Cello Pedagogue Archives

János Starker Remembrance Week: The Test

After a long journey a young man arrived deep in a forest where the teacher of his choice was living in a small house he had built himself. When the student arrived, the teacher was sweeping up autumn’s falling leaves. Greeting his new master, the young man received no greeting in return. And to all his questions, there were no replies. Realizing there was nothing he could do to get the teacher’s attention, the student went to another part of the same forest and built himself a house. Years later, when he was sweeping up autumn’s fallen leaves, he became enlightened. He thought to drop everything, run through the forest, and say “Thank you!” to the teacher. Instead he stayed sweeping, calm & smiling. [...]

By Jeffrey Zeigler|2017-10-30T05:02:01-04:00April 25th, 2015|Categories: Artistic Vision, Interpersonal Relationships, Janos Starker, Teaching|Tags: Cello Blog, Cello Legend, Cello Master, Cello Pedagogue, Janos Starker Remembrance Week, Janos Starker, Jeffrey Zeigler, cellobello, Cello teacher|

János Starker Remembrance Week: A Tribute To János Starker

By Maria Kliegel A moment of tense, expectant silence – to me it seemed to be an eternity. A couple of silent smoky clouds floating in the teaching room. Janos Starker looked at me in his typical manner, a gaze so full of intensity that I could feel it under my skin, followed by a shattering comment, uttered with a cool slowness and a stony, unchangeable look on his face: “if you ever play as inaccurately as you just did, I will deny ever having been your teacher.“ And again, an eternal moment of silence, this time I sat horrified in my chair, not being able to breathe or move. Silent smoky clouds. One of my lessons in Bloomington ended this way – the Haydn D major concerto. [...]

By Guest Blogger|2017-10-30T05:01:37-04:00April 24th, 2015|Categories: Artistic Vision, Interpersonal Relationships, In the Practice Room, Janos Starker, Performance, Self Discovery, Teaching|Tags: cellobello, Cello Pedagogue, Janos Starker Remembrance Week, Maria Kliegel, Cello teacher, Cello Blog, Cello Legend, Janos Starker, Cello Master|

János Starker Remembrance Week: Reminiscences from the Starker Studio

Cello-playing aside, Starker’s intelligence, force of personality, and personal discipline were intimidating to most people, and downright frightening to students. Our culture generally allows our geniuses and high achievers to be self-indulgent and immature outside of their field of endeavor, but Starker lived out his ideals and principles at all times (that we could see). This discipline made him virtually bullet-proof as a cellist. During my two years in Bloomington, I carried a relatively light course load, as I wanted to observe as many lessons as possible. I was in MA 155 many mornings when he came in, looking tired and/or hungover, needing coffee, and not wanting to hear anything too loud. The student would play for awhile, and Starker would listen as long as he could before had to [...]

By Robert Battey|2017-10-30T05:01:19-04:00April 24th, 2015|Categories: Artistic Vision, Interpersonal Relationships, In the Practice Room, Janos Starker, Performance, Playing Healthy, Self Discovery, Teaching|Tags: Cello teacher, Cello Blog, Janos Starker, Cello Legend, cellobello, Cello Master, Cello Pedagogue, Lesson with Janos Starker, Janos Starker Remembrance Week, Robert Battey|

CelloBello János Starker Remembrance Week: Janos Starker, Who Is, Was, and Always Will Be My Master

Starker with pianist Gyorgy Sebok – life-long friend and musical partner of Starker. By Michael Haber Many years ago, I was on a family trip to Israel. In a hotel in Beersheva, I was surprised to find Mr. Starker standing in the lobby together with the conductor of the Israel Sinfonietta. I greeted Mr. Starker………”Janos Starker, who is, was, and always will be my master.” What has remained with me since my final lesson with Mr. Starker in August 1966 is his personal brilliance as a man and his deep patience and kindness. His way of being kind, which often meant an uncompromising honesty, was perhaps not for everyone. But what is more kind, in a teacher/student relationship, than taking a student seriously enough to share with them what [...]

By Guest Blogger|2017-10-30T05:00:55-04:00April 23rd, 2015|Categories: Interpersonal Relationships, Janos Starker, Performance, Self Discovery, Teaching|Tags: Cello teacher, Cello Blog, Cello Legend, Cello Master, Janos Starker, Cello Pedagogue, cellobello, Michael Haber|

CelloBello János Starker Remembrance Week: Life as a Student of János Starker

János Starker “S” Bridge János Starker’s incomparable achievements as a performer and recording artist are well-documented. However, when I first appeared at his door as a new graduate student, my awareness of him mostly stemmed from hearing others speak about him, and from only one of his recordings: that of Zoltan Kodaly’s Sonata, Op. 8. I had developed a mental image of Mr. Starker as an austere, intimidating presence. Paul Katz, with whom I had been studying at Eastman, enjoyed a longstanding friendship with Mr. Starker, and in those years Paul would often send a graduating senior to Bloomington for further education. […]

By Brant Taylor|2017-10-30T05:00:37-04:00April 22nd, 2015|Categories: Artistic Vision, Interpersonal Relationships, In the Practice Room, Janos Starker, Self Discovery, Teaching|Tags: Lesson with Janos Starker, Cello teacher, Remembering Janos Starker, life of Janos Starker, Janos Starker, Janos Starker Memorial, cello, Cello Blog, cellobello, Cello Legend, Cello Pedagogue|

CelloBello János Starker Remembrance Week April 22-28

CelloBello Remembers János Starker Please join us for a full week of events and video releases,to remember and honor this great figure of the cello world.Preview of upcoming events: New Videos of Never-Before Seen Interviews Newly released interview videos of János Starker in conversation with Paul Katz in 2010. April 22: Growing as a PerformerApril 23: Releasing TensionApril 24: Rhythmic FreedomApril 25: VibratoApril 26: His Performance AnxietyApril 27: His Difficult, Early Years Please visit our János Starker CelloLegacy section on CelloBello.com each day to view the newest video. Daily Blogs A new blog each day at CelloBlog by former Starker students and family includingRobert Battey, Paul Katz, Maria Kliegel, Alexandra Preucil (Starker’s granddaughter),Brant Taylor and Jeffrey Zeigler. CelloChatsYour chance to ask questions about Starker’s cello teachings and hear personal anecdotes and stories of the master! 3 special CelloChats with former students of Starker Reminiscing: What I Learned From János Starkerall [...]

By Blogmaster|2017-10-30T04:59:57-04:00April 17th, 2015|Categories: Artistic Vision, CelloStream, Interpersonal Relationships, Janos Starker, Self Discovery, Teaching|Tags: Remembering Janos Starker, life of Janos Starker, Janos Starker, Janos Starker Memorial, cello, Cello Blog, cellobello, Cello Legend, Cello Pedagogue, Cello teacher|