The Paula Gordon Show |
Conversation 1 Janos Starker tells Paula Gordon and Bill Russell why it is vital that classical music -- one of the few permanent values in human existence -- be available to humankind. He describes how all-consuming music is for musicians. He suggests where musicians can provide leadership. Mr. Starker explains why his group learning sessions are seminars, not master classes, and describes the central role observers play there. He names some of the many elements of this process, including the audience. |
Conversation 2 Mr. Starker continues exploring the role of the audience in music making. He describes what needs to be considered and addressed before a musician makes the first sound, codified in his An Organized Method of Playing. He describes his unique teaching approach, based on isolating elements which need improvement. He discusses the importance of helping people become professionals and describes how he does that. He explains why it is important for a professional to know WHY he or she performs well or poorly. Mr. Starker comments on the audition process required at great musical institutions. He explains why he picks people who have basic talents which have not yet fully emerged. ŹHe discusses the phenomenon of child prodigies and tells why his experience being one is different from most. He distinguishes between professionals, amateurs and dilettantes. |
Conversation 3 Professionalism is discussed, building on one of Mr. Starker's short stories. He describes some of the rules and laws governing music making. He explains how popular music delights people by violating these rules. He distinguishes the merits of entertainment and popular music from the requirements for classical music. He suggests that one's whole brain (neither the right nor left brain) is engaged in music. He explains why, as a musician, he chooses to express his poetry in music rather than in poetic words. He shows how this attitude informs his teaching. He acknowledges learning much of this from the techniques of some of the worldās great conductors and gives examples of some of the many answers available for problem solving. |
Conversation 4 Mr. Starker explains why he is not in the least frustrated by the theatrics of some of his younger colleagues. He distinguishes his views as a teacher from those he holds as a performer. He describes The Cause he and his students promote -- to bring beauty and decency, purity and simplicity in music for those who perceive it, working to increase that number. Mr. Starker explains the central role of discipline in achieving musical freedom. He suggests what a professional might do on an "off" night. He describes how the re-creative artist brings the message of the composer to the public. Mr. Starker advances his opinion on whether a musician should play with or without a score and recalls Fritz Reinerās position on this. Mr. Starker explains what improvisation is and is not, what happens when an orchestra does or does not play beautifully. He describes the language of music. He differentiates teachers from coaches and describes what he thinks is appropriate in performing Baroque music. |
Conversation 5 Mr. Starker distinguishes the most famous musicians (definable) from the greatest ones (subjective and impossible to name). He explains why teaching is more important to him that his fame as a performer. He traces his own musical genealogy. He explains his ideas about Ideal Realism. He explains his optimism about the future of music, but expresses concern about the current oversupply of musicians, created without increasing the demand. He makes a strong plea for music education, confident that overall, music is doing well and the performing arts even better. He points to where he expects to see growth among music lovers. He applauds how the Suzuki method involved entire families in music, and suggests where potential listeners are to be found. |
Conversation 6 Mr. Starker describes the influence great singers have had in helping him shape his sounds. Mr. Starker explains why teaching children to sing may be even more important than instrumental education. He offers a glimpse of how important music is to him and might be to a large part of humanity. He salutes the strongest tribe in the world -- those who believe in classical music. |
Acknowledgements Janos Starker won a Grammy in 1998 for his Bach Suites for Cello -- the same music which is his gift to us and to you on this Show. Mr. Starker is known to the world as a member of the Golden Class of music makers in this century. He is known to his friends as an exemplar of that precious category. We join Mr. Starkerās friends, admirers and students around the world in wishing him all the joys that life can bring on this, his 75th birthday. And we thank him. For everything. We also thank Rae Starker for her hospitality on this visit and over the years. |
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