Posted on May 17, 2008 by Abigail McHugh in Musicality Miscellaneous - Musicality/Phrasing
When I am feeling bored by my students’ playing, I sometimes ask them, “What would Yo-Yo Ma do?” Remarkably, just this simple question tends to bring out a much more musical and convincing performance. I find it is especially helpful for students whose bodies are frozen below the arms, which is probably because they feel more comfortable moving and putting some drama into it, if they are just acting. I also ask them what they think it is about Yo-Yo Ma’s (or Steven Isserlis’s, or Jacqueline du Pre’s, …) playing that makes people want to pay big bucks to see them on stage. Generally the student comes up with the idea that the great artists are not just playing the notes, but rather are expressing an emotion and providing the audience with an experience that is in some way entertaining.