MasterClass provides in-depth and engaging classes taught by experts in various fields. The classes are designed to bring your favorite experts to your home in an engaging online experience, which includes state of the art pre-recorded videos, workbooks, and stimulating assignments. Your yearly Annual Membership gives you access to 100+ world-renowned instructors on Film and TV, Culinary Arts, Design, Photography, Fashion, Sports, Science and Technology and so much more. Instructors include world-famous chef Gordon Ramsay, bestselling author Margaret Atwood and many more. The classes have about 20 lectures, each about 10 minutes so you can watch and re-watch at anytime. Video lessons can easily be watched on the MasterClass mobile app, on your desktop, Google Chromecast, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, and Roku devices.
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This is a review of the Itzhak Perlman Teaches Violin class from MasterClass!
The MasterClass Instructor – Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman opens this class with an introduction to what this class will cover and why he chose to teach this class. Mr. Perlman talks about how this class differs from your traditional violin master class. Mr. Perlman’s lessons include a detailed guided instruction along with discussions and instruction with some of his former and current students.
For those who are not familiar with Itzhak Perlman, he is a Grammy Award-winning violinist and conductor. Mr. Perlman has won 16 Grammy Awards, the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award, and has performed for world leaders including at the 2009 Inauguration of President Barack Obama. He has also led orchestras across the world and now teaches at the Juilliard School.
A violinist of the highest caliber. A devoted teacher. A humanitarian. Itzhak Perlman has graced the world with his astonishing abilities, breathtaking musicality, steadfast devotion to the art, and signature wit since the 1960s. After more than a half-century of performing as a superstar violin soloist with nearly every top orchestra, every top conductor, and in every top concert hall in the world, Mr. Perlman continues to expand his horizons, conducting major orchestras and teaching at the Juilliard School in New York.
This class tackles a wide variety of topics including the use of the bow, bow grip, producing a good sound, intonation, vibrato, posture, colors in music, phrasing, and different styles. Along with these foundational skills, Mr. Perlman goes through how to develop a good practice routine to get the most out of your time and even includes a section with insights about what to expect out of a career in music.
Violin – Who is it for?
This class is for anyone who is interested in strengthening their violin skills! The class provides great fundamental lessons along with insights to how Mr. Perlman has adapted and learned different techniques throughout his career. Whether you have only a little experience or have been playing the violin for years this class has something for you. The class goes over many basic techniques, along with many lessons that focus on more advanced skills like refining your style and how to find the colors in music. For those who are just starting out, this class does provide good insights, but to truly learn the violin, Mr. Perlman encourages students to get one-on-one training in order to really grasp these techniques.
MasterClass Itzhak Perlman – Main Themes
- Practice slowly
- Listen very carefully
- Enthusiasm for music
- Style
- Technique
MasterClass Workbook – Itzhak Perlman
Mr. Perlman opens this workbook with a letter to his students. He encourages students to use this workbook like an encyclopedia of instrumental information instead of a step by step guide. It should be used as a reference tool, but to learn the violin requires hands on, one-on-one instruction to be successful. The workbook does provide a suggested listening guide, a review of each lesson which includes many key vocabulary terms and technique, and a put it into practice section that gives students ways to practice what they have learned.
MasterClass Violin Key Takeaways
Mr. Perlman has created a wonderful class that covers many of the fundamentals, but also challenges viewers to explore their own style in order to grow as a violinist. The class goes through bowing techniques, quality of sound techniques, and how to use all of these techniques to explore one’s own style. In the refining your style section of the class, Mr. Perlman demonstrates how to play pieces in various musical styles along with various emotional perceptions. The class also includes lessons based on developing a practice routine, tips for memorizing music, and insights to how to develop a career as a violinist.
The violin is both an object of great beauty and symmetry as well as an ingenious work of mechanical design. Familiarize yourself with the parts of the violin and bow and get a better understanding of how each works.
The lesson that I found most interesting was when Mr. Perlman introduces the color game to his students. He shows viewers through the use of his former and current students how to use their technical skills to change the audience’s perception of a phrase or piece by using musical color. The students and the viewers of the class do not know which perception the violinist has been instructed to portray, so you are left to observe and decide for yourself. This allows viewers to listen, visualize, and critic the students to better understand how to use these techniques in their own performances.
Final Thoughts on Itzhak Perlman’s MasterClass
This class was very detailed and intriguing! Mr. Perlman has created a class that provides great lessons on fundamentals of playing the violin, but also takes the time to explore color and tone. If you are looking for a class that will take your violin skills to the next level, this is the class for you!
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