MASTEROFCONCERT

1) Which piece, which movement, which fragment?

Part of the third movement of Dvoraks Cello Concerto, minutes 33.05-37.13

Performed 31 January 2014 under the baton of Hans Leenders, Big Hall, de Doelen, Rotterdam

Eva Otero Picado, cello

Yours truly, concertmaster

2) When did you record it and where?

I don’t know who made the recording. The performance took place during a lunch concert at the Big Hall of De Doelen, Rotterdam.

3) Link to the video

The part I’d like to show you, is minutes 33.05-37.13.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaS7ZCT0PvI&list=UUdhBvM2_ESTKiAyutDe-HdA

(Ooh, noooo, it’s marked private – I asked Job how to fix it!)

B) Organize Feedback (on the reference recording)

1) Own questions about the piece you recorded, or your topic

The more or less ten questions I’d like to ask to my experts are listed below (see question C1).

2) Your own feedback on your recording

I guess my movements were clear, given the fact that the group was playing together.The critical note I’d like to give myself, is to play “bigger”, with a bigger sound and bigger movements. In the concertmastersolo I had to compete with a whole second violin section and many wind players – my solo is audible, but could have been louder.

3) Feedback from your teacher(s), peer(s) and expert(s)

I showed an old recording to Maria and Mutsumi (master students as well); the recording was made on 2 September 2012 at the Dr. Anton Philipszaal, The Hague. We performed Ravels Tzigane and the second movement of Sheherazade by Rimsky-Korsakov, with me being soloist in the first piece and concertmaster in the second.

Their positive points: your body language is clear, you create a good atmosphere. You’re leading well because you’re present, you’re showing the group what to do, they play together. It looks comfortable, you’re really present, it looks relaxed and confident.

To be improved: there could be more space in my playing.

I didn’t ask the experts yet.

C) Data collection:

1) Which research strategies are you going to use in the first intervention cycle, and why? Explain which techniques you will use, as specific as possible. Which books/articles, which chapters, and why? Which experts, what will you ask them, why, how, which experiments Etc. Etc.

Semester two: information

In this semester I’m searching (the main part of) the information I need. In the first intervention cycle I’m probably using all the different research strategies:

* Literature research: I’ll start reading (parts of) the literature I found. I’ll watch recordings/videos of other concertmasters, I’ll read the articles and view the interviews I found on Google, and I’ll make a summary of the important stuff that came across.

* Survey: I could make a questionnaire for members of the Valerius Student Orchestra, Codarts Symphony Orchestra, North Sea Symphony Orchestra, asking their opinion about my work as a concertmaster. I could give these questionnaire to the conductors of these orchestras as well. In this way I could get an insight in the positive and negative things of my way of leading.

* Case study: I’ll listen to my reference recording (video) again. I’ll listen it a few times: the first time I’ll read the score to see whether I still agree with the approach of the music that I had at the time of the recording; the second time I’ll pay attention to my way of leading, body language etcetera. (Or I could watch all my old recordings to see if there has been growth… 😉 and ask feedback about those recordings.)

Secondly, I’ll ask my experts for feedback: Cécile Huijnen (concertmaster of the Gelders Orchestra, trained in mental audition preparation – actually I’d love to have lessons from her as part of the research), Hans Leenders (who conducted in the reference recording), Esther van Fenema and/or Rob Faltin (psychiatrist and psychologist; they’re both professional musicians) and members of the first violins of Valerius.

Thirdly, I’ll interview concertmasters or principals about solo playing, leading and body language, creating atmosphere, the mental part of leading – so I’ll pick one particular aspect of leading to interview them about.

* Ethnography: I’d like to visit rehearsals of orchestras (both professional and amateur), as a listener or even as a tutti player, to observe or “feel” the concertmaster.

* Experiment: part of my research will be consisting of experimenting with (some members of) Valerius (the conductor should be involved) to try several ways of leading (good and maybe also bad ones) to find out what works and what certainly doesn’t. I don’t know when I’m able to do this: first I have to set up this experiment, then I have to find a good time and place.

So… After having gained a more profound knowledge about being a concertmaster in this way, I’ll try to apply all this to my next concert by thinking about it and by trying different things.

After this concert the next intervention cycle will start: I’ll make a new recording and reflect on it after having watched it, I’ll ask for more feedback of the experts (not too often, I don’t want them to start disliking me… ;)), gaining more information etcetera.

There might rise a problem: since the concerts of my orchestra only take place a few times per year, it can take a while before I can play a concert with the information and feedback I found and received and thus before I can reach a next level in the intervention cycle, since concerts are different than rehearsals from a mental point of view. I’m not sure yet how to solve this.

In the list below I mentioned the experts from whom I’d like to get feedback on my reference recording. They all have their own role/function because I want to get different points of view, so this means I can’t ask all my questions to all “my” experts.

1) Cécile Huijnen, concertmaster of Het Gelders Orkest and expert in audition training. She already offered me a lesson. Contact via telephone.

2) Hans Leenders, conductor of the Codarts Symphony Orchestra, whom I’ve worked with quite a lot (my seatings in the orchestra varied from concertmaster to leader of the seconds to tutti viola and all the seatings in between…). Via mail or one to one meeting.

3) Lisanne/Francesca/Karin, tutti first violins in Valerius. They’ve known my way of leading for some or many years. Contact via WhatsApp/during rehearsals.

Officially we’re supposed to mention three experts, but furthermore I’d like to ask:

4) Arne Visser, conductor of Valerius. We’ve worked together for more than 6,5 years, he knows me as a violinist, concertmaster, soloist and person and he knows my way of being a concertmaster from the beginning. Contact via mail/telephone/WhatsApp/Facebook/one to one/whatever.

5) Laury, the leader of the second violins of Valerius. We worked together for many years and although usually I’m the one in charge, I’m always very open to her suggestions for the second violins. Or Jasper, the principal cellist. Contact via telephone/mail/WhatsApp/Facebook/during rehearsals/one to one.

6) Nicole Jordan, for the mental part of leading? Contact via mail or in class.

7) Maybe Charlotte Potgieter, the principal of the second violins at the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. She’s an expert in leading a group and led a group rehearsal while I was leading the seconds. Contact via telephone(?).

8) Maybe Igor Gruppman, the concertmaster of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. Contact via via.

9) Maybe Gordan Nikolic, concertmaster of the London Symphony Orchestra and the Dutch Chamber Orchestra, who has a very expressive way of leading. I played tutti violin in the Codarts String Orchestra while he was conducting concertmaster. Contact via one of his students.

10) Maybe Johannes Leertouwer. Contact to be found.

11) Not for showing the reference recording, but I could interview Esther van Fenema, psychiatrist and violinist who works at the Muziekpoli at the LUMC, the place to be for performing artists and musicians with mental problems due to their profession. Contact via internet(?).

12) Not for showing the reference recording: Rob Faltin, ex-violist of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, who now works as a GGZ-psychologist and behaviourist (?? gedragstherapeut) at GGZ inGeest. Contact via his website, www.robfaltin.nl

13) Last but not least: Benzion Shamir of course, my main subject teacher. On the musical part of being a concertmaster and what it takes to play beautiful soli. Contact via telephone/during a lesson.

Questions for the experts –  to be divided among them

Three questions regarding music/technique; seven questions to what I’m looking for specifically – going from general to focussed questions.

1) Could you give me feedback on my body language in tutti passages?

2) Related to the first question: could you give me some feedback on my playing in tutti passages (if it’s possible to say something)?

3) What could I’ve done better? How?

4) What did go well?

5) Do you agree with my interpretation of this music?

6) Could you give me feedback on the concertmastersoli in this recording?

7) What do you think of the bowings I made, are they helping the group? If not, which ones should I’ve done differently and how?

8) For the concertmasters/principals: how do you prepare yourself for a solo? In a musical sense (at home, during practise), mentally (the switching between tutti playing/leading vs playing a solo) and during performing (this involves the mental part as well)?

9) For the concertmasters/principals: does this preparation differ in different pieces/situations/circumstances/styles/periods?

10) For the concertmasters/principals: what do you do to create a good group cohesion, in terms of sound and from a social perspective? How do you connect with the section, how do you make people feel part of the group? How do you create a feeling of safety? Is this important?

11) For the tutti players in Valerius: do you feel that I helped to create a good social environment in the group? Could you give me some suggestions?

12) For the conductors: what was your experience having me leading your orchestra? Did you feel comfortable with it or not? If yes, why? If no, why not, and what could I improve?

13) What do you suggest I could do as a next step? Who could I visit, what could I read/watch, which place could I visit, to which recording could I listen? Do you recommand any particular reference material?

Books

I didn’t see the books mentioned below, so I’m not sure if they could be of help and I don’t know which chapters to use. But I found these books on (being a) concertmaster(s):

* Anne Mischakoff Heiles, America’s Concertmasters

* Anne Mischakoff Heiles, Mischa Mischakoff: Journeys of a Concertmaster

* L.M. Dougherty, The Concertmaster: lure of the Stringed Siren(??)

* Liesbeth Citroen & Martine van der Loo, Podiumangst, Uitgeverij Boom, 2011

* Rob Faltin, Plankenkoorts, Overwin je angst voor optredens, presentaties, lezingen en praatjes, Hogrefe Uitgevers BV, april 2011

* J.H. Wippoo & Liesbeth Citroen-Warners, Alle ogen gericht op…, Uitgeverij Boom, 2002 (maybe not for sale anymore)

* Daniel Coleman, Leadership, the Power of emotional Intelligence(??)

Documentaries or articles on stage fright (all in Dutch)

* http://www.gezond24.nl/tv-uitzending/g24_iv_7309/Podiumangst

* http://www.gezond24.nl/tv-uitzending/g24_iv_5799/Poli-voor-mensen-met-podiumangst-

* http://www.gezond24.nl/tv-uitzending/g24_iv_7072/Podiumangst-taboe-onder-musici

* http://vraagbaak-angstendepressie.nl/podiumangst1.html

Internet

I typed concertmaster (and the Dutch translation concertmeester) in Google and came across many interesting links, amongst these were the ones listed below:

* http://www.archieven.nl/nl/zoeken?mivast=0&mizig=210&miadt=5&miaet=1&micode=1490&minr=1097371&miview=inv2

Probably not useful, or I might even not be able to find it: about the tasks of a concertmaster, from the archives of the Groninger Orkest Vereniging, 1961

* http://www.nytimes.com/1985/06/30/nyregion/the-role-of-a-concertmaster.html

Interview with Mrs. Eisenberg, who has been concertmaster of several American orchestras, about the role of a concertmaster

* http://www.careersinmusic.com/concertmaster/

Article about becoming a concertmaster

* http://www.lancastersymphony.org/Portals/0/Docs/EdResc/Misc/Responsibilities%20of%20the%20Concert%20Master.pdf

The tasks of a concertmaster, according to the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra

* http://www.scena.org/lsm/sm4-8/Concertmaster.htm

Interview with several concertmasters

* http://seenandheard-international.com/2014/10/violinist-dale-barltrop-in-conversation-with-geoffrey-newman/

Interview with Dale Barltrop, concertmaster of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, about less obvious responsabilities of a concertmaster

* http://www.vanclassicalmusic.com/the-anatomy-of-a-concertmaster-an-interview-with-the-vsos-dale-barltrop/

The same article??

* http://articles.latimes.com/2002/aug/09/entertainment/et-page9

* http://musaic.nws.edu/videos/the-role-of-the-concertmaster

Interview with Jorja Fleezanis, former Concertmaster of the Minnesota Orchestra, on the role of the concertmaster

* http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2014/11/18/jonathan_crow_stands_tall_as_tso_concertmaster.html

Interview with Jonathan Crow about his work as concertmaster of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra

* http://www.thevenicesymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/Download-Concert-Master-Info.pdf

The Venice Symphony lists the tasks of its concertmaster

* http://www.fysmusic.org/Section%20Leaders%20and%20Principals.pdf

Being a concertmaster according to the Fidalgo Youth Symphony

* http://kennethwoods.net/blog1/2010/06/21/the-young-concertmasters-guide-to-the-orchestra-part-i/

* http://www.gulfshorelife.com/January-2013/Inside-The-Mind-Of-A-Concertmaster/

Glenn Basham, concertmaster of the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra

* http://wrti.org/post/many-roles-concertmaster

* http://musaic.nws.edu/videos/responsibilities-of-a-concertmaster-part-i

and

http://musaic.nws.edu/videos/responsibilities-of-a-concertmaster-part-ii

David Kim of the Philadelphia Orchestra

* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRkISG7gZx8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oTCqTdxgPI (Ein Heldenleben)

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Noah Bendix-Balgley

* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjEtYLFOVhQ (concertmaster)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gEXWJOlJEU (Heldenleben)

https://www.facebook.com/notes/new-york-philharmonic/q-a-with-new-york-philharmonic-concertmaster-glenn-dicterow/10150310631038817

Glenn Dicterow on the role of a concertmaster and Heldenleben, and a Q&A

* http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=concertmaster

And concertmasters seen from a different point of view…

* etcetera, etcetera…

Solos

* http://www.orch.info/Tables_11.4-5_Orchestral_Solos.pdf

List of all(?) the concertmaster solos

* http://www.maestronet.com/forum/index.php?/topic/182203-favorite-concertmaster-solos/

Another list, found on a forum, most likely containing the same solos as the link in thick letters

* http://www.music.ucla.edu/images/acrobatfiles/music/Orchestra/UCLA%20concertmaster%20major%20audition%20list%20D.pdf

An example of audition repertoire

2) Explain how you will select or analyze the information you want to apply in your practice.

Still to be done.

D) Intervention: explain how you will (learn to) apply this new information, skills or experience in your performance. Do this as explicitly as possible, making use of your feedback.

How to? With trial (and probably error)…

In the end my research will be a mix of talking, writing and performing. I’d like to give it this form:

A) A theoretical part about being a concertmaster, containing the information I found.

B) A discussion of concertmastersoli (not sure yet how this will look like, maybe I’ll discuss the difficulty of that particular solo?).

C) Performing (or showing a recording of myself playing) several concertmastersoli. I’d like to play ones that I already performed (in this way I’m hoping to show the progress from 2014 till 2016, by showing and old recording and by playing that solo again, live, after the Artistic Research), and a new one (Heldenleben).

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Write down at least 10 questions about the piece you recorded, after carefully studying the score.