The Swedish cellist shared his insights on playing and teaching in the May 2011 issue of The Strad

May 2011

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This was first published in the May 2011 issue of The Strad

Rostropovich showed me how to unlock my potential. He said: ‘You imagine you’re a car with four gears, but in fact you have five!’

I advise all my students to identify the weakest aspect of their playing and to attack it with honesty.

When making a recording, block out the artificial environment of the studio and imagine you are giving a concert before an inspiring audience.

When choosing a cello, look for one that triggers a special kind of physical response in you when you play.

Nothing comes close to the cello’s incredible register!

It’s a humbling privilege to be able to express emotions, character and energy – through the genius of composers – in such a unique form of human communication.

This was first published in the May 2011 issue of The Strad

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