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Surviving Life as a Small-Handed, Short-Armed Cellist

              String players come in all shapes and sizes. Some violinists look like they were born to play the double bass, and other people like me seem so small that they should be banished to a partial size instrument into adulthood. If you are in the second category, I feel your pain. Although we must come up with solutions to the unique technical challenges that we face, playing a large instrument is not impossible even for petite individuals. As a side note, this is not to say that adults should never consider a 3/4 or 7/8 size instrument or a shorter bow in some cases. Some physiques may require this. Be sure to seek your teacher's advice on instrument setup (endpin length, angle of the instrument, etc.). Likewise students who are not yet fully grown should seek their teacher’s input before moving to a size that may be uncomfortably large. In this blog I simply hope to share several ways I have found to overcome the...
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Emanuel Moór - Composer Profile and Cello Sonata, No. 2 in G Major, Op. 55

           The following post is adapted from the notes of a lecture recital cancelled due to COVID-19. I am happy to now share with you this research regarding a neglected composer and his life's work.   Emanuel Moór Self Portrait Hungarian composer Emanuel Moór (1863-1931) was the son of Jewish cantor Raphael Moór. Found at an early age to have an aptitude for music, the young Emanuel studied piano, organ and composition. His notable teachers included Franz Liszt on piano, Robert Volkman for composition, as well as a few composition lessons with Johannes Brahms. As a boy he performed in both Europe and America to much acclaim. However, today he is remembered mostly as an inventor. Moór invented a new design for both violin and piano. His piano featured two keyboards, similar in concept to the multiple manuals of a pipe organ or harpsichord, yet still with one set of hammers and one set of strings. Steinway produced a single prototype which is ...
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Rules I Break (Part 1 of 2)

               Beginning cellists learn all sorts of necessary ground rules as they begin learning the instrument – how to sit, how to hold the cello, where to place the hands, etc. These rules are useful for establishing healthy habits for playing, but strict rules do not necessarily take into account the variety of techniques needed to play the infinite variety of music cellists are called upon to perform. Below are a few of the of the left hand rules that I break with the next blog post will focus on the right hand rules. Left Thumb behind the neck             I first learned to place the left hand by putting the thumb directly under the other four fingers on the strings.  Many times, this place is as good as any for the thumb. However, by no means is it the only place the thumb can stay. The thumb can move to either side of the neck for various reasons. Moving the thumb...
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