Breathe together, Move together, Play together
G - Rhythm Development
To gain a better understanding of the rhythms in the repertoire, the ensemble is encouraged to explore counting with inflection. This activity helps with rhythmic challenges ensemble members may be experiencing, while encouraging the development of characters, dynamics, phrasing, intention, etc. This activity is also useful for coaches to hear the ensemble members’ interpretations and learn more about how the members process rhythms and count the motives within the measures and phrases. The Cavani String Quartet refers to a similar activity as Shakespearean Counting.
Playing a scale with multiple rhythms is an activity that encourages the ensemble to connect together while playing different subdivisions. Various subdivisions can be utilized depending on the ensemble’s abilities or repertoire being prepared.
As a warm-up activity, the ensemble plays a condensed version of the traditional Twinkle variations at the tempo and in the key of the piece they are preparing. This activity helps the ensemble discover where they may have tendencies to rush or drag when changing rhythmic patterns and articulations, which can then be applied to the work they are preparing for performance. Playing the Twinkle variations is a fun activity that helps guide the ensemble through various rhythms, bow articulations, and characters.
The ensemble chooses a phrase or excerpt to play the written rhythms as “out loud” subdivisions encouraging rhythmic integrity and stability. For instance, members may play a written half note as eight (8) sixteenth (16th) notes or four (4) eighth (8th) notes. Ensemble members are encouraged to play the outloud subdivisions with the same dynamics and phrasing indicated in their parts. Members, as well as the coach, benefit from hearing how each member processes the subdivisions rhythmically and musically.
Left hand and right hand alone are useful techniques to apply to both new and familiar pieces. In the Left Hand Alone* activity, ensemble members are encouraged to play their parts, as a group, with left hand only. Encourage the ensemble to notice each other's left finger and hand movements throughout the activity. In the Right Hand Alone activity, ensemble members play their parts with open strings that correlate with their written pitches. Encourage the members to continue to breathe together, move together and play together the written articulations, dynamics, phrasing, and characters throughout the activity. Left Hand and Right Hand Alone activities bring a distinctive awareness to the technical and musical characters of the repertoire and help the ensemble continue to refine their timing and musical story. *The Left Hand Alone activity is derived from participation in coaching and masterclasses with Donald Weillserstein and Peter Salaff of the Cleveland Quartet.