Cellos are part of the standard symphony orchestra, which usually includes eight to twelve cello players. The cello section, in standard orchestral seating, is located on stage left (the audience's right) in the front, opposite the first violin section. However, some orchestras and conductors prefer switching the positioning of the viola and cello sections. The principal cellist is the section leader, determining bowings for the section in conjunction with other string principals, playing solos and leading entrances (when the section begins to play its part). Principal players always sit …
Archives for February 2018
Want to play the violin? Here’s a bit of history on this wonderful instrument.
The violin, viola, and cello were first made in the early 16th century, in Italy. The earliest evidence for their existence is in paintings by Gaudenzio Ferrari from the 1530s, though Ferrari's instruments had only three strings. The Academie musicale, a treatise written in 1556 by Philibert Jambe de Fer, gives a clear description of the violin family much as we know it today. Violins are likely to have been developed from a number of other string instruments of the 15th and 16th centuries, including the vielle, rebec, and lira da braccio. The history of bowed string instruments in Europe …
Are you too old to start music lessons?
There have been numerous studies on mature first-time musicians, and the conclusion is, when it comes to learning an instrument, there is absolutely no such thing as being too old. Adult music lessons can produce outstanding, confident, and highly skilled musicians. According to Norman Weinberger, a neuroscientist at the University of California. "A lot of people believe the brain isn’t very plastic after puberty." In fact, the brain maintains its ability to change. Is it as easy to learn something when you’re 65 as it is at 5? No. But can it be done? Yes. Benefits of Learning an …