Monthly Magazine iClassical Academy

August 2021 / ©iClassical Academy

Lazy Leisure Time Reading

Living Things Grow and Change; Classical Music is no Exception

by Dr. Maria Thompson Corley

A Wall around Classical Music?

I recently read a blog post* that attempted to put a wall around classical music by defining what it “should” be. Attempts to stem the tide of change are usually under-girded by feelings of loss, followed by a fervent, futile longing to turn back the clock to a time when those with similar views had the power to marginalize anyone who didn’t conform to their ideas.

Piazzolla and Ginastera: two contrasting sides of Argentine Music

by Maestro Guillermo Scarabino

Maestro Guillermo Scarabino met Astor Piazzolla and Alberto Ginastera in person during his long-lasting conducting career. In this article, Maestro Sarabino takes you on a journey to discover more about these great artistic personages, remembers wonderful encounters with the composers, and how Arthur Rubinstein brought the two most widely known Argentine composers together.

Bridging the Gap between Classical and Romantic Violin Repertoire

by Dr. Marcos Santos

Kreutzer’s Études are extremely useful to violin teachers globally, as evidenced by their use in many parts of the world since Kreutzer first composed them in 1796. Some modern violinists and pedagogues, such as Ivan Galamian and Max Rostal, have modified them for their own teaching purposes. In the same manner, I have expanded and modified ten of the 42 Études to enhance their pedagogical value. I accomplished this by increasing the number of technical problems addressed in each étude.

Feldenkrais and Playing Freely on the Cello

by Nadia David

I am Nadia David, cellist, teacher, musiMentor at iClassical Academy. I have been searching and writing about the One Movement idea for a long time. The urge to merge the complex web of thoughts, emotions, and movements, our language on an instrument, into the most expressive sound and the least possible strain when playing has been the drive motivating this never-ending search.

From my own experience, practicing and on stage, from my best teachers, the students, I have gathered much information that I was always trying to simplify to explain better; I wish to transmit to students the acquired knowledge most directly compactly.

Embrace your Stage Fright, Practice your Performance!

By Prof. Lihay Bendayan

Performance anxiety may seem like an undesired partner in our lives as musicians performing live on stage. We might view stagefright as an inevitable part of the “job” or a constant factor to contend with during the long journey to becoming a professional concert musician. Consider the fact that we work very hard for only "one shot" in front of the public. Yet, the fact is that music only lives through time - and there is no guarantee of success for the notes that follow. These circumstances are only two of the many good reasons, which might explain why stage fright seems so omnipresent.

How to write a good biography?

By Irma de Jong

A good biography is nothing more than making an appealing story out of your curriculum vitae. I know for many people, this stresses them out. It’s something they don’t like to do, wait until the very last second, and sometimes the biography comes out messy or too long because they don’t know what to write or think not to have the talent to write. So what is crucial is to understand and master the three steps you need to create your curriculum vitae.

In "Resources," you can find a wide selection of many more articles,
all related to music, study, performance, or research.