social Archives

Notes from the Field: 12 Cellos are Better Than 1 — by Aron Zelkowicz

I wanted to take a break from behind-the-scenes administrative reporting to share a recent concert experience that might be of interest to those who like to “geek out” about all things cello-related. It might have been Sarah Jessica Parker’s character in Sex and the City (not that I ever watched the show…) who noted that one of the best things about living in New York City is getting out of it once in a while. So on a scorching July weekend it was invigorating to drive well beyond the numbered streets and convene with eleven other cellists in the town of Hunter, New York—home to some of the highest peaks in the Catskill Mountains. The simplicity of this village and nearby Tannersville was a quaint contrast to Manhattan. The Catskills [...]

By Aron Zelkowicz|2018-06-30T04:33:15-04:00August 12th, 2011|Categories: Chamber Music, Interpersonal Relationships, Performance, Repertoire|Tags: unique, effects, cellobello, opportunity, expertise, NEC, opera, New England Conservatory, New York City, simplicity, cello section, social, Experience, Aron, orchestra, Zelkowicz, accomplishments, rehearsals, administration, cello ensemble, creativity, concert, cello|

The F-Word — by Aron Zelkowicz

“Do you play with a regular ensemble?” the lady at Kinko’s asked me. Lately I’ve noticed this to be one of the routine first questions that new acquaintances throw my way, especially in New York. My theory is that music aficionados latch on to this question, while novices (often in airports, as we can all testify) tend to focus on the size of the cello case and the hilarity of imagining something else inside it: an AK-47, King Kong’s tennis racket, mother. In this instance my cello was not with me, but the scraps of dissected scores scattered across the work station easily gave away my vocation. She asked, “Do you play with a regular ensemble?”, which is exactly the wording that gets me like a deer in headlights. The [...]

By Aron Zelkowicz|2021-09-10T16:21:12-04:00May 11th, 2011|Categories: Beyond the Traditional, Interpersonal Relationships, Self Discovery|Tags: masterclasses, repertoire, New York City, orchestral tours, ensemble, orchestras, Teaching, chamber music, radio, career, routine, musician, environment, self-improvement, cello, cello case, social, cellobello, Competition, string quartets, music, freelance, Auditions, fundraising|