Strings: Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass Archives

Meet William Skeen, Baroque Cello Mentor

October 9, 2020

AMN mentors, Early Music and Period Instruments, Strings: Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Workshops

Our Early Music for Modern Instruments series continues with an October 17 online workshop taught by William Skeen, a principal cellist with Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and American Bach Soloists. (Register now for the workshop.) Bill is also the co-founder of the New Estherhazy Quartet, whose repertoire includes more than 150 string quartets performed exclusively on gut strings. He spoke with us from his home in Oakland to give us a glimpse into the life of an early-music specialist. William Skeen…

Meet Elizabeth Blumenstock, Baroque Violin Mentor

September 29, 2020

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AMN mentors, Early Music and Period Instruments, Strings: Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Workshops

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We’re launching our Early Music for Modern Instruments month with a very special four-workshop series taught by Baroque violinist Elizabeth Blumenstock. The series begins Tuesday, October 6, at 7 p.m. PDT, and continues on Tuesday evenings through October 27. (Register now for the series.) Elizabeth is a longtime concertmaster, soloist, and leader with the Bay Area’s Philarmonia Baroque Orchestra and American Bach Soloists; concertmaster of the International Handel Festival in Goettingen, Germany; and artistic director of the Baroque Music Festival…

Playing in Harmony: What Makes a Successful Musical Collaboration?

September 19, 2020

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AMN mentors, Piano, Strings: Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Workshops

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What does it take to collaborate musically? How do you find a musical collaborator who’s right for you? In anticipation of our September 26 online conversation about collaboration with pianist Gwendolyn Mok, we chatted with Robert Howard, who will moderate the conversation. Robert is an accomplished cellist who has collaborated with Gwen and other pianists in performance and on recording; during the workshop, he and Gwen will play excerpts from Beethoven’s Cello Sonata in g-minor and Rachmaninoff’s Sonata in g-minor…

Meet Ken Smith, Guitarist, Guitar-builder, and Singer-songwriter

September 3, 2020

Lolly Lewis

Community, Jazz and Beyond - Non-Classical Music, Strings: Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Talking about Music

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This is a guest post by Nancy Friedman, an AMN volunteer, who writes: “I’ve known Ken Smith as a friend and a photographer for many years, and I’ve enjoyed his Instagram posts and music videos. When I learned that he’d posted a listing on the AMN website, I saw an opportunity to learn more about his musical life and to share our converstion with the AMN community.” Your listing says you’re a singer-songwriter and rhythm guitar and fingerstyle player. What…

Meet Garrett Fischbach, Violin and Viola Teacher

June 24, 2020

Lolly Lewis

Community, Strings: Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Talking about Music

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This is a guest post by Nancy Friedman, an AMN volunteer. We were thrilled when Garrett Fischbach posted his teaching services to our online Listings. Not only does Garrett have 25 years’ experience with three of the most prestigious orchestras in the United States, but he also has a true passion for teaching adult amateurs. Furloughed along with the entire Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus since March 31, he spoke to us from his home in New York about his teaching…

Side By Side

April 18, 2019

Lolly Lewis

AMN mentors, Orchestra and Symphonic Music, Strings: Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Workshops

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Amateur Music Network’s Lolly Lewis spoke with SF Chamber Orchestra Music Director Benjamin Simon about AMN’S Third Annual Side by Side partnership with the SFCO: what drew him to this music and why he keeps coming back to working with amateurs. Ben Simon has successfully made the transition to conductor following twenty-five years as a violist performing in several of the United States’ most elite ensembles, including the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Naumburg award-winning New World String…

Midlife Crisis: How Bass Playing Changed My Life

May 1, 2018

Lolly Lewis

Community, Strings: Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass

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A Guest Blog by Steve Schaefer I started playing the bass at the age of 50, and it has become a very important part of my life. Sometimes it just takes a while to be ready. I got my first guitar in 1967. I fell in love with it and played for fun alone and with friends for several years. My bass story, though, begins in 1972. I’d been playing the guitar for five years and picked…