Taught by renowned cellist
Sara Sant'Ambrogio
In this course, renowned cellist Sara Sant'Ambrogio takes us behind the scenes as we explore some of the most important, fundamental issues of cello playing. We get a detailed look of this artist's approach to crucial aspects of cello playing and music making, such as holding the bow, practicing with focus, playing without pain, and more.
Vibrato
In this lesson, we learn about creating a wide range of vibrati as we explore ways of broadening our color. Sant'Ambrogio explains that the vibrato and the bow must carefully work in tandem, so that we achieve a maximum range of expression. We also explore the difference between a hand and an arm vibrato, and why one is clearly the better choice.
Slides
In this lesson, we explore the many ways in which we can make slides, or portamenti, as cellists. We not only learn about the many physical ways in which slides can be executed, but we study the history of slides and learn about stylistic differences between composers. Sant'Ambrogio also teaches us about the importance of the down-slide, a musical expression of deep pathos that can make a huge emotional impact.
Principles of the Bow
This lesson is devoted to the complex right arm and hand-- the mechanism with which we create sound. As Sara Sant'Ambrogio explains, we need to act as sculptors, and the right arm is the tool we use to sculpt sounds. We learn important techniques about where the thumb and fingers should be placed on the bow, as well as various methods for producing sound. We also learn about habits to avoid, and if we have them, how to break them.
Playing without Pain
In this lesson, we study ways in which we can have the most relaxed, organic, and healthy physical approach to playing the cello. We learn that cellists often have back problems, and many of these issues can be traced to stiffness or posture problems. Sara Sant'Ambrogio explains that we must never play through pain-- that in music, if we have pain, we must stop and find the source rather than ignore it. We also learn about holistic methods to sit with the cello.
Focusing your Practice
In this lesson, we learn about the importance of hyper-focused practice. As we all know, there are many distractions in our lives, but performing to the utmost of our ability means we need to practice without distraction. We learn methods for getting our practice deeply focused and intense, so when the pressure is on, we have already put in the hard work in the practice room.
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Unlock Course →"Sara Sant'Ambrogio is cellist of the celebrated Eroica Trio and for decades has been one of the country's most beloved string players, known for her passion and intensity of interpretation.."
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