Did anyone else from here go to the RAM Research Forum this afternoon?? It was one that no string player should have missed!!

Any string players (or musicians in general) out there who might be interested in attending these events, but doesn't yet know about them?

Do you mean the Paganini Inheritance? Thought it was for string teachers only as it was supposed to deal with pedagogy, right?

Tess

That's just it, it wasn't just for string teachers, these events are for anyone and everyone interested in music and instruments - players, teachers, students, even those who don't play, found it really absorbing and wonderfully enlightening. There were children there from a local school and even a doctor who specialises in rheumatology - he was also an amateur violinist.

We can all trace our violin learning heritage back to Viotti, but to have actually met, sat with, listened to and learned from the "great-grand pupil of Paganini" was simply awesome. It just opened a whole new range of possibilities for playing and stretching intervals that, until now, I was told I couldn't do because my hands were too small. Now I know that hand size is totally irrelevant - and it turns out that a cast of Paganini's hand in a Paris museum shows that he actually had quite small hands with not very long fingers, (all those books are wrong about his big hands) makes you realise it's all about developing the Paganini way of playing, which starts with 40 days of silent practice for the left hand on the strings, to develop the strength and flexibility.

If you get the opportunity to go and take VN with you, then you really won't be disappointed. I'll let you know when the next 'violin event' is happening. You must take VN to see the Viotti Strad - still has it's original varnish!!

Paganini's "Il Canone" violin will be at the RAM on display from February 2006, as a temporary exhibit on loan from the city of Genoa. Definitely chance of a lifetime to see the instrument close up.

Wow! Shame, we missed it.

Thanks, AmandaL. We will definitely go to the violin masterclasses on Nov 2 and 14. She is SO excited she kept asking me when Nov is coming? We might see you there.

I had no idea Paganini's "Il Canone" violin will be at the RAM on display from February 2006. Great, will see it! Thanks!!!

Tess

PS. VN is a VERY VERY quiet child. At three, she sat through Swan Lake taking it all in quite happily from beg to end without a word! The last time we were at RAM for a singing masterclass, the professor actually went up to her, smiled and ventured - I can see from the way you are sitting and listening, that you are a very disciplined child! Well done! You will go far.

Amanda. that sounds wonderful. Would love to go if I can get to London!

I don't know how many of you live in Greater London or thereabout who have primary age kids? But I am hoping to bring Violinutter in the hope that she'll meet at the violin masterclass some kids who love classical music? Maybe, whose parents subscribe to this forum? It's pretty lonely for her at school as she's very quiet there but quite mad about music and we have spoken with her headteacher who used to be a cello teacher. Apparently none of the kids (not just in her year but also in the school) are keen to work hard on music other than emulating pop idols or acting! Her head seems to think it's a "sign of the times" that kids do not want to get involved with continuous HARD work on something as difficult as playing the piano or any bowed instrument. Or, is it because we live in London rather than the countryside that kids are more keen on watching tv, spending time in cinemas, discos and game arcades?

What a shame as these RAM and RCM, etc, events are highly educational, very enjoyable and also mostly, subsidised or free!

Anyway, we hope to meet some kids at these RAM events. There's only one girl who is reasonably near her age (10) in her orchestra whom I've invited today to these events. Hope she comes!

EVEN if you do not live in London, it's well worth coming / travelling with your child as an eye-opening educational trip as the masterclass lasts all day!

Tess

Really?!? I wonder how many teachers we'd generally have to trace our 'tree' back to to reach Viotti? It's an interesting thought..

Violinia

Here's mine:

Viotti
Bennewitz
Sevcik
Clare
Dawson
Me

Not so long

Who is Clare?

Uum, having some serious fun here tracing VN's violin heritage! Seriously, I am stuck and this is as far as I can get!

Viotti
Who else here???
Nathan Milstein
Croft
V's teacher
Violinutter

Help?

Viotti
Bennewitz
Sevcik
Karbulka
Stolyarski
Milstein

Maurice Clare

Wow, Jane, you really know your stuff....

My violin heritage for the only teacher who I had long term (the peris at school had a remarkable turnover rate ) goes... Lumsden, Me....

Hmm... *grin*

Someone in the USA has drawn up a 'Flutists' Family Tree'.

I am descended from a very august line. My teacher studied with Susan Milan, who studied with Geoffrey Gilbert, who apparently studied with Philippe Gaubert, who studied with Paul Taffanel and a few generations further back you get to Blavet.

How cool... is it on the net anywhere?

edit: PS, that is some heritage there Andante!

I've not yet traced the number of steps to Viotti in my violin heritage, but I guess it may vary if I was to trace back from every violinist I've had a lesson with - which usually ends up to be quite a few after going through the music college mangle.

Anyone got the French violinist Baillot, in their pedigree?

Sorry, missed a step. Geoffrey Gilbert studied with Rene LeRoy, who studied with Gaubert.

The link is here. It's somebody's PhD thesis.

Sarasate has/ had I think

Choose the shortest

I have just read that Maxim said his first London recital appearance was at RAM at 13! And, he added that he has had fond memories of the place. He even has an apartment at Baker Street which is of course right next to RAM so those of you who visit RAM must keep a lookout indeed!

I must say, we are fans of Vadim Repin...

Hmmm, I know Z. Bron was VR's main teacher but I don't think he was MV's main one though he did teach him a bit? Who was MV's main teacher, by the way?

Can you trace, Jane?

Worked mine out:

Viotti
Rode
Bohm
Joachim
Hubay
Zathureczy
Bakonyi
me


Looks like we do all go back to Viotti - fascinating!

Violinia

Bron was his teacher until he was 16 when he stopped having regular lessons. Before Bron it was Galina Turtschaninova who taught him from 5 to about 10 I believe. So roughly about equal time with each.

I wish I had any idea who had taught my teachers, but I haven't a clue and wouldn't know how to find out!

Why don't you ask? I mean, ask your longest-running teacher who taught her and who taught her teacher. Simple. Maybe, say, you are having some fun tracing your musical heritage with friends or just being nosy?

We have never asked but VN's teacher sometimes is in the mood to tell stories! Older teachers like to tell stories like Rostropovich and also Hilary Hahn's teacher according to her. Was hers, Gringold?

I'll have to ask my teacher as she studied at the RAM.

Problem is, the only teacher I had who I had for any length of time I haven't seen in more than two years and now she lives in France! (last lesson with her was when I was about 11...)

Might ask my flute teacher if she's any famous flautists in her pedigree though...

Hmm, should be interesting, but I doubt I'll be able to find out my flute (teacher) family tree!

This is all very interesting! If Amanda hadn't brought up the subject of violin learning heritage and Jane hasn't helped us, we wouldn't have believed that VN can trace hers all the way back to Viotti. Wow! Cool.

If your flute teachers (or former teachers) also perform, you might find a biography online. They usually give the names of their teachers.

If also found my second teacher (she's American) studied with Kincaid , who studied with George Barrere who studied with Taffenel. So I've got back to Taffenel twice.

I've still got to research my third teacher. My first teacher's heritage will forever remain a mystery, I fear.

Well there was a thing about my flute teacher online on that Morgernstern something, but it has gone now.

I've drawn a blank with my third teacher too. Lots of other people's biographies saying they studied with him, but nothing to say who he studied with. Oh well.

Have you tried googling?

Yes, that's what I was doing. He teaches at the Birmingham Conservatoire, but they list nothing but his name.

*sighs*