Alice laughed: "There's no use trying," she said; "one can't believe impossible things." "I daresay you haven't had much practice," said the Queen. "When I was younger, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast." ~Alice in Wonderland~ You might be surprised to hear this 11-year-old violinist perform. Impossible you may say. Yes, she is unbelievably talented. But she could never achieve this level of virtuosity without practice. So students, keep practicing. Practice every day. And while you're at it--practice dreaming the impossible. "11 year old Korean violinist Soo-Been Lee performing Wieniawski's Variations on an Original Theme in A major in the final of the Junior Division on the 2012 Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition | Soo-Been was awarded 2nd prize"
Last week was a double loss--Colorado lost a native son and the classical music world lost a history maker. The great violinist, Eugene Fodor passed away on February 26 at age 60. This artist made his impact on the classical music world by becoming the first American to achieve the top prize in the International Tchaikovsky Competition. The year was 1974 during the height of the Cold War. Being an impressionable young musician I remember the excitement. He was a hero of the classical music world. And a hero of mine. I was lucky enough to hear him play live at the Saratoga festival in the late 70's. Eugene was a charming ambassador for classical music able to bridge the gap between the concert hall and popular culture. But with fame also came infamy. An arrest for drug possession in 1989 stalled his promising career. He continued to record and perform but it was never the same. Investigate his videos on You Tube to hear more from this talented violinist. Rest in peace, Eugene Fodor. May the memory of your artistry live on. |
Beyond Classical
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