Art News: July

One of our Festival sponsors, Rockport Music, continues their innovative programming by offering some interesting educational programs this coming week. Check out the details below sent to us by Stephanie Woolf, Rockport Music Education Coordinator:

 

On Friday, July 15 at 2 pm,  in the Shalin Liu Performance Center, 35 Main Street, Rockport, pianist Victor Rosenbaum will preside over a masterclass with three amazing young pianists. This is a ticketed event - adults $10, youths FREE, college students FREE also.  (Tickets may be purchased ahead of time at the box office, or on the day of the masterclass.) You might ask, what is a masterclass? The short answer is that it is a public lesson in front of an audience. Is it just for music students? their parents?  teachers?  The answer is all of the above, as well as anyone interested in how a musician thinks about music - what thought process needs to happen to make it sound the way it does. Many concertgoers think it just all comes naturally, and in truth after a while some of it does, but also a great amount of thought goes into the playing of every note, every phrase. An intimate knowledge of the music, and the composer's wishes, are equally important as being able to put one's fingers in the right place. Although on occasion technical matters are discussed, for the most part the making of music, phrasing, is the topic covered.

 

But a picture is worth a thousand words, so I suggest you look at some examples on YouTube. Itzhak Perlman gives an overview of what a masterclass is at www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkUqsqf_np4.   Two of my favorite masterclasses are by cellists (of which I am going to be one in my next life) - Steven Isserlis   www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq77Dqey1Rw    and the renowned French cellist Paul Tortelier www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWWbcvlQGm4.  (if that link does not work, go to youtube and type in Paul Tortelier masterclass)

 

But this is to be a piano masterclass, and Daniel Barenboim has a three part masterclass with the young Lang Lang, the flamboyant Chinese pianist who has risen to rock star fame. I particularly like his explanation of how one can make a crescendo on one note on the piano. www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIMXgRIS9Hc, (similarly, if this does not work, type in Daniel Barenboim masterclass) ,www.youtube.com/watch?v=42BItJ-vpSA&feature=related, www.youtube.com/watch?v=GM_rW7SSV8g&feature=related

 

On Saturday July 16 at 10 am, the Latino/Caribbean group TenTumbao will present a Family Concert at the Shalin Liu. This is a (free) ticketed event, and at the present no tickets are available. However, some tickets may be turned back in, and I encourage you to call the box office (978.546.7391) and/or to come on Saturday the 16th, when some tickets may become available at 9:50.

 

On Sunday, July 17 at 12:30, renowned Lizst scholar Alan Walker will present a lecture entitled "Liszt and the Keyboard: How the Wizard cast his Spells". To be sure, Liszt was indeed a wizard, flamboyant, and also deeply spiritual. I know this lecture will provide insights into the life of this composer, whose birth 200 years ago is being celebrated, as well as the music being played at the concerts that day at 2:00 and 7:30.