Lecture-Recital - J.S. Bach BWV 1001 Solo Sonata g-moll
Liebe Penelope! I wanted to tell you, that I really felt free in playing the violin this weekend, and for me it was the first time I did so, because I had so bad experiences when I was young. I learned a lot in trying to copy your kind of playing. You always seem to be free and happy and concentrated when playing. Thanks for this, and your motivating manner when working with us.
Liebe Penny, ein wunderbarer musikalischer Tag - die Bach Sonate klingt immer noch in meinen Ohren! Vielen herzlichen Dank für Deine Hilfe, Du hast dieses Trio wirklich zum Klingen gebracht. Ich hoffe sehr, dass wir mit Dir weiter arbeiten dürfen.
Liebe Penny, der Dank ist ganz auf meiner - ich denke auch unserer - Seite! Es war sehr spannend zu sehen, wie einfühlsam Du mit uns arbeitest und uns neue Begegnungen mit diesen Stücken ermöglichst! Es hat großen Spaß gemacht und war sehr motivierend!
Auch Dir nochmal herzlichen Dank, liebe Penny, dass Du Dir den ganzen Tag Zeit genommen hast für uns und für Deinen tollen Unterricht!
Teaching the baroque violin and coaching ensembles in an important part of my professional life and brings me incredible joy and fulfilment.
My private pupils are school music teachers, (modern) violin teachers, or dedicated Amateur musicians from all walks of life.
Usually my students come with pieces they are either preparing for a concert or simply music they love and want to play themselves.
I always play the bassline of sonatas on my violin or viola to accompany my students which not only immediately teaches ensemble skills but trains the awareness of the bass and harmony, which is so important in baroque music.
When a technical issue is preventing someone from playing musically, I help analyse and pinpoint what is going on. There is usually an appropriate exercise or study that can solve the problem if carefully practised.
I give all my students a basic practice schedule of warm-up, technique and repertoire tailor-made to their particular needs and time available to practice.
I also encourage my students to form ensembles – playing in a good ensemble is after all, one of the greatest challenges and pleasures of life!
Seminars
Several times per year, I teach at chamber music courses alongside wonderful colleagues such as Marion Treupel Franck (Traverso), Jakob Rattinger (Viola da Gamba), and Axel Wolf (Laute).
In this intensive and supportive environment, it is exciting to watch how the ensembles develop rapidly, and the musicianship of my the participants develops so beautifully. These courses are a highlight for my students, many of whom have formed ensembles during the seminars which they then continue to meet up with regularly during the year.
Workshops
I am sometimes asked to run workshops for modern violinists to learn the basics of baroque violin playing. Often the young violinists come with Solo Bach with the request from the teacher to try playing it with a baroque bow, or to learn about baroque bow strokes.
We do this too, but there is just so much more that can be done by simply by thinking a bit differently, even with modern equipment and bow!
Here is a video I made as an introduction to such a workshop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-PmFNhJC_s
Background to my teaching methods
Having had a sound grounding in modern violin (my first degree at Auckland University BMus), I was lucky enough to go straight into the class of the renowned baroque violinist Sigiswald Kuijken at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. This was not only the best place to learn about baroque violin, but a very supportive leaning environment with a massive emphasis on chamber music. We were coached several times per week by the various famous teachers there – Wieland, Barthold and Sigiswald Kuijken, Willbert Hazelzet, Jaap ter Linden, Gustav Leonhardt (Amsterdam), Bruce Dickey, Stanley Hoogland and so on….
The vast resources of the Gemeente Museum with its huge collection of facsimiles, manuscripts and books provided the starting point for the many chamber music ensembles and projects we embarked upon as students.
During this time I began working professionally with the Kuijken brothers and the Netherlands Bach Society and other orchestras in northern Europe, so that by the time I graduated I was a fully fledged independent musician and able to audition for Gardiner´s English Baroque Soloists and be engaged for a permanent position as first Violinist.
The next sixteen years of professional life in London working on a very high level, and particularly with very good singers developed my playing and experience still further.
The years in Germany since 2017, have been another chapter in my development - I seem to be increasingly in demand for masterclasses and Seminars. I find I am developing my own approach to teaching which seems to mirror my own personal journey which has been a very practical, on the job style of learning with an emphasis on finding independence in learning (research, reading) and developing ones own critical ear and practice methods. I encourage my students to form ensembles and find opportunities to perform, if possible. Music making with others is like in any other kind of relationship – it needs constant nurture, but the rewards are indescribably great!