Learning how to use the bow speed wisely and dividing it up efficiently. This sometimes involves being able to control the speed of the bow under one long slurred passage. A common example of this is using a slower bow speed at the beginning of the new bow.
Teaching Notes for Popper Cello Étude No. 23 Popper 23 was our final étude of the year. In this video, we reflect on all that has made this project an awesome challenge. This study offers many different technical challenges and approaches. Bow legato, string crossings, bow distribution, quick changes of bow speed, shifting, octaves, unusual stretches […]
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Teaching Notes for Popper Cello Étude No. 24 Christian Elliot (Irish Chamber Orchestra) came back for a second time with Popper 24, a beautiful and challenging study that explores a vast amount; thumb position, harmonics, developing the ear, string crossings, legato bowing and more.
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Teaching Notes for Popper Cello Étude No. 26 We found this one to be a real workout for the left hand as well as the bow as it explores different hand positions in thumb position. Legato bowing with plenty of shifting and string crossings to keep us challenged!
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Teaching Notes for Popper Cello Étude No. 28 We had SO much fun exploring Popper 28 this week with the amazing Joely, who inspired us to look at this study in totally new ways. Katie was a student of Joely’s and considers her a wonderful mentor and huge influence in her life. Join us as
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Teaching Notes for Popper Cello Étude No. 29 This is a particularly challenging study, especially if your double stops have been on the back-burner lately. We talk a lot about psychology of practice and how to prepare a difficult work like this in our discussion this week. If you are attempting this study, be kind
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Teaching Notes for Popper Cello Étude No. 31 Apart from some tricky thumb position exploration, double-stops, and all our favourite high-end of the cello playing, we explore ways to keep concentration up when doing something repetitive… especially towards the end when there is a very tricky passage (Sneaky Popper!) Don’t waste time practising the repeated
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Teaching Notes for Popper Cello Étude No. 32 Popper 32 is a study that revisits up-bow staccato; however, it is quite different from the other big up-bow staccato study, No. 14. Namely because the tempo indicated by Popper is quite a bit slower, so the function of how the technique works is totally different and
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Teaching Notes for Popper Cello Étude No. 33 This étude has its challenges. It takes stamina and focuses heavily on the thumb. In this video, we break down lots of ways to approach the aspects that seem initially challenging. We also have a lot of good tidbits in this video that apply to other aspects
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Practice Notes for Popper Cello Étude No. 39 We enjoyed exploring this beautifully lilting study that has a lot of variety and some beautiful double-stops in D-flat major. However, this one is not without it’s difficulties. Lots with thumb position, hand balance, intonation in triads and thirds and bow distribution planning. Hope this video will
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