no less. It is something we are always striving for in our own playing, so it was really cool to see that expertise in action. In particular, we were struck by the fullness of his clarinet sound. It completely filled the room, and made us want to experiment with how we produce our own sounds.

We also admired how much he focused on performer he was working with. For those that haven't seen one before, a master class is sometimes described as a series of mini-lessons with an audience watching. Sometimes this means that the professor will spend a great deal of time using the performers as an example to get a couple of big points across to the audience, without really digging into what the performers need to improve. Mr. Kay did the opposite. While we were watching him work with the first student, we really did feel as though we were watching a lesson happen on stage. He would make an observation, give the student a way to fix it, and have them experiment with how it worked. He also spoke softly, giving the entire experience a very intimate feel. We felt that he really cared about the positive improvement of each performer he saw, which was greatly appreciated.

After practicing all last week to be extremely prepared for our performance, we were excited to play for Mr. Kay. We had chosen the second movement of the Carter Canonic Suite. We had been aiming for a very homogeneous sound, with almost a sleepy feel. Mr. Kay suggested that we should bring out the different textures and colors in our individual sounds in order to keep it interesting. Otherwise, the audience might actually fall asleep! He also identified a couple key places to bring out individual lines, such as Matthew's melody at the opening, and the passing quarter note figure throughout the piece. We had been listening and making decisions with our ears in the middle of the group. However, Mr. Kay made us realize that we ought to also listen from the perspective of the audience, to hear and feel what they will during our performance.

We are excited to put these ideas into action in the other pieces we are working on!

What We're Listening To: The Moldau with George Szell

Recently, I have been listening to the Cleveland Orchestra play the Moldau with George Szell conducting. I am always so captivated by the clarity and cleanliness of Cleveland's sound. The strings particularly have a crisp quality an togetherness that is not common, even in professional orchestras. My favorite part of the recording is at the peasant wedding section. The tempo when the piece gets to this section sits so nicely. It feels just right, the section is fast enough to create a wonderful sense of motion, but slow enough to feel the slight lilt of the dance. I highly recommend this recording to everyone!

- Sean

Rehearsal Update: Talking

Sometimes its good to remember that a long term chamber ensemble is a relationship. A complex, four person relationship. In some senses, this is a professional work group, much like a focus group at a company, but it is also very different. Music is so personal, and a quartet demands a singular personal experience from four people. This means that we basically have to be best friends that work together in order to deliver that kind of performance.

There are rehearsals where we really gel. Everything is working, and we're making great progress on our pieces, and we really feel accomplished at the end of rehearsal. There are also rehearsals where everyone ends up frustrated and there are a few glares going around. And everything in between. The great thing is that the varying experiences with rehearsals is totally normal, but if the negative-leaning rehearsals become common, it ought to be addressed.

That is exactly what we did this week. Sometimes, in order to allow for a productive rehearsal environment, it is necessary to talk things out. It will save time and frustration in the long run. It is often just enough to ask everyone to share what is frustrating them, whether it is in the quartet or not. This makes sure everyone knows what everyone else is going through, which makes everyone easier to work with. We are now looking forward to a positive, productive rehearsal for the rest of the week!

Motivational Monday: Norman Vincent Peale

Musicians sometimes have a problem letting their hearts lead. Although music is a passionate art, there is a great deal of technique that must be in place before passion can be tapped into. Or...maybe not. For experienced musicians who have set up a good foundation of practice and preparation, sometimes the last piece of the puzzle to make a piece really work is heart. Gauge where your heart is while you play, and let it take you where it will. You might just get something amazing.

Fun Fact Friday: Record Curtain Calls

Ever wonder who holds the record for the greatest number of curtain calls in a single performance? (FYI, a curtain call is when a performer returns to the stage to be recognized by the audience)

That would be the great tenor Luciano Pavarotti, who received 165 curtain call at a Berlin opera house in 1988.

Noi amiamo l'Italia!: A complete meal

When eating in Italy, a meal is more than good food, it is an experience. Today, we'll take you through the structure of a complete Italian meal.

crostini

The meal begins with antipasti, meaning appetizers. Although the specifics vary across regions, antipasti could include cured meats, vegetables, or seafood. In Umbria and Tuscany, favorites include crostini, toasted bread with savory toppings, and finocchiona, fennel-flavored salami.

papardelle al chinghiale

Next is the primo, or first course. This is a rice or pasta dish, or soup in the fall and winter. Tuscan favorites are pappardelle al sugo de lepre or al cinghiale, large fettuccine with hare sauce or wild boar sauce.

fagioli all'uccelletto

The main course, or secondo, comes next. This is a meat or fish dish, that can be accompanied by a contorno, or side dish, usually potatoes or vegetables. The most recommended secondo is fiorentina, a thick-cut steak from the Tuscan-bred Chianina cow. For a contorno, a favorite is the fagioli all'uccelletto, white beans in a light tomato sauce.

cantucci e vin santo

Ending the meal is cheese or dessert, called dolce, usually cake, pastry, pudding, or fresh fruit. One to try is cantucci e vin santo, a hazelnut biscotti served with sweet wine.

Rehearsal Update: Master Class Preparation

Alan Kay

This week, our rehearsals have definitely had some extra umph - we are preparing to play in a master class for Alan Kay. Mr. Kay is a professor of clarinet at The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, and Stony Brook University, and plays with the Orpheus Orchestra as well as many other chamber ensembles. We are thrilled to be able to get advice and feedback from him.

We are going to be bringing Elliott Carter's Canonic Suite and a few movements fromYvonne Desportes' French Suite. We are doing our very best to iron out all the kinks still left in these movements - it would be pointless to perform for Mr. Kay and only have him tell us things we already know we ought to be doing.

At the core of all our rehearsals is maintaining the core group sound we are working so hard to define. The tendency when trying to make something "right" is to focus on how you sound and what you need to change, often at the expense of truly playing together. Right now, we are working on doing everything as a group, and truly "giving up" to the group sound. Although this does lead to some frustrating rehearsals, its so worth it, and we are looking forward to seeing what Mr. Kay will say on Friday.

If you'd like to attend, the master class is open to the public:
Friday, June 21 @ 5pm
$10 at the door

The Historic Hoover Theater
1635 Park Ave
San Jose, CA 95216

Motivational Monday: Edgard Varèse

 

We often get so used to listening to the same kind of music, and even musicians can be closed-minded when hearing new styles or innovations. To jump-start your week, listen to something new for some Monday inspiration!

Rehearsal Update: June 11

Last week, we made more progress on the movements of Desportes' French Suite that don't come as naturally to us - 2, 3, and 4. Our main focus in all three movements was articulation and style matching between the four of us. We also made our first foray into Onishi's piece. We began by making sure each of the sounds matched, and that we were producing them in a similar way. We are now in the process of putting it all together. After the first rehearsal, we are all very excited to premiere the piece in Italy!

Motivational Monday: Ralph Waldo Emmerson

This is a great quote for when you feel like there are just too many obstacles in the way of your goals. Let the positive guide you, instead of dwelling on the negatives that will hold you back.

Hope your week is full of progress toward your dreams!

Fun Fact Friday: Celebrity Clarinetists

There are a few of Hollywood's finest who play or have played the clarinet.

Julia Roberts played clarinet in high school band.

Woody Allen plays clarinet at Michael's Pub in NYC every Monday night.

Steven Spielberg also played the clarinet in high school, and can be seen playing in his film Jaws.

Noi amiamo l'Italia!: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Italy

1. The piano, thermometer, and typewriter were all invented in Italy.
2. The average Italian consumes 26 gallons of wine per year.

Trevi Fountain, Rome

3. 90% of Italians belong to the Roman Catholic religion.
4. The colors of the Italian flag represent hope (green), faith (white), and charity (red).
5. Geographically, Italy is quite small, at 116, 304 square miles, slightly larger than Arizona.
6. There are two independent states within Italy - Vatican City and the Republic of San Marino. The latter is home to the world's oldest continuous constitution.
7. Europe's only active volcanoes are in Southern Italy - the Eta, the Stromboli, and the Vesuvius. The Eta has been spewing lava daily since 1999.
8. Nearly 50 million tourists visit Italy annually.
9. The famous Trevi Fountain collect 3,000 € daily, which is donated to a local supermarket to serve the needy.
10. Pasta is the national dish of Italy - the average Italian consumes 25kg (55lbs)
per year!

What We're Listening To: New Audio Section!

Today we have a very quick post update for you - we have added an audio page to the blog! Uploaded so far, we have all the recordings from our April 7 recital at University of the Pacific, as well as a Henri Tomasi's Trois Divertissements, recorded at Pacific through the sound recording class. We definitely recommend listening to it, there is a playfulness in all three movements that is incredibly enjoyable.

Rehearsal Update: Skype Session with Yoshiaki Onishi

This past Friday, we had a nice talk with Yoshiaki Onishi about the piece he has composed for us to premier in Assisi, Près de l'Abîme. We were able to ask questions about multiple aspects of the piece, and we all now feel quite confident about performing the work. Onishi also went over his construction of the piece, using Messiaen's Abîme des oiseaux as inspiration, including the metric structure and the bird-like qualities. We are extremely excited to dig into the piece as a group beginning tomorrow to see how it will sound all together!

Motivational Monday: Albert Einstein

This one comes from our coach, Dr. Patricia Shands. Push yourself to go beyond what everyone thinks is satisfactory and see what you find!

Fun Fact Friday: The Clarinet

Today, two facts about the instrument we love so much - the clarinet!

1. The clarinet was the last of the woodwinds to be added to the standard orchestra.
2. The word "clarinet," from the Italian clarino, means "little trumpet."