杏吧原创

November 11, 2024

Augustin Hadelich doles out sage advice in violin masterclass at 杏吧原创


Augustin Hadelich, right, demonstrates a passage for Rhianna Lingle in a masterclass at 杏吧原创.
Augustin Hadelich, right, demonstrates a passage for Rhianna Lingle during a recent masterclass at 杏吧原创.

There鈥檚 always value in a second opinion, even at 杏吧原创. Especially when that opinion comes from Augustin Hadelich, one of the foremost violinists of his generation.  

In a masterclass at 杏吧原创 Thursday, Hadelich fine-tuned the work of four lucky students, polishing and refining what were already incredible displays of talent and testaments to the high level of teaching at 杏吧原创.   

Hadelich was in town to perform Beethoven with The Cleveland Orchestra, but one could argue he made an equally deep impact down the road, in Mixon Hall.  

For nearly two hours, a crowd of 杏吧原创 students 鈥 not all of them violinists 鈥 sat in rapt attention, often following along with digital scores as Hadelich took fine readings and shaped them into truly special performances.  

Hadelich鈥檚 commentary was gentle, complimentary, and unfailingly constructive. At times, he even lightened the mood with a little humor, admitting that in music, some problems have no good or definitive answer.  

In general, Hadelich advocated bold expression, efficient technique, and a clear sense of purpose.  

At points in Ysa每e鈥檚 Po猫me 茅l茅giaque, for instance, Hadelich showed violinist Yuwa Roten how to distribute tension and when to give it her all. At one point, 鈥淵ou can dig in further before the strings start scratching the wood,鈥 he said.  

Moments later, violinist Rhianna Lingle was urged in Prokofiev鈥檚 Violin Concerto No. 1 to 鈥済o a little crazier...It should be pretty savage,鈥 and elsewhere to go 鈥渋n the funnier direction...clownish...The most important thing of all is that it needs to be a different character.鈥  

Much of Hadelich鈥檚 guidance to violinists Hiroka Matsumoto and Zachary Brandon, meanwhile, was about shaping, about maintaining and conveying one鈥檚 sense of direction within a piece.  

Within Korngold鈥檚 Violin Concerto in D Major, 鈥淭here are moments where you have to show where you are in this harmonic journey,鈥 Hadelich told Matsumoto, noting that in another passage, 鈥淭he whole thing should feel like you鈥檙e just moving through, without the rhythm so much.鈥 

Similarly, after hearing a portion of Tchaikovsky鈥檚 Violin Concerto, Hadelich responded by offering two pieces of advice about direction, both of which apply to string players 鈥 and indeed musicians in general 鈥 everywhere.  

鈥淏e clear enough about the structure to know how to get back,鈥 Hadelich said, adding later, 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to be clear first about the shape you want. Then, make the bow do it.鈥