Schumann Cello Concerto, or Ken’s Folly?

by | Jun 10, 2010 | cello

Since Saturday’s performance of the Schumann Cello Concerto with Lancashire Chamber Orchestra, I’ve had a touching number of enquiries from friends and colleagues wanting to know how it went. Of course, since many were probably calling my decision to play this work...

Cello 2.0

by | May 20, 2010 | cello

So, this week, I’m in New England for concerts with Ensemble Epomeo- our first show is at the Newburyport Chamber Music Festival on Friday. This concert has an extra challenge for me- I have had to switch cellos. It wasn’t practical to travel this time with my...

Teach them to finger themselves

by | Nov 19, 2009 | A view from the podium, cello

I’ve been delighted to see how many responses I’ve had to my last post on fingerings and bowings. By a complete coincidence, I found this morning I have another comrade in arms, Alban Gerhardt, who writes – I don’t know how it sounded out there in the hall...

Stop the fingerings!

by | Nov 15, 2009 | cello, Nuts and bolts

I suppose on of the main perks of a blog, for some the raison d’etre, is having a forum in which to rant about one’s little pet peeves. Given this facility, it’s a small wonder that I have not yet had a good little rant about one of my pet hates- fingerings in music....