Astrid Schween: Life Lessons

I was fortunate to have a number of excellent cello teachers throughout my studies, and they are still very much alive in my mind as I perform and work with students. I began lessons aged seven with Dr H.T. Ma. In just a year he had taught me solfège and how to read music in three clefs, and given me my first orchestral and solo experiences. It was a productive year. I then moved to Ardyth Alton for six years at Juilliard’s Pre-College division. Mrs Alton cultivated in me a love for tone and freedom of musical expression. We performed a lot, so being on stage became second nature. At 14 I began lessons with Harvey Shapiro and aspired to emulate his gorgeous playing. Keeping to a high level that is worth copying is something I still bear in mind today when playing for my students at Juilliard…