Note: This is to purchase access to a recording of the class held in April 2021.

Description

Bach suites are an essential part of the 21st century cellist repertoire. Most college auditions and professional auditions require Bach suite movements to be performed. Yet the demands of this repertoire can make it challenging for students to approach it. This session is intended for high school and college students, from complete Bach beginners to more advanced players, and hopes to provide simple tools to decipher their Bach suite movements. How do you first approach a Bach Suite if you’ve never played one? What is the role of a prelude? What are the characteristics of each dance? How can structure, harmony, cadences help in making interpretative choices? How does one choose their edition? How does one practice 3 or 4 string chords?

Valdine Ritchie Mishkin

Canadian Cellist Valdine Ritchie Mishkin performs with Third Angle New Music, FearNOMusic, March Modern, 45th Parallel, cross-over group Portland Cello Project, is half of Duo Apaixionado with Peruvian guitarist Alfredo Muro, and moonlights as an extra cellist with the Oregon Symphony.  A champion of contemporary music, she has premiered numerous works including composers John Luther Adams, Kenji Bunch, Nancy Ives, and Karim Al-Zand, can be heard on Third Angle Records and Albany Records, and is a frequent guest on All-Classical FM Portland.   Beginning studies at age 3 and making her solo debut at age 10 with the Winnipeg Symphony, she has since performed concerti with the Sunnyside Symphony, Chehalem Symphony, and the Mercury Ensemble.

On faculty at Willamette University and with a bustling private studio, her students are frequent finalists in local and national competitions and hold leadership positions in area youth orchestras.  She serves as an adjudicator, coach, clinician, conference presenter, author, and on the board of OR-ASTA.  She holds Doctoral and Master degrees from Rice University under Lynn Harrell and Norman Fischer, and a Bachelor degree from McGill University under Antonio Lysy.