culture day at school

Today I taught my elementary school classes, 3rd and 4th year students. I brought my cello today, it's been getting a little dusty, so I thought it would be good to have the students see and hear a real cello up close.
They all had a chance to play it for a little bit for those who wanted to, and even those who were shy at first got a turn.
I taught them about the bow, the horsehair, rosin, the cello, the donut so the cello won't slide around when you play.

I find it really amazing that there are so few violin, viola players and cello players up in this neck of the woods.

Music is so wonderful as a hobby and I thank my parents constantly for giving my such a gift when I was young. You can bet at that time I wanted to play outside and not worry about the cello, and I'm sure kids haven't changed these days. Now I barely get enough time to practice and if I do, its only for the orchestra. Oh well, once this MA is over, I'll get a chance to go out and give a few concerts here and there.

Thanks mom and dad.

Rostropovich

This is one of my heroes. I met Rostropovich for the first time in 1985 in Toronto. He had played the Dvorak Cello Concerto. My own teacher had studied with Rostropovich and sent me to the concert with a greeting to pass along. I met him again on several occasions after that, the most memorable being here in my own town of Hanamaki, Iwate, Japan, where he performed the Hadyn Cello Concerto in C and Tchaikovsky's Roccoco Variations, under Seiji Osawa. It was a private concert, only about 200 people attended, outside in the August heat.

The most memorable CD I have is his recording of the Dvorak with Von Karajan conducting. Powerful, astonishing, beautiful, breath taking...

His death, a few months ago, brings much sadness. From my childhood, he was the cellist to listen to.

I will practise more... I promise!