Notes from Eliesha Nelson's Masterclass!

(Photo: Violinist Jermaine Crutchfield performs Corelli's "La Folia" variations for Eliesha Nelson. Accompanied by Haeju Choi on piano. SPA Oberlin 2011)

Dear SPA Students and bloggers,
I thought it would be useful to publish some notes that I took from the past masterclass with violist ELIESHA NELSON. Four students participated, playing violin and viola pieces, and everyone agreed that her advise and expertise were very helpful. See below!
-Angie Durrell, Assistant Dean
SPA '07

-Music is a language (regarding phrasings.
"How are you able to express yourself?
TELL a story." (E.N)
-The bow is like your breath (referring to
Corelli's variations on La Folia)
-Think of the BOW like money, you don't want to
spend all your money and then have nothing left.
So, you want to even it out!
-Whenever you shift, you should always know
how you're going to get there ("you have to think
that note")


-Best way to improve INTONATION is
by practicing: intervals, intervals, intervals!