Bonus 1
Bow Gestures for Collaborative Performance
Have your ever wondered how to use your bow to communicate artistic expression to your pianist, begin/end a piece of music or to indicate tempo?
With effective bow gestures you can convey deeper musicianship, beautiful phrasing and communicate emotions that can’t be notated by music on a page.
In conversation with our guest international guest pianist Louisa Lam you’ll discover expert ways to provide impactful gestures to your fellow collaborators. You’ll see examples from her live performances with professional cellists and learn communication on another level.
Strategies
Blending your bow to match the sound your fellow musicians takes mastery and a lot of practice. Practicing fundamental bow articulations and gestures is a step closer to communicating a shared character and expression and create an impactful performance.
When giving an opening gesture to a pianist or collaborator, give a breath in the tempo of your piece – a sharp sniff for a fast start and a slow wholesome, longer breath for a slow tempo.
At the end of your performance give time for the music to fade and slowly show your pianist with your bow that you’ve finished.
At the end of your performance, always acknowledge your pianist or other collaborators with an open palm gesture to show your public thanks for their valuable collaborations. You’ll give the audience an opportunity to acknowledge their work as well.
Pianists have a crucial job. They provide depth of artistry to your playing, can cover our errors and make our ensemble sound great. Always refer to pianists as collaborators and not as accompanists. We work together as a team for a higher musical purpose.
Reflection: The Ultimate Bowing Performance
Step 1: Imagine what it would be like to walk onto the stage of a live performance knowing that you have full command of your bow that you have confidence that you can communicate musicianship and artistry with the audience. What does that feel like?
Step 2: Think about a time when you had an ideal performance or when you were deep in the flow of your playing. Were you thinking about technique or were you trusting it will be there when you need it. Going forward what is the ideal state of mind to perform at your best? Should you think about the notes on the page or have you practiced enough so that you can trust that the music will flow?
Step 3: Identify a piece that you have performed in the past or a section of a piece that you are working on now and that you know very well. Think about your starting gesture. This is the moment before you begin to play a note. How will you communicate the character and mood of the opening tempo to your pianist? What else should your gesture tell your fellow musician?
Step 4: Take your cello and practice the opening gesture with your bow. First, focus on communicating the expression of the piece and tempo. Next, practice indicating dynamics. What kind of forte, for example, are you conveying? Triumphant, harsh, joy, zeal, anger, achievement?
Step 5: Have fun with practicing your gestures. Find all of the moments in your piece where it would be appropriate and helpful to prepare a gesture. Consider the ending of your piece, a change of tempo or after a fermata. When preparing for a recital you should practice your gestures (everything not on the page) with the same intensity as everything on the page. Set aside time in the rehearsals to practice creating your ideal performative expression with your collaborator.