G.P. - Tag - St Petersburg

Leonid Korchmar master class, day 5/5

Sasha Mäkilä — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 22:55:00 +0200

The master class is finally over, and everything went perfectly! I have been resting for two days now after we finished everything, but still I am exhausted and overwhelmed by everything that happened during the past week.

On the last day everyone was working as hard as ever, and because of my coming competition in Zagreb I even had to give our faculty pianists some prima vista to play. Professor Korchmar insisted I should try the pieces out now that I have a chance!

After the last lesson we went to Manfred's place and had a great masterclass finishing party. I gave everyone a diploma and there were some nice speeches, and of course a lot of food, drink and informal chat... All the participants were enthusiastic about the new experience and eager to plan the next master class already! Professor Korchmar was also happy with all the arrangements and promised to return soon. It seems like we are establishing a tradition here! I am very happy for everyone who participated, because the style and quality of teaching we received during past five days was so different and refreshing compared to what we usually get in Finland. The Russians really know how to make studying interesting - and demanding...

Leonid Korchmar master class, day 4/5

Sasha Mäkilä — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 23:20:00 +0200

Today I had invited a singer to my master class session, to try out the Leonore's aria from Fidelio. The session was very helpful, and at the same time proved me how very difficult it is to be a good accompanist! You have to be aware of the singer's breathing all the time, never unnecessarily hurry her or hold her back, be always relaxed yourself to provoke relaxedness and good breathing in a singer etc. etc. Practically you need to know the score by heart to be with the singer 100% of the time!

Everyone else seems to be learning a lot too. The Russian style of teaching in general works with multiple levels at the same time: Each students gets helpful advice to his specific problems. The people with tension get more and more relaxed, the people with phlegmatic hands conduct more focused and energetic. Sometimes the emphasis is on the accompaniment and the rhythm, sometimes in the melody and building the line. Sometimes Maestro Korchmar talks about breathing and transmitting energy from the center of your body. And all of this is been combined all the time, fluently moving from one topic to another! The intensity of the teaching is something quite different from what we are used to in Finland, and that is the fantastic side of it. After a short master class like this we are left with a lot of impressions, a lot of fuel to use during the following weeks and months.

Leonid Korchmar master class, day 3/5

Sasha Mäkilä — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 22:21:00 +0200

Today I realized that making a master class is work! Yes, I used to think that the persons who are just hanging around master classes as a some kind of a "secretary" are there really for no reason. Today I understood that, really, there has to be some person who is ready to answer all questions, organize schedule changes, take care of finding a place to have lunch, etc. and this person has to be available all the time!

The bad thing is, that this time this person had to be me at the same time as I am trying to learn some new repertoire. Studying your own things has proved to be pretty much impossible during the past days. Here is a little video clip that shows what happens when someone calls and wants to come and listen to the lessons...

Phone rings during the conducting master class

Otherwise everything has been really perfect and I even started to feel a bit proud of myself for finally organizing this event instead of whining to the people working in the Sibelius Academy for not being interested enough. I want to encourage everyone: If you know a good teacher (especially a conducting teacher - good ones are so rare today!), invite him to teach, make a small effort to do everything by yourself. It will pay off!

Leonid Korchmar master class, day 2/5

Sasha Mäkilä — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 20:07:00 +0200

Our faculty: Professor Korchmar in the middle, between the course pianists Taru and Jari

Petri getting "hands-on" instruction

Professor and Heikki: "Relax your arm, keep on moving..."
"Give a cue with your eyebrows only..."
Discussing Beethoven's second symphony with Anna

Leonid Korchmar master class, day 1/5

Sasha Mäkilä — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 22:56:00 +0200

The first master class day is over, and I am really happy and relieved that everything went well. After all this is the first time I am organizing a master class! Our teacher, professor Leonid Korchmar, was in a very good teaching mood and all the students definitely got a lot to think after their first lessons.

This course is not with an orchestra, but with two pianos (and two excellent pianists, Jari and Taru), and the emphasis is on the conducting technique. I wanted to give a possibility to conducting students in Helsinki to have a glimpse of the Russian way of conducting and at the same time widen their gestural vocabulary. The repertoire is Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Beethoven, Wagner and so on. All good music, full of good exercise material...

I did not especially shine on the podium today, since I was all the time worried about all the non-musical stuff I was responsible of during the day. Anyway I guess I was worried for nothing, since the scheduling and everything else worked fine! Everyone was just exhausted after the day, since the weather in Helsinki is really hot and humid at the moment. Tomorrow more news and hopefully some photos too!