What a Cellist can learn at a Piano Masterclass

This past Sunday we capped our weekend in Kansas City by attending a piano masterclass given by Stansilav Ioudenitch. I have been to several piano masterclasses with Sibylle and I always learn something even though I am not a pianist. Yesterday’s class was no exception. Here are my notes.

• Play slower – let the audience hear all the notes. Be aware of the accompaniment
• Use shoulder weight to increase volume
• Extend phrases across bar / measure
• Rebound off notes – feel the weight moving through the note
• Playing with more expression doesn’t mean more attack - it means more lyrical
• Don’t rush through passages, even if they are at a fast(er) tempo
• Resolve technical problems through expression
• Be aware of conversation between solo and accompaniment, whether it is just a piano or an orchestra
• Orchestra accompaniment is like the Titanic – big and powerful – and unable to react to the soloist. Piano accompaniment can and will react to solo
• Performer’s thoughts/emotion will come through in the music. Change your emotion to color the music differently
• Interplay between solo and orchestra or second piano is key
• When developing phrasing think about how a singer would perform the melody
• Technical passages should be played virtuosically yes, but also musically
• Be relaxed – flexible – no extra weight or tension in body
• Make short notes longer to increase expression
• Body motion – elegant body motion – will make elegant music
• Play with no extra motion, don’t waste energy