Performance Masterclass with Evelyn Glennie
Masterclass participants (from left to right) Alex Petcu, Tanasit Siripanichwattana, Stephanie Ng, Dame Evelyn Glennie, and Humberto Pailos Nuñez, accompanied by incoming WASBE President Glenn Price
The 2007 WASBE Conference in Killarney, Ireland has brought together many fine performers, composers and conductors and affiliates from around the world. This year, we are honored to host renowed musician and performer Evelyn Glennie. The first person to create and sustain a full-time career as a solo percussionist, she gives over 100 performances each year worldwide. In 1993 she was awarded the OBE (Officer of the British Empire), extended this year to 'Dame Commander' for her services to music.
Ms. Glennie brought her intensity, excellence in performance and musical sensitivity to the INEC on Thursday, 12 July during a Performance Masterclass session featuring four musicians from the International Youth Wind Orchestra. Prior to the musicians taking the stage, she explained some of her masterclass philosophy to the considerable audience in attendance. According to Ms. Glennie, the point of a masterclass is to "take something that is good and make it very good, or to take something that is very good and make it amazing. She views these events as an opportunity to exchange ideas and sees the student musician as a critical part of the creative performance process. We are, she said: sound creators first, musicians second, and instrument specialists third. To this end, of the four students only two were percussionists.
Throughout the session she used personal examples to great effect, modeled desired results via performance and voice, and was extremely gracious and sensitive to each young musician. Her metaphors were colorful and descriptive; when one student faced an extremely technical passage, she suggested that if you go to McDonald's and eat an entire meal all at once you might feel bloated and queasy, but if you take time to eat bite by bite, it is an extremely satisfying meal. Here in Killarney, I might amend that to any one of the spectacular pubs and restaurants in the town centre.
The first young musician, Tanasit Siripanichwattana from Thailand, performed Variations over "A Little Prayer" composed by Evelyn Glennie and arranged by the well-known composer Ney Rosauro. This is a four-mallet theme and variations for marimba. Ms. Glennie began by asking Tanasit some questions about the work and the composer (or, in this case, the arranger), including a discussion of some of the composer's influences and background. Tanasit described and demonstrated some of his keyboard warm-up techniqes and one topic to come to the foreground was that of projection. Ms. Glennie was adamant that even in the practice room, one should always visualize being in a hall. If you can visualize the audience, even better. She encouraged variety in warm-ups, playing comfortable exercises in new keys and in new ways. Also high on the list was incorporating portions of musical works in preparation as warm-up material; in this way, they stay fresh and ready to perform.
Ms. Glennie made several interesting observations and suggestions, including the concept of solo orchestration: one should perform a solo work with an orchestration in mind. For example, theme 1 might be (imagined to be) played by the oboes, while a boisterious theme 2 could be in the brass. The idea behind this concept is that of tone and that tone is one of the most important considerations for any performing musician. Another idea specific to percussionists: choose stickings for phrasing, not for comfort. She encouraged Tanasit to examine his sticking choices and make sure that they created the sound of the desired musical phrase.
Our next musician was Stephanie Ng from Hong Kong. Stephanie performed from Three Pieces for Solo Clarinet by Igor Stravinsky. The music was high, fast and raucous, and Stephanie really grabbed hold of this difficult work. Ms. Glennie was clear that, while not an expert on clarinet, there were many musical ideas that are common to all instruments. She stressed that one most important question to answer for any musician has to be "what kind of sound are we looking for?"
Following Stephanie was Humberto Pailos Nuñez from Spain, performing on euphonium. Ms. Glennie complemented him on his not being afraid of silence and willingness to take his time during pauses. She also remarked on wind performers' ability to change the quality of a note after its inital attack, something very difficult if not impossible for percussionists. Ms. Glennie and Humberto experimented with different ways of initiating sound, directing sound to different parts of the hall, methods of rehearsing small sections and mixing and matching phrases.
Our final young musician of the day was Alex Petcu from Cork, Ireland. Alex performed a work for multiple percussion titled Side by Side composed by Michio Kitazume. He gave a very accomplished performance of the work from start to finish, echoed by the audience's sustained applause. Ms. Glennie's advice included a short discussion of recital programming and why certain works fit better in some places than others. She also had some suggestions for instrument placement, always a concern in multi-percussion works. Unfortunately, the session was running short on time and we did not get to see more with Alex.
Throughtout the masterclass, the most striking thing was Ms. Glennie's focus on the student. Too often in these large theatre-style sessions, the clinician spends as much time talking to the audience as the musician. Ms. Glennie was exclusively speaking to and with her students; we in the house were able to learn more through observation than a lecture. She was truly teaching and not "teach-performing." Her care and positive comments were appreciated by both students and observers, but while she kept a positive atmosphere it was also one of musical excellence. She was not afraid to offer criticism and critique, but did so in an educational and appropriate manner. I have heard many of Ms. Glennie's performances and recordings, but never until today heard her speak or teach. I hope that today was not my last time, as she is truly a gifted performer and educator. Kudos to Tanasit, Stephanie, Humberto and Alex: it takes courage to participate in a public lesson, moreso at an event such as WASBE. Kudos to the organizing committees for their efforts to bring Ms. Glennie to our conference, and most special kudos to Dame Evelyn Glennie for her outstanding devotion to the art of musical performance.
©2007 WASBE and/or the contributing author/photographer