All Debate articles – Page 9
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ArticleThe importance of using analogy in instrumental music teaching
Analogy in music teaching is useful, but it is especially powerful when it is personalised or self-generated, argues Naomi Yandell
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DebatePerforming works composed before the recording era in an 'authentic' style misses the point artistically
We will never truly know what this music sounded like, argues cellist Jeffrey Solow
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DebateMust all orchestral string sections sound the same?
Orchestras once boasted unmistakable musical identities, but an emotionally sanitised age has brought about a lamentable universality of sound, says Julian Haylock
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DebateGroup instrumental lessons can provide opportunities not offered by one-to-one teaching
Group music tuition is becoming more and more common in schools out of financial necessity, but if handled correctly, this can yield positive results, says Da Capo Music Foundation principal Jane Cutler
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DebateCould listening to Beethoven be the answer to feelings of anger and isolation in the modern world?
Fidelio Quartet cellist Rachel Atkinson believes that classical music - and Beethoven in particular - has healing powers that can help us all to access a quiet contentment
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DebateAre lesson plans helpful for one-to-one instrumental lessons?
Now ubiquitous in the British education system, lesson plans are good for ticking boxes but tend to get in the way in one-to-one teaching, argues Naomi Yandell
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DebateNo music student should be ashamed of failure
Failure can be an essential step on the road to success, argues Northwestern University viola professor Helen Callus
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DebateListening to recordings can be an unhelpful way to learn well-known repertoire
The pervasiveness of YouTube has prevented many students from developing an individual voice, argues the Royal College of Music’s Mark Messenger
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DebateInstrumental teachers should discourage competition among their students
It's worth managing pressures in the early stages of a musician's development, argues Naomi Yandell
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FocusMusic teachers must learn to correctly respond to student mistakes
Students learn most from making mistakes in their playing, and it’s up to the teacher to find the right way of dealing with them
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DebateAre competition juries too easily swayed by young talent?
The mechanics of string playing can be perfected at a relatively early age, but a youngster cannot have anything meaningful to communicate
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DebateShould we expect high moral standards from leading musicians?
If great players reach celestial heights with their playing, is it reasonable to expect them to be angels in real life? In an ideal world, yes, says Tully Potter
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DebateWhy are string players today so afraid to use portamento?
Composers expected it and the music itself seems to demand it. Tully Potter argues for a return to swoops and scoops
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FocusShould string section bowings always be synchronised?
It is generally accepted that string sections should bow as a collective, but could this uniform approach sacrifice the composer's intended sound? Violist James Boyd argues in favour of greater freedom
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DebateToo often, performance presentation skills are left in the lap of the gods
It is desirable for music teachers to take stage presentation skills seriously from the very start, argues Naomi Yandell
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DebateFor musicians, Europe is in our DNA, so how will Brexit affect the UK's musical life?
Aside from the practical implications for musicians, Brexit represents a symbolic separation from a continent that has enriched musical life in the UK for centuries, says violist Paul Silverthorne
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DebateToo many young double bassists prioritise solo technique over orchestral expertise
Chi-chi Nwanoku argues that students need to be more realistic about their career expectations
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DebateToo few conductors understand their double bass section
Though the standard of double bass playing has risen exponentially during the past 50 years, conductors’ attitudes towards the instrument have barely changed
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DebateWhy don't viola competitions produce more star soloists?
Despite organisers’ efforts, viola competitions rarely make the impact that their violin cousins enjoy. Toby Deller asks whether they should be more proactive in promoting the instrument
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DebateString players should give credit where credit is due
Philippa Bunting asks why string teachers and players are so reluctant to acknowledge the people who have influenced them
