After preliminary rounds of Juilliard piano concerto competitions -- judged by the faculty, final rounds were judged by outside musicians -- one ritual always surprised me. After the voting, and after the announcement of the names of three or four pianists who would advance to the final round, hands were shaken, backs slapped. "Congratulations Herbert!" "Congratulations Marty!" The teachers of the winning students were congratulated, almost as if … [Read more...]
Great teachers produce…
Great teachers produce great students. Don't they? Young musicians seek out teachers -- celebrated ones whose former students have succeeded in winning competitions, playing concerts, getting management, making recordings. Of course elite teachers pick their students, and the picking is important. The ability to recognize exceptional potential is rather rare. A teacher's celebrity (as a performer or as a teacher) can itself be a tool. And … [Read more...]