Continuing the 60th anniversary remembrance with brief talks by past presidents, Janna Bruene spoke about joining NEPTA a long time ago, about getting to know Elfrieda Hiebert and Mildred Freiberg and about an especially inspiring program given by Lois Shapiro. The subject was Romanticism in Music in which Lois opened up that world for her in an exciting way. She began to feel that she would like to participate more, Janna ultimately became president in 1999, putting
her in charge of the 50th anniversary celebration. She is ever grateful to all those who helped her that year, and appreciates anew the work each committee does and the founders' wisdom in planning for an organization that has only grown better through its long life. She credits us with the flexibility to meet the new demands of a changing world.
The renowned Christopher O'Riley, host of the most popular classical music radio show on the air today, From the Top, spoke first, answered questions next and then played Schumann.
He talked about his teachers at NEC: Beatrice Erdely, who helped him get his fingers in contact with the keys, DRAW sound from the piano, develop the use of arm weight and learn to relax. Ben Zander, who, as chamber music coach, emphasized that the piano was the "biggest obstruction to a sostenuto sound because it's a percussion instrument." So whenever the music didn't sound good, he always blamed the pianist. (Working against percussiveness has helped Mr. O'Rilely a lot in his role as accompanist on From the Top). His "master teacher" was Russell Sherman whose instruction was aimed at the student's relationship to the music, at "getting you to be yourself" as a player. Russell Sherman paid great attention to detail - such things as the fact that the second and fourth of four sixteenths are weaker than the first and third. He spoke about the difficulty of pedal work. Russell Sherman says the pedal is not an on/off switch but rather a mixing tool. One can tell that Mr. O'Riley loves Russell Sherman, his probing philosophical mind and his ability to convey his ideas to his students without making them copies of himself... Mr. O'Riley enthusiastically suggests reading Russell Sherman's "Aphorisms for Piano Teachers", an excellent book (Interestingly, both Sherman and Erdely were students of the great Eduard Steuermann).
Yoga is a significant part of Mr.O'Riley's life, giving him centeredness and energy that radiates from the sacrum.
Because he goes across the country finding talented youngsters for his program, he sees the work done by private piano teachers, and that instruction is first-rate. He said earnestly, "Bravo, you guys."
And with that he took questions. This report will touch on a few: he spoke about the e-stand (collaborative systems for musicians and education), its pros and cons. See e-stand.com
How much time is spent with performers on the show? "Two weeks before the taping we (he and the performers) practice until it's good."
Referring to the Alexander technique, he feels it's less accessible than Yoga, which benefits immediately.
To help the students feel at ease, he encourages them to play at the top of their game. He has 30 pages of type-script on each student and has spent weeks on the phone with them. Having had to deal with the loneliness of practise, the students find comfort in being with each other. "They have found their mates."
Yoga was brought up in Q & A, whereupon he elaborated more and stressed the importance of breathing.
Before he played, he spoke about fractals, those things that are irregular, like pebbles on the shore - "small ideas becoming the big idea or a big idea encompassing the small ideas." With Schumann it's the former. He played generously and wonderfully, first the Arabesque, Opus 18, then the entire Kreisleriana, Opus 16 and finally the Fantasy in C major, Opus 17, all three movements.
It was thrilling playing and a thrilling morning altogether.
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