The photo on the cover of this
issue is a collection of jewelry boxes created by cellist Dennis
Parker. |
The following is from The Editor's Page, by Richard Chronister: |
The connection between playing the cello and working
in his woodworking shop is really simple, Dennis told us. His interest in woodworking is tied to the sensual experience
of holding a breathing, singing instrument for nearly all his life. The
objects he creates-primarily music stands, music cabinets, coffee tables,
and piano-shaped jewelry boxes-are a natural extension of his musical self-expression,
and compliment the delicate act of performance with the risky business of
maneuvering wood through various cutting and shaping devices. He uses many
found objects to create his pieces-old painted boards, piano carcass parts,
cigar boxes, anything with a beautiful grain or color-and the process of
recycling/transformation is an important part of his aesthetic. Often, the music stands he makes are commissions from or for a fellow musician and are specifically carved to portray that person's life in a whimsical and sentimental representation. At an earlier age, his desire for visual expression manifested itself in the form of caricature-doodles a la Steinberg or Sempé. In wood design, he finds a more permanent material.
Dennis resides in Baton Rouge with his wife, Jacqueline, a painter and poet, and their two children, Rollie and Zoe. You can see more of his woodworking creations by visiting the Cadenza Wood Products website (www.cadwood.com). For information about purchasing any of these products or commissioning special creations, call 225-383-7353. " To see a larger image of the cover photo, please visit our Art Gallery. |
 Camille
Witos and Robyn Gibson reply to: "How do you teach the rhythm challenge
in Grieg's Nocturne, Op. 54, No. 4?" The website version of
Camille's article is chock full of audio clips demonstrating points she
makes in the discussion, as well as a short segment from an actual
lesson. There is also a recording
of the entire piece, both
in audio and MIDI format! Click on their names above to go to their respective
articles. Or, to go to the first audio clip in Camille's article, click
on the nearby image of the score. |
|
The Magic Triangle: |
What do you do about missed lessons? |
Gillian Erskine |
| ||
The Other Teacher: |
How should I practice this piece at home? |
Mary Venard |
| ||
Independence Day: |
If all your students were excellent sightplayers, how would your teaching change? |
Suzanne Guy |
Let's Get Physical: |
How does piano technology affect technique? |
Virgil E. Smith |
| ||
Partners in Time: |
Do you have a multifaceted career? |
David Faust |
| ||
The Heart of the Matter: |
How do you teach the rhythm challenge in Grieg's Nocturne, Op. 54, No. 4? |
Camille Witos |
| ||
From the Inside Out: |
In what ways do your own early-level piano lessons influence the way you teach? |
Joyce Cameron |
| ||
It's Never Too Late: |
What resource materials are available for teachers of adult leisure students? |
Pamela D. Pike |
| ||
Putting It All Together: |
What is the pedagogical legacy of Louise Bianchi? |
Marvin Blickenstaff |
| ||
Tomorrow Today: |
What can the internet do for piano teachers? |
Kimberly Watson |
| ||
Music in the background is
"Why Do They Wither Away?"
composed & performed by
Sarah Marder-Eppstein
Sarah is 11 years old, and has been studying
piano for five years. She is a student of
Barbara Kreader in Evanston, Illinois
"You must really
be wondering where we found the cover art for this issue. It was easy. We happened to be in Louisiana, found ourselves in
Baton Rouge, noticed Louisiana State University, wandered into the School
of Music, heard a cello being played behind a closed door, waited until
the music stopped, went into the studio, saw dozens of beautiful hand-made
wooden objects, discovered that the musicmaker and the woodworker were the
same person, and asked him to explain the connection, if any, between his
passion for playing the cello and these charming wooden objects, all related
to music. (Actually, none of this happened, but it could have. Cellist Dennis
Parker is the artist behind all those jewelry boxes you see on the cover
and the single one pictured below.) 
The other side of his life finds him a frequent
soloist, recitalist, collaborator, and guest professor at numerous universities
and festivals. Since 1988 he has been a professor
of cello and string chamber music at the Louisiana State University School
of Music, and has been principal cellist with the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra.
He is a former member of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and solo-principal
cellist of the Porto Alegre Symphony Orchestra in Brazil. He holds degrees
from Indiana and Yale Universities. Always involved with the expansion of
the existing cello repertoire, he has transcribed many works for cello.
Read
more about how to teach two-against-three in essays originally published
in the Rhythm Department in the Spring of 1997.