Alex
I have been to lyceums before, but nothing could ever top Alex McDonald's incredible performance earlier this month. From the moment he stepped out on the BPAC stage, Alex was one of the most accessible performers I have ever had the privilege of hearing. Even the faculty went crazy over him, which is saying a lot since our faculty is very picky. Behind me, the Wubbenas kept making approving whispers to one another, and I think I heard Mr. Smith give an "Amen" after Chopin's Nocturne in c minor. I could not see Mrs. Rollene or Dr. Whitley, but I imagine they were both smiling.
After the intermission, Alex did a lecture on and performance of Liszt's Sonata in b minor. I settled in for the sonata, which is hard for any pianist to perform, no matter how talented or experienced. It lasts for half an hour, but it was one of the happiest half hours of my life. When I saw him reaching for the last note I wanted to say, "Oh, no, don't play it. Replay one of the movements or something, just don't play the last note." Fortunately he did another Liszt for his encore.
The reception was like receptions always are. Everyone hugged each other, gabbed about their favorite part of the performance, told Alex how great he was, and drank that particular brand of non-alcoholic punch that JBU is so good at making. Finally, after everyone else had left, we piano majors filed back in for our masterclass with Alex. I had brought a notebook to take notes, though I mostly wrote down funny things that Alex said.
To Livie (Schumann's Pappillons): "Louder! Give me more sound, like this." He played one of the octaves. BOOM! "Now you try." Livie gave it a shot. boom. "No, like this." BOOM! Livie tried again. boom. Alex played it. BOOM! Livie frowned. boom. BOOM! boom. BOOM! boom. "Almost there, he said. "Pull back like this and then...BOOM!
I whispered to Anna, "How is he doing that?"
She shrugged and shook her head, mystified. I wondered if he was going to break our Steinway.
To Anna (Beethoven) : "Now, the thing about Beethoven is that you just do what's on the page. There's no interpretation involved."
(I confess to still being mystified by this comment)
"So, how passionately do you believe in that 3-4 fingering you're using?" Pause. "Okay, not very passionately. Get up a minute."
He told Anna she was too polite with her dynamics. "I mean, Beethoven is famous for having a full chamber pot beneath his piano, and you're making him sound like a castrated Mozart." Cue Susie and I shaking and nearly falling out of our chairs from laughing. Note to self: I must remember to say these kinds of things if I ever teach a masterclass.
To Susie (Bach) : "Make this really gnarly, and not gnarly as in 70's cool, but gnarly as in filled with gnarls."
(I have yet to figure out what a knarl is. The only reference I found that wasn't 70's related had to do with rabies, and believe me, rabies and Bach don't mix. Maybe it's something they say at Julliard?)
"Feel the power in the pedal. I want you to feel it." he said. Looking down and out at us, "Has anyone seen Emperor's New Groove?"
I raised my hand. He looked right at me and said in a very good Yzma voice, "Take it Kronk, feel the power."
I held my hands out, doing a Kronk impersonation, "Ooooh. I can feel it." I always knew that movie would come in handy somewhere.
Next to me Anna whispered, "Have you seen that?"
Livie whispered back, "No, but I'm going to!"
I didn't get to play for him, but I learned so much just by watching and listening. Dr. Wubbena got it right when he said, "He has so much conviction. He convinces everyone because he really believes in what he's doing." Now when I practice I try to remember why I play, and I believe it is important. I may not be Alex, but I know that I have just as much conviction about what I'm doing. I know that God brought me here, and playing is a big part of being here. Knowing that, believing that, is half the battle. Without meaning to, Alex showed me that I am already succeeding if I believe in the worth of what I am doing.
Thanks Alex.
After the intermission, Alex did a lecture on and performance of Liszt's Sonata in b minor. I settled in for the sonata, which is hard for any pianist to perform, no matter how talented or experienced. It lasts for half an hour, but it was one of the happiest half hours of my life. When I saw him reaching for the last note I wanted to say, "Oh, no, don't play it. Replay one of the movements or something, just don't play the last note." Fortunately he did another Liszt for his encore.
The reception was like receptions always are. Everyone hugged each other, gabbed about their favorite part of the performance, told Alex how great he was, and drank that particular brand of non-alcoholic punch that JBU is so good at making. Finally, after everyone else had left, we piano majors filed back in for our masterclass with Alex. I had brought a notebook to take notes, though I mostly wrote down funny things that Alex said.
To Livie (Schumann's Pappillons): "Louder! Give me more sound, like this." He played one of the octaves. BOOM! "Now you try." Livie gave it a shot. boom. "No, like this." BOOM! Livie tried again. boom. Alex played it. BOOM! Livie frowned. boom. BOOM! boom. BOOM! boom. "Almost there, he said. "Pull back like this and then...BOOM!
I whispered to Anna, "How is he doing that?"
She shrugged and shook her head, mystified. I wondered if he was going to break our Steinway.
To Anna (Beethoven) : "Now, the thing about Beethoven is that you just do what's on the page. There's no interpretation involved."
(I confess to still being mystified by this comment)
"So, how passionately do you believe in that 3-4 fingering you're using?" Pause. "Okay, not very passionately. Get up a minute."
He told Anna she was too polite with her dynamics. "I mean, Beethoven is famous for having a full chamber pot beneath his piano, and you're making him sound like a castrated Mozart." Cue Susie and I shaking and nearly falling out of our chairs from laughing. Note to self: I must remember to say these kinds of things if I ever teach a masterclass.
To Susie (Bach) : "Make this really gnarly, and not gnarly as in 70's cool, but gnarly as in filled with gnarls."
(I have yet to figure out what a knarl is. The only reference I found that wasn't 70's related had to do with rabies, and believe me, rabies and Bach don't mix. Maybe it's something they say at Julliard?)
"Feel the power in the pedal. I want you to feel it." he said. Looking down and out at us, "Has anyone seen Emperor's New Groove?"
I raised my hand. He looked right at me and said in a very good Yzma voice, "Take it Kronk, feel the power."
I held my hands out, doing a Kronk impersonation, "Ooooh. I can feel it." I always knew that movie would come in handy somewhere.
Next to me Anna whispered, "Have you seen that?"
Livie whispered back, "No, but I'm going to!"
I didn't get to play for him, but I learned so much just by watching and listening. Dr. Wubbena got it right when he said, "He has so much conviction. He convinces everyone because he really believes in what he's doing." Now when I practice I try to remember why I play, and I believe it is important. I may not be Alex, but I know that I have just as much conviction about what I'm doing. I know that God brought me here, and playing is a big part of being here. Knowing that, believing that, is half the battle. Without meaning to, Alex showed me that I am already succeeding if I believe in the worth of what I am doing.
Thanks Alex.
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