Stephen Brivati on Violinist.com

The importance of being bowing.

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:40:58 GMT

& nbsp;

Greetings,

A great teacher once said to me that the science of violin playing is in the left hand and the art I the right. & nbsp; & nbsp; Not sure I am completely convinced by this dichotomy but it does serve to remind us that left and right hand deserve at a bare minimum fifty percent of our attention each. & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp;This will then vary in proportion on a case by case basis.

This being the case I wonder how many of us actually neglect the right hand(arm, & nbsp;whatever) to a considerable extent during our technique building practice? & nbsp; & nbsp;I suppose & nbsp;it & rsquo;s the nature of the beast, & nbsp;intonation being such a bugbear, & nbsp; & nbsp; that we should focus on the left hand. & nbsp;Plus there is something, & nbsp;somehow & nbsp;more immediately gratifying in play a scale of some sort than an open string, & nbsp;or maybe not & hellip;.

The result of this imbalance of attention does in some cases lead to a practice routine in which one does scales to begin with, & nbsp;probably dutifully beginning with a slow easy one and building up to fiendish double stops without really paying more than cursory attention to the bowing. & nbsp;Of course this problem is alleviated to some extent if one follows the principles laid out by & nbsp;Flesch (and later Galamian) & nbsp;of combining bowing and left hand. & nbsp;But, & nbsp; & nbsp; somehow I think bowing still gets short shrift. & nbsp;It may be helpful to address this issue directly for a month or so by beginning every days practice with pure bowing exercises. & nbsp; & nbsp;

A useful resource is Drew Lecher`s book but one might set up a very good routing using exercises from Basics or (gasp) a combination of the two. & nbsp;Something like the following.

1) & nbsp;Spider on a stick (recommended for pros as much as beginners & hellip;.)

2) & nbsp;Up and down finger action from Basics.

3) & nbsp; & nbsp; Short notes in lower half using only fingers.

4) & nbsp;Colle in all parts of bow.

5) & nbsp;Thibaud exercise. (Down at point, & nbsp;up at heel using colle)

6) & nbsp;Pulsing exercises on one string.

7) Exercise in planes (Drew or Basics)

8) & nbsp;String crossing exercises- & nbsp;both detache in all parts of bow and long slurs.

9) & nbsp;WB martele.

10) Speed and sp exercises from Basics.

& nbsp;

Alternatively one might use soemthing like Casorti. These are just a few possibilities. & nbsp;No need to take more than 20 minutes or do any to excess. & nbsp; & nbsp; But if one gets the bow arm into a grove it may that the scales that follow (in itself something of an ambitious jump) & nbsp;may be much more beautiful and much more inspiring a as result.

Bowing is common in Japan,

Cheers,

Buri

Scales without prunes

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:25:53 GMT

Greetings,

been doing a lot of work on scales recently.�� One thing I have noticed which interests me is that even on simple one octave scale and arpeggios with no position change there is no faster way to warm up my hands. ��I can play things like the accelartion scale exercises up to extreme tempos and my fingers actually remain cold for some reason. ��The key factor here is in the degree of mental involvement. �I practice the very simple scales in order to have absolutely perfect action in the fingers without any tension. ��Then I am really focused on keeping all possible fingers down for as long as possible and the final factor is preparation of the fingers on an adjacent string ascending and below the current finger descending. �If I am paying 100% attention to these things then the amount of energy focused on the hands makes them extremely hot within a very short space of time.

�

One of the biggest flaws or difficulties with scales for many people is preparation of the first finger when ascending so it is useful to practice this daily.�� At the same time,�the note preceding the new note must be kept down until after the new note has sounded. �Auer stated that this was the secret of legato in violin playing. ��In descending scales although it is pretty much the same thing I think the significance of finger preparation is a little different. It is here that it is vital to have a mental conception of the whole pattern of the fingers. �One cannot place a lower r finger silently and then when it is its turn to sound �slide- it into where it should actually be. �That is the basis of an extremely faulty technique and actually quite common.

�

All this work on left hand unfortunately may lead to another problem.�The secret,�in my opinion,�of a good tone is the ability to draw he bow through the air without dipping it in either direction up or down. ��It is amazing how common this is even to a small degree. ��I suspect what tends to happen when one begins to focus on the left hand aspect of scales mentioned above�the bow arm automatically drops,�or the bow dips in accord �with the finger preparation-. �If this is a habit then the mental energy required to correct this may be considerable in the initial stages. One of the best exercises for the problem and playing in general is the independence of bow arm exercise advocated by Simon Fischer in Basics. �One plays long tones on the g string and plays the left hand as written while sustaining the g string bow stroke. ��The technique should be applied to all etudes and piece son a daily basis. ��Even doing this once on a three octave scale (the lower notes will sound of course) will markedly improve the delivery. One can of course bow any string one likes and do the fingering. ��This is advisable.

�

Quote for Yixi et al:

The basics are only a guiding principle,

Your strongest posture is the one that fits your constitution.

That cannot be taught to you,

You have to find it for yourself.

It is not a question of widening your stance or narrowing it,

If the truth be told.

But,�people will do what is comfortable for them,

So,�If you allow them to,�they will just make it up for themselves.

That is why,�you must always return to the `Basics.`�� (Small Fischer joke....)

This is what is important.

(Shioda Gozo- Yoshinkan Aikido)

�

Cheers,

Buri

6th dan puddy cat.

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:15:11 GMT

Greetings,

as I have noted before,� my cat hates the sound of the violin to the point of pathology.�� Indeed,� I only have to unzip one side of the case and his head shoots up,� his body goes rigid and glares at me with a depth of hatred I have never seen bettered on a human being.� Then he runs screaming and howling out of the room.

Anthropomorhism aside,� he has clearly been studying my Aikido texts while I am out and he recently defeated me at a level only a sixth dan would understand and be able to control.�� As I tuned the violin he looked at me impassively in a curious state of no mind.�� There was no energy to feel. As I begin to play he turned sideways in a seated position (Tenkan- the essenc eof Aikido) and did a breakfall onto my feet so he was lying on top of them,� back to the ground legs fully extended and pretending to be alseep.�� I played a few more notes, but what could I do?� �I put the violin in the case and scratched his tummy as he carried on gently snoozing.

The little swine has become a master!

In the meantime here is a perfect description of how to become a good violinist from a martial arts writer:

http://aikidoforbeginners.blogspot.com/2009/10/very-useful-little-article-i-came.html

Cheers,

Buri

Paganini with prunes

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 03:42:33 GMT

& nbsp;

Greetings,

I didn & rsquo;t respond to it at the time but I remember being somewhat startled by a comment on this site about Paganini being a second rate (?) composer/orchestrator, & nbsp;his name being coupled with Chopin in this regard. & nbsp;The work of the latter cited was the f# minor piano concerto. & nbsp;Actually I was playing that work in orchestra at the time and thought that in spite of the criticism of banality it actually had quite a few creative and interesting aspects and was thrilling to play.

Alas, & nbsp;I cannot offer the slightest sensible analysis of Chopin or even Paganini for that matter, & nbsp;but I have been pondering this question a bit recently. & nbsp;Since my in depth musical knowledge is profoundly limited I tend to see the following three criteria as equaling a `good` composer/orchestrator: & nbsp; & nbsp; 1) & nbsp;good tunes 2) interesting combinations of orchestral instruments and 3) knowing when to stop (as opposed to Schubert & hellip;)

I adopt these rather ad hoc criteria because in the above thread I cite, Paganini was defended quite admirably but in what seemed to me a slightly patronizing way, & nbsp;`we have to remember he was an operatic composer writing in the Rossini type genre for a certain public etc etc.` & nbsp; & nbsp; For myself this doesn & rsquo;t interest me so much. & nbsp;Recently I have been listening to Paganini four. & nbsp;It seems to me that it meets all my criteria to be truly great music perfectly well. & nbsp;It has beautiful singing melodies, & nbsp;interesting orchestration (note that Paganini was very creative in who accompanies what with bassoons underlying violin tunes and so forth. & nbsp;Made me think Pag was a tad influenced by Beethoven at times.) and no overkill. Enough said on why I like this great music;)

As for performer, & nbsp;I suspect quite a few people on this board may not have heard Ferraresi. & nbsp;I was lucky enough to have the complete recordings presented to me by a good friend. This Italian player is simply extraordinary. & nbsp;To give you an idea of his stature, & nbsp; he was invited to follow Zimbalist as director of the Cleveland Institute. & nbsp; He turned the job down because he wanted to stay in Italy. & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; A pupil of Ysaye (purportedly his favorite) he has the most astonishing fast twitch violin chops I am aware of. & nbsp;He can do what one might call virtuoso stuff with considerably more speed and precision than many of the greats (at times....). & nbsp;At his best he is way ahead of the monster pack. & nbsp;In some ways he is like Prihoda on speed, & nbsp;but good heavens he has a sound. To go with it. It all sings. & nbsp;At his best there is & ndash;no-one- better and I include Kogan, & nbsp;Heifetz et al in that statement. & nbsp;The problem is that he is not always at his best;) Not only are all his recordings either live or one & nbsp;shots, & nbsp;but he is wildly inconsistent so he can sound truly horrible at times & hellip;. & nbsp;However, & nbsp;his Paganini 4 is so death defying I rate it above any other recording of this work. & nbsp;The cadenza is also one of the spookiest demos of violin technique I have ever heard, even after Vengerov, & nbsp; Kogan and Fodor. & nbsp;As a demonstration of his inconsistency the recording is followed by a rendering of Bazzini`s violin concerto no. 4 that is truly crude and dull. Speaking of the relative value of virtuoso works, & nbsp;that goes for the composition too! Maybe there is a connection & hellip;..

Cheers,

Buri

Mining for prunes

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:38:56 GMT

Greetings,

Aside from prunes does anyone have a secret addiction?

I have to confess I really love DeBeriot`s music. & nbsp; & nbsp;It all started a few years back when I recall reading that a noted teacher used DeBeriot`s method books as his main study material. & nbsp;I thought that was a lilt odd at the time given that although 9 is purportedly a rite of passage to bigger works IE love it and drop it, & nbsp; & nbsp; the rest of the material is rarely mentioned in the same breath as Kreutzer, & nbsp;Rode and Don & rsquo;t. & nbsp;Over the years I have been exploring his material and have been very satisfied with the results. & nbsp;And for people who want a small break from the old faves it is a route well worth taking.

As an aside I would mention that the uncritical use of etudes because they are famous or in a particular sequence (next one please) is a no no as far as I am concerned. & nbsp;One has to approach each new work thoughtfully and decide how it will affect the whole plan you have for the student in question. & nbsp;This caveat aside let us suppose you decided to do Caprice no 3 from his book of six Caprices (you can download free from IMSLP) it might serve as an alternative or preview to the similar Kreutzer etude in which a large number of 16^th notes are slurred within a single bow stroke.

One would then have to make some decisions about how to mine this resource and in what order. & nbsp; & nbsp;What exactly do I mean by this?

Well, & nbsp;I believe that a good etude is a huge laboratory in which the student and teacher can explore together many different aspects of technique. & nbsp; & nbsp;Of course one has a basic objective in mind but by applying a whole range of possibilities the aim itself may well be achieved more quickly, & nbsp;with greater felicity or even in some cases actually changed as one realizes that an apparently simple work has actually got more subtle and important goals.

However, & nbsp;let us assume that in this case the objective is basically a fairly fast left hand with sustained legato bowing. & nbsp;A very laudable aim. & nbsp;(The same skill is required in for example the Wieniawski 2^nd concerto in the section using up bow staccatos: & nbsp;whole bars of 16^th notes are played in single bow strokes and so on.) & nbsp;In essence we are talking about independence of the left and right hand which will develop all aspects of the player as a bonus.

Having talked this over with the student one might begin by setting some realistic goals for the first week of practice. & nbsp;It seems to me that one needs to consider three categories: & nbsp;left hand, & nbsp;right hand, & nbsp;and combined. & nbsp;So the integrated goal is :

`perform at a moderate tempo , & nbsp;in tune, with good bow distribution.`

One could then discuss with the student how to achieve these goals.

Example for left hand:

Repetition hits; & nbsp;keeping fingers down; preparing fingers for string crossing; & nbsp;a few rhythms; & nbsp;fast fingers/slow tempo; & nbsp;trill the shifts.

Example for right hand:

Establish bow speed on single open string before beginning etude; & nbsp;practice with no left hand; & nbsp;practice with no left hand stopping the string crossings; & nbsp;practice working through to the other end of the bow in bars where there are only four notes in a bow stroke; & nbsp; & nbsp; start up bow/start down bow; & nbsp;practice I separate bows; use different bowing combinations and play in various parts of the bow; play with various accents within a long bow stroke.

Combined:

Obviously a lot of the previous work involves combining but one might perhaps put in this slightly fuzzy category: independence work (sustained long tone on g string and finger left hand for entire etude); & nbsp; & nbsp; play with a whole variety of dynamics within one bow stroke; & nbsp; & nbsp; practice with no left hand weight at finger tip, & nbsp;then 25% , & nbsp;then 50%, & nbsp;then required amount; & nbsp;turn it into a study for left and right hand pizzicato. & nbsp;Practice sautille, & nbsp;various types of spiccato and flying staccato etc. & nbsp;Play it as slowly as possible with no vibrato.

& nbsp;

Obviously the teacher has to use & nbsp;judgment in helping the student experiment with how they practice and when to stop! & nbsp; & nbsp;But I think it is worth encouraging this kind of technical exploration of material from an early age so that the student is always able to keep in active mind in private practice.

Cheers,

Buri

Have more faith in prunes....

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:40:26 GMT

�

Greetings,

the older I get the more dumb things I do it seems.�Got a phone call last week from a family living

something like two hours drive from me who want their daughter (s) to take lessons with me.�I was so awed by the thought of anyone driving that far to see me that I forgot to ask a crucial question:�� `what pieces can the elder 9 year old play?`�No problem I thought. Experience tends to suggest that �nine (and seven)�probably means a quick go at the Reiding concerto (which I actually like a lot) kind of level. Hah!

�Anyway they turned up none the worse for the drive seeming awfully cheerful. `Who are her most recent teachers?`�� Get the name of very famous Japanese pedagogue. Uh ohhhhh.

�`ER. What concertos has she played?`�Mozart 3,�5,�Bruch, Lalo etc.�� Waves of self doubt roll over me.�These poor people travel all this way and I probably have very little to offer except a cup of tea.

Lesson begins.�First movement of Haydn c major concerto.�Cool. At least I can demonstrate this one from memory. I take a peek at her copy.�Have never seen so many annotations and sentences in Japanese. Heart and confidence sink even lower.��Do I really have anything to tell this young lady?�Playing begins.�In tune, rhythmical, somewhat stylish,�all ff.�Really rather enjoyable.

�

Knees locked back tight against the joint;�right hand thumb bent the wrong way;�right hand finger immobile;�arm vibrato and only one speed;�� very little use of sound points and bow speeds to create colors.

�

`Okay.�Let�s take a look at the thumb. This is called finger staccato.....`

�

Basics are still out of fashion.�I still have a job.

Cheers,

Buri

Polish the mirror and grind the prune.

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 05:35:59 GMT

�

Greetings,

one of the reasons I respect adult beginners so much is that they are conforming to a philosophy of life that I hold to be fundamental:�if you don�t strive continuously to learn new things then life is not much different from death. �

This seems straightforward enough but it has a number of dimensions �which,�in my opinion one needs to constantly reflect upon.�Suppose one starts out with a decision to learn something new that challenges you to get out of the rut. �The first thing one often finds is that even the first initial stage of acting upon that decision is hard enough given our propensity for staying all our lives in our current comfort zone. �Other people�s skepticism or hilarity is often a factor here, too. ��Having surmounted this, one may then find there is the problem of sustaining our involvement given the sacrifices it may entail which can be as serious as losing touch with or moving away from many of our current circle of associates and friends. �Indeed,�� when we make a choice to grow rather than stagnate and when someone close does not wish to follow in some sense then the end result can be the destruction of apparently solid relationships,�marriages or what have you. ��

After all this we may still need to face the more long term �final question which is as scary as it is subtle: does staying with this new venture and exploring it in ever greater depths �constitute `a new and adequate challenge?`�� Or is it as deceptive a rut in the long term as if one had done nothing at all? ��It�s a question only the individual concerned can answer and it�s not always easy to be honest about it. �Facing hard truth`s about ourself is never easy or fun.

Cheers,

Buri

�

Improve a fool with a tool.

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 11:41:01 GMT

�Greetings,

weird kind of day. �Leave the house at six to race to first school sports day. �Put up marquees, �do warm up stretching in front of 1000 kids in opening ceremony, �pretend to look busy and then cheer kids for two hours. Get on bike and repeat procedure at next school minus the ceremony. �Get on bike and race to third school. Repeat procedure. �As I watched one forty meter dash of four seven year olds I suddenly realized I was watching a very important lesson unfolding before my eyes. �The fastest, �strongest runner of the group was out in front by a meter or so and for the duration he kept twisting his head from side to side to check if anyone was catching him. � He won by about ten cms. �I knew he could have run much faster but he didn`t. � � Keep turning your head from side to side to see how you compare with everyone else and only a small fraction of your potential will ever be realized.

Now how about this for a tool:

`...a pocket knife that had a blade to take care of nearly all physical situations in the world, �and some spiritual ones. �It was equipped with blades that were scissors, �with blades that were files, �awls, �saws, �can-openers, �beer openers, �corkscrews, �tools for removing stones from a horses foot, �a blade for eating and a blade for murder, �a screwdriver and a chisel. �You could mend a watch with it or repair the Panama canal. �It was the most wonderful pocketknife anyone has ever seen, �and we had it nearly two months , �and the only thing we ever did with it was to cut sausage. � BUt it must be admitted that the knife cut sausages very well.`

That of course comes from Steinbeck`s `A Russian Journal.` � I was mentally comparing that tool with one being advertized on a twenty meter neon billboard outside my local station. �Today`s billboards are not static of course.The image changes and there is sound IE even if you don`t have a TV you can no longer avoid seeing the same TV commercial everyday. �The tool in question was a combination cellular phone and hair styler/curler or whatever women call those things. You`ve guessed it- �one end was a phone and the other the two heated prongs that open and close to leave Japanese women`s hair exactly as straight as it was before it was curled. �Aside form being profoundly inelegant at double the length of a regular phone and also a lurid pink it seemed to me to be egregiously dangerous. �What happens when you answer the phone and put the wrong end round your ear?

There are good tools and better ones. �I is up to the violin teacher to have a whole chest of them to apply to any given situation. �This is not to deny information to students if you consider the point that the student is also the teacher with responsibility for changing and developing themselves.

I was idly speculating on what kind of programs and demands I would create if I had a free rein to shape a music institute. � One rule i think I would introduce is to upgrade the usual rather farcical teaching diplomas handed out. �In order to graduate the student would have a written exam posing a rather simple question that correlates with any section of Basics. �Something like `A student needs to improve their independence of left and right hand. �Describe an exercise and give a variation on it.` �or `A student changes string with very abrupt and violent bow movements?` �Say how you would explain the problem to a student and then what exercises you would prescribe.` � In order to pass this exam one would be required at the end of four years to have read and reread Basics and experimented with the content. � It wouldn`t automatically create a great teacher but it would mean that people had an adequate supply of tools to begin the job.

Cheers,

Buri

Thumbs up for prunes...

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 03:08:14 GMT

�

Greetings,

sometimes it seems there is nothing violin players and teacher�s appear to like discussing more than `the bow hold.`�However,�perhaps due to its hiding place under the ubiquitous `hold,`�the thumb itself is in my opinion,�disproportionately ignored.

This is a real tragedy and can be the source of constant problems and frustration up until quite high levels. �I recall reading a teacher in the US talking about how Menuhin visited her school and listened t a slew of her students play,�presumably rather advanced students. �She seemed surprised (not to mention delighted) that Menuhin talked about the thumb and how it `needed to be relaxed and bent etc.`�But I was puzzled as to why this should be a source of interest or even pleasure. �Surely something as basic as this should have been established from the word go and if the likes o Lord Menuhin were offering words of wisdom�would want something with a little more meat.

The position of the thumb,�it�s degree of relaxation,�role and movement should be taught and reinforced over and over again with a beginner. �I am often amazed at how students who have been playing at a very low level for two,�three or four years with a thumb collapsed inward and poking through the bow and hair,�are extremely resistant to the idea of discussing and working on this issue. ��Sometimes when I suggest a simple exercise such as hold the stick in front of you with left hand and simply practice placing the bent thumb on the stick over and over I am looked at like I am a Martian.

What then are some of the basic points?

First , the part of the thumb which touches �the bow should be explained. It is not the whole of the tip. Basically it is the top right hand corner. Easy enough to illustrate- just place your thumb against the middle joint of the middle finger.��Second,�as suggested above, in the initial training the placing of the thumb and fingers can be practiced over and over as a drill. �It doesn�t take long enough to get boring bit it is essential.�Third,�be clear about where this part of the thumb is going to go. �Some teachers advocate between the leather and the frog.�I used to but now prefer on the leather itself�� Just a personal preference. ��Fourth, make sure the students understand that the shape of the thumb changes as the bow travels form heel to point. �Fifth, explain the purpose of the thumb is to provide counter pressure to the fingers and show how this is basically zero at the heel by removing the thumb and leaving the fingers on. Compare this with other parts of the bow.�Read up on Basics regarding this topic.

Finally, make sure the bow is set up properly with a decent thumb leather. One of the man cause of the thumb slipping through is lack of care on the part of the teacher about the condition of the bow.��Students don�t know any better.�At the end of the day, there is no point in giving all the good advice about the use of arm,�wrist,�levels,�soundpoints and what not if this most elementary point continues to be ignored�perhaps even in the vague hope that it will somehow cure itself.

Cheers,

Buri

�

A walk down memory lane?

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 01:08:34 GMT

& nbsp;

Greetings,

many years ago I used to attend a & nbsp;dojo & nbsp;in London that included the study of judo. & nbsp;I never partook of that particular art but I did know a guy there who was thought to be slightly peculiar. & nbsp;As a beginner in judo he was only ever & nbsp;interested in one technique: & nbsp; a relatively simple but highly impressive throw & nbsp;called & nbsp;tai & nbsp;o & nbsp;toshi. & nbsp;I don`t know what his motivation & nbsp;was & nbsp;but & nbsp;he obsessed about this throw and it was all he ever practiced & nbsp;day and night. & nbsp;He was soon left behind as a beginner in the belt rankings until one day there was an open competition with some Japanese judges. & nbsp;This `beginner` turned up and plowed through a swathe of & nbsp;blackbelts & nbsp;on the basis of that one technique which was seemed & nbsp;to & nbsp;have taken over his life. & nbsp;Afterwards he & nbsp;was & nbsp;presented with a black belt by a Japanese judge who said that he had demonstrated his understanding of the spirit of judo by his willingness to & nbsp; & nbsp;explore in depth, & nbsp;practice hard and remain humble.

Now, & nbsp;I have achieved yet another first. I am the first person to be bounced off the tips board by popular negative demand! & nbsp;Looking back it & nbsp;doesn`t surprise me. & nbsp;The tip & nbsp;itself & nbsp;was actually , & nbsp;in my opinion, & nbsp;one of the most important disciplines a teacher should impose on the & nbsp;student & nbsp;and constantly check. & nbsp; & nbsp;That is & nbsp; & nbsp;if a student as learnt a piece of music it is repertoire and needs to be maintained so it can be & nbsp;performed & nbsp;at a couple of days notice. & nbsp;What I ask incredulously, & nbsp;is the point of learning a piece and then not using it anymore?Is that all we are doing? & nbsp;A Handel sonata is & nbsp;something & nbsp;to be learnt and forgotten because we want to play the Mendelssohn?

If it is real music that both student and teacher have invested a great deal of & nbsp;soul & nbsp;searching in then the student has a responsibility to reserve this knowledge and build on it as a result of studying the Mendelssohn or whatever. Artistic growth should be reflected in all the works in ones repertoire. & nbsp; So assuming one has acquired a certain proficiency and presumably performed a umber of works a certain amount of time (perhaps only half an hour)should be set aside each week and a work or two should be performed with just a few passages being & nbsp;repolished & nbsp;and perhaps recognition that an area of technique & nbsp;is faulty and needs work on during & nbsp;regular practice. Of course one cannot play through 3 concertos two sonatas and whatever in half an hour so & nbsp;somesystenatic & nbsp;record keeping and rotation is essential. & nbsp;All part of & nbsp;te & nbsp;self discipline of being an effective self instructor.

I explain this point over and over to my & nbsp;students & nbsp;and I am still amazed when I ask for a piece that & nbsp;was played last year that I am stared at as though I & nbsp;was asking & nbsp;for an archaeological dig into the mists of time. & nbsp;Obviously, & nbsp;like the tips & nbsp;board, I am not communicating well enough;)

The connection with the opening anecdote is perhaps self explanatory, & nbsp;or perhaps not....

Cheers,

Buri

Yellow spots are cool!

& nbsp;