Paying close attention to each fingertip in the bow hand. Firming the connection here can help with greater control and clarity.
Teaching Notes for Popper Cello Étude No. 1 The first Popper Étude brings a significant number of challenges. Primarily a study for the bow staccato, the challenge is to always have clarity of sound and a very precise left hand and right hand coordination. Practicing this with the bow only on open strings first is […]
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Teaching Notes for Popper Cello Étude No. 5 Popper 5 is a really fun study, marked “scherzando” which is Italian for “play in a playful manner”. This includes challenges for thumb position. We hope that we’ve helped to make this scherzando fun for you while exploring the ever-present and very important dotted-rhythm! (Beethoven 7 anyone?)
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Teaching Notes for Popper Cello Étude No. 6 Popper 6 is a classic – one of those agility studies that focuses on varying types of détaché bow stroke. We loved breaking down how to practice this one with rhythms and more. Other challenges include string crossings, right hand/left hand coordination and shifting. Enjoy!
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Teaching Notes for Popper Cello Étude No. 11 We laughed a lot in this super fun Popper session with the wonderful Dr. Erin Ellis of West Virginia University. This study is one of the first that Erin assigns to students, but don’t be fooled! There’s PLENTY to work on in this study, including string crossings,
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Teaching Notes for Popper Cello Étude No. 14 We had a BLAST doing our Popper 14 session with the fantastic Christian Elliott (principal cellist Irish Chamber Orchestra, member of the Phoenix Piano Trio and Zehetmair Quartet). Popper 14 is all about up-bow and down-bow staccato, a very specific technical stroke that is tricky for nearly
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Teaching Notes for Popper Cello Étude No. 15 This is a great study with a wide variety of techniques. Not especially “thumb-y” but definitely focuses on some double-stops and tricky aspects of thumb position. We feel this is a great study to take a look at if you are interested in a career in orchestral
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Teaching Notes for Popper Cello Étude No. 16 We enjoyed a bit of a change of pace with Popper 16. Marked “Capriccioso”, this study deals largely with issues of articulation, string crossings, playing triplets cleanly and in an organized fashion… and of course, making this work seem fun, effortless, carefree and full of delightful character.
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Teaching Notes for Popper Cello Étude No. 18 We were delighted to work on Popper 18 with the fabulous Madeleine Kabat. We had so much fun with Madeleine, a self-proclaimed Popper nerd (she’s in good company). This is a tricky and long study focusing on thumb position technique, and lightness of stroke. It also includes
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Teaching Notes for Popper Cello Étude No. 19 The Lohengrin étude takes a line from the famous Wagner opera and basically expands on the techniques required in the opera. It’s similar (but more difficult!) to Popper 1 in that we have triplet staccato notes throughout. It is important here to have a real connection with
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Teaching Notes for Popper Cello Étude No. 25 We had a great time exploring Popper 25 which helps to strengthen our bow arm playing near the tip of the bow, as well as dotted rhythms and some tongue-twisters for the left hand. We hope you enjoy. Important to have a clear rhythmic impulse despite left
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