Strings
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Eugene Friesen, Professor
DEPARTMENT : String Department"String players have a reputation for having a lousy sense of rhythm. But the players I have met at Berklee are different because they love rhythm and are looking for a way to express that. They come here because they love playing rock, jazz, or Celtic music. The orchestra expands their rhythmic palette by exposing them to odd meters and the discipline for playing in a large ensemble."
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Melissa Howe, Chair
DEPARTMENT : String Department"It's a huge challenge—a lifelong challenge—for a student to figure out which suggestions work and which ones don't. And because these things aren't instant, they have to take a leap of faith. So as a teacher you really have to feel authentic about what you're teaching. I do lean pretty hard on students to give something a try for a reasonable period of time, but then they have to make the decision for themselves whether or not it's working for them."
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Sandra Kott, Assistant Professor
DEPARTMENT : String Department"I teach private violin lessons and a performance lab, which is run like a master class. Berklee students don't often have to stand and deliver solo violin music for one another. So in this lab, about every other week, each student is required to perform a solo piece in front of the class, be it a concerto movement, a Bach unaccompanied movement, or an étude. We do a general critique, and I work with the student."
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Felice Pomeranz, Professor
DEPARTMENT : String Department"Harp students at Berklee receive traditional training in classical repertoire, études, and exercises. But they also get experience in jazz ensembles, both small and large. They learn how to improvise and make arrangements for the harp. They also learn freelance skills that they can immediately take into the world."
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Mimi Rabson, Associate Professor
DEPARTMENT : String Department"Many string players come to Berklee with a strong background in classical music, but few improvisational skills. They read pretty well but interpret everything through a classical music lens. I help them work on the new skills they need to become strong improvisers and to develop a unique musical voice. Playing over changes, as well as hearing and expressing the subtleties that make one genre different from another, are core issues for me."
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