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An Interview with Roland & SimonettaThe Pianist Svetlana Tchernova ( Svieta ) talks to Simonetta Barone and Roland Herrera
Svieta : Simonetta, when did you start the Cello ? Simonetta : When I was 9. I wanted to play the piano : There were 2 places on offer at the Conservatoire, but 300 applicants. Then a secretary suggested that as there were fewer applicants for viola and cello, that I should apply for the Cello, and if successful I would be able to switch to the Piano after my first year. I didn't know what a Cello was at that stage, but I was offered a place after a long audition which involved much singing. As soon as I had my first lesson it was love at first sight, and immediately I knew that was the instrument for me. Svieta : Roland, when did you first settle down and practice the violin ?
Svieta : Simonetta, who were your main teachers ? Simonetta : My first teacher, Roberto Caruana ( a Pupil of Hugo Becker and Julius Klengel ) , had a nice tone of voice, and was particularly gentle, leading me in my first steps on the Cello. Other good teachers were Franco Rossi, of the Quartetto Italiano, who inspired much musicality and temperament in me. He was always good humored, and full of anecdotes about his travels and performing years. Then, I studied in Hamburg for 3 years. Fedorchenko, Warshawski, Kniazev and Rudin were Top class Russian Cello Soloists and Teachers who combined Technical knowledge and Musical expertise into one. Studying with them provided me with the answers that I had always been searching for. Svieta : Roland, who were your main teachers ?
Svieta : Simonetta, could you outline the start of your performing career ? Simonetta : I was already playing in professional orchestras at the time when I won First prize at the International Chamber Music competition at Portogruaro. Two years later, aged 20, I graduated with a Performer's Diploma from the Conservatoire in Florence. I was then catapulted into a multitude of orchestras, such as the Turin Radio Orchestra, and the Swiss-Italian Orchestra. However, most of my satisfaction and success as a performer came through playing in a Piano Trio. Our Trio toured Rome, Milan, Lugano, Vienna, Florence and Trieste; we even performed in the Vatican. Touring, traveling, quarrelling and having fun meeting other musicians and people were part of every day life. Svieta : Roland, can you describe some of concerts you gave ? Roland : In Lugano, Switzerland, I played with a String Chamber Orchestra for 2 years, performing as Soloist on several occasions. I also played in many Quartets and String Trios, participating in the Brera October Music Festival in Milan, and performing in prestigious theatres there. My colleagues were often musicians from the Milan Radio Orchestra ( in which I also played for a while ) or from the "Verdi" Conservatoire. I will always remember the recital we did ( Svieta, Simonetta and I ) in a town on lake Como, and the discussion at dinner afterwards when the organizer asked you "What do you think about lake Como ?" and you asked if there were rats in it !!!! Svieta : When and why did you first start teaching ? Simonetta : Well, soon after Roland and I met we were offered teaching positions in the Bergamo Conservatoire. It was an opportunity to settle down. Though we already taught in State Music Schools, we decided that teaching could become part of our lives. I realized that I was able to communicate my knowledge and training to children in the same way it had been passed on to me. I found it fascinating to describe things to children in their own language. Rendering the technicalities of music making transparent to young children is an invaluable skill. Svieta : Roland, do you accept every child as a student ? Do you audition first ? Roland : I only audition older students, but in all cases I give everybody a chance. With young beginners, I think it is important to give them every opportunity possible. In other words, I do not pass hasty judgment, saying there's "no hope" or "I really don't think...." : Rather, we all have a very thorough go at the violin, and if things are still not working out after a couple of terms, then one really must find other activities and hobbies a child can do. This is to ensure that a child grows up feeling "good" and successful at whatever they do. It really doesn't matter what the subject is, as long as everyone discovers what he or she feels good doing. Also, I believe that if you like doing something, you're probably very good at it. In conclusion, I would say that the violin may not be for everybody - and one mustn't plod on term after term for too long - but if you can play it you're lucky ! Make every effort to go as far as you can ! Svieta : Simonetta, how much practise should a child do ? Simonetta : I used to play for hours and hours as a child. I simply loved playing my pieces, and hearing them ! I had to play them to hear them ! Later I realized I was not "practising" so much as "playing". But practicing properly is very difficult. I have met parents who ask me how much their little child should practise after their first lesson and my answer shocked them : " Please don't practise ! Do not touch the instrument ! " . So much damage is done, often. Children risk being self taught, and come to their next lesson with out of tune notes in their ears that take ages to "retune". Our site has midi accompaniments that young children can play along with....this should encourage "playing through" pieces at home. As for "true" practice, where a child must self criticize and work methodically and intelligently through passages...well.... this takes years. The amount of practice one does at home is something to be agreed, something that fits into a family routine. It can vary from 20 minutes to an hour a day. However if the teacher believes a pupil is not ready for this then one must follow the teacher's instructions. Some children give up because of practice expectations from parents. Some parents complain to the teacher "....he didn't do any practice" or the child might say " I had too much homework to practice"... in short every excuse is taken out of the bag, and the blame put on everyone except the pupil or parent ! Parents must organize practice at home. The teacher cannot organize this for every student, nor do it for him / her. I would advise readers to look up the articles on practice on the site ; it can be a very "touchy" subject for some.
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Roland : When I was 8 I entered a very good
Preparatory School, where 80% of the children played a musical instrument. It
was a boarding school, and our musical life was run on a very precise schedule.
Every day we were assigned a specific practice room, for 30 / 40 minutes. At
first I was a little mischievous, and would use my bow to have sword fights with
my friends, instead. However, on a Tuesday evening, my assigned room happened to
be adjacent to the extra Mathematics class run by the Headmaster. I knew there
was no hope of fooling around or sneaking out and chatting to my friends. In
fact I knew that the acoustics traveled only far too well, and that there would
be trouble if I was not heard playing solidly for those 40 minutes. Consequently
I always played as well as I could. Not before long the headmaster was asking
who the violinist next door was and quite regularly, every Wednesday, he would
compliment my playing the previous evening.
Roland : I had several teachers : David Stone,
Manoug Parikian ( An Aremnian Violinist who lived near Oxford ) , Paolo Borciani
( leader of the Quartetto Italiano ) and Alexei Mikhlin ( Winner of the Queen
Elizabeth competition ). However, my main teacher was Stoian Kaltchev, who
studied with Michail Vainman in St. Petersburg. Though I spent some time there
myself, I was fortunate enough to be able to continue my lessons in Milan, (
where my teacher settled, after he had been offered leadership of a Symphony
Orchestra ). I would have 2 six hour lessons a week, committing countless
studies by Rode, Gavinées and Dont to heart. My 4 years with this teacher were
the most profitable and precious years of my whole training.
Roland : I remember I wasn't allowed to see
"Star Trek" unless I had done my 45 minutes on the violin. This worked
for me. I know other families have thought of rewards and prizes ( such as
choosing a book to buy at the end of the month ) if a good practice routine has
been maintained. I believe making it a routine is the key. We never complain
about brushing our teeth every day, do we ? Also, we can't just sit down and
expect our children to practice automatically. I mean if we didn't see to it
that they went to school, we'd find them in front of the TV all day. Given the
option, they would choose TV over school. Given the option of TV / computer
games / practice....... we can't expect children to practice. In this day and
age of instant entertainment and gratification, we are all getting lazier and
lazier. So many things are done for us. I recently saw a violin with a button on
it that plays itself. Art is becoming harder and harder, as we are becoming more
and more spoilt. Luckily, I have also seen families without TV sets and families
which do not allow computer games during the week. Despite all the modern
distractions and entertainment, parents must give a sense of proportion and set
an example of self discipline to their children. Nobody will appreciate and
enjoy life unless they have to participate actively and earn their achievements
for themselves. I remember one of my teachers, Mikhlin telling the class about
the usual excuses about laziness : "Oh I'll do it tomorrow...... No, no, no
!.... That won't do....Do it now !". I would like to add he wasn't referring
to me !