SOUNDPOST

LETTER of the MONTH

SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT

Playing the cello can help with dyspraxia

Jacqueline Vanasse’s positive experiences of teaching a student with Down’s syndrome (Opinion, January 2022) reminded me of my own time teaching a student with dyspraxia. His parents had suggested he try playing a musical instrument in order to join the school orchestra, as he was having trouble making friends and showing signs of withdrawal. He started on the violin, and found it a struggle, given his difficulty with coordination – even keeping the bow on the string seemed a trial, and he found it hard to sit still. After a few months someone suggested that the violin might be the wrong instrument, and he should try the cello. That was when he came to me, and it was very soon clear that it was right for him. His progress came on in leaps and bounds, and I’m convinced it was simply because the position of the violin meant he couldn’t see the instrument in front of him, whereas the cello allowed him to improve his coordination. Very soon he was in the school orchestra and had moved up to principal cello before he left the school. I hope other teachers might have that kind of positive turnaround experience with one of their students in the future.

MEGAN HOLMES

London, UK

A CAUTIONARY TALE

It’s extraordinary to me when I hear colleagues talking about the ‘post-Covid era’ as if it’s something that actually exists. Non-masked orchestra rehearsals are habitually taking place nowadays; hand sanitisers frequently not supplied even though it’s so cheap; and audience members seem blissfully happy not to take any precautions at all. In my workplace I’m now the only one who hasn’t had Covid, and there still seems to be an idea that if you’ve had it once, you’re immune for the rest of your life – even though nationwide cases have skyrocketed in the past two months. Whatever happened to the ‘we can get through this’ spirit of 2020? How ironic that we can look back on that time with nostalgia!

REBECCA REDFERN

Dallas, TX, US

HIDDEN TALENTS

I found the May issue’s feature on lutherie in Seoul (‘Gangnam Style’, May 2022) particularly thought-provoking. I was not aware of such a developed lutherie scene in the Korean capital. It has made wonder about where else in the world there may be thriving, yet-tobe-discovered hubs of violin making. In my native Switzerland, there are many well-known luthiers and The workshop of Korean workshops, but I am sure there luthier Chan Man Park are many left to be uncovered, perhaps in much smaller towns and villages. After all, musicians there also need their instruments tended to! It makes me think: how intertwined is the profession of luthier with the location of the workshop? Do certain skills need to be honed more if one lives in a metropolis? Does one need to be more well-rounded if living in a small village, where they may be the only maker? I am interested to see more articles of this kind in the future – they are real eye-openers.

NINA BIRCHMEIER

Hanover, Germany

The workshop of Korean luthier Chan Man Park

CELLO PHOTO YAN KRUKOV. PARK PHOTO EYAL BEN-DROR

MUSIC FOR ALL

The Metropolitan Opera’s ‘Concert for Ukraine’ on 14 March

TOP 3 PHOTO COURTESY TCHAIKOVSKY COMPETITION

How fantastic that the 2022 BBC Proms will be including a performance by the newly formed Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra! The orchestra is made up of Ukrainian refugees, Ukrainian musicians working in European orchestras and more Ukrainian artists. It will be a great reminder of the Proms’ unique ability to bring humans from all walks of life together through the power of music.

If they don’t sell out too quickly, I hope to get a ticket for the concert! Either way, it is great to see the Proms being as relevant as ever.

GLORIA FABER

Surrey, UK

ONLINE COMMENT

When news came that the 2022 Sibelius Violin Competition would be excluding Russian competitors, many denounced the decision. However, others suggested that vocal condemnations of the war on the part of Russian artists may start being necessary for inclusion in international competitions bit.ly/3OxRGoF

MANDY GUILFOYLE This kind of discredits the entire competition if they are employing xenophobic rules like this. Do they think Russian violinists are the ones responsible for the war?

NICOLAE SOARE If the would-be competitors have publicly denounced Putin and the invasion, then they should be allowed to compete as individuals. If they have not, then they should stay home.

CASSEL KRISHNAN Individuals should not be discriminated against because of their country of origin.

HUEI CHIANG If the competition rejects Russian violinists, will the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto remain as one of the choices for Romantic repertoire? Should we ban all the Russian music in the concert programmes now?

JIM LEUNAM Maybe it’s time for Russian artists to condemn Russian attacks. Maybe that’s the way to be accepted in competitions and concerts.

STEPHANIE WIMAN MYERS Maybe if Russian citizens are rejected globally, the Russian people may have a chance to find out the truth when they ask why. That is, if the Russian population does not know.

FERNANDO YOKOTA This will make such a difference to the war…

www.thestrad.com TOP 3 ONLINE POSTS

1Tchaikovsky Competition (below) excluded from World Federation of International Music Competitions bit.ly/3MrbfNA