MARIA MELCHIORRE
Special to The Leader
Over the course of the past week, Sep. 30 – Oct. 3, Fredonia has been honored to host the world-renowned Shanghai Quartet for a series of lectures, master classes and a performance. Joining the quartet was music education expert Roberta Guaspari-Tzavaras. The residency was a great opportunity for Fredonia students to see and hear from individuals who have achieved great success in their field.
Roberta Guaspari-Tzavaras is best known for her work in the Harlem school district, fighting to provide music programs for underprivileged children.
An Oscar-nominated documentary, titled “Small Wonders,” was made to commemorate her work and success. She was later portrayed by Meryl Streep in the film “Music of the Heart,” which was inspired by the documentary.
During the lecture on Thursday evening, Oct 1, Guaspari-Tzavaras was asked to tell the story of the time Madonna was slated to play her in a film. Madonna came in disguise to beginner violin classes that were predominantly made up of first-graders. She would call herself Louise, and even went so far as to perform with all of the children in front of their parents.
The majority of the conversation with the quartet and Guaspari-Tzavaras was dedicated to discussing craft, as well as the differences between working in the music and education fields in China and in the United States.
Due to the one-child policy in China, there is much more emphasis and expectation placed on each child’s education than there is in the United States. Additionally, “the musical professions are much more highly valued in China than they are in the States” stated Nicholas Tzavaras, cellist for the quartet. “The U.S., contrarily, only sees the value in the dollar,” said Honggang Li, who plays the viola.
The quartet started the event by discussing its origin story. The four formed a quartet at the prestigious Shanghai conservatory in 1983. After winning a national competition in Beijing, they were sent to England for three weeks to play, a high honor as many of them had not previously even left the country.
The quartet fielded multiple questions, such as whether they prefer standing or sitting quartets, and which is more professional (the Shanghai quartet sits); what their practice schedule is like (five to seven hours every day); and the cultural differences faced with being a part of a quartet composed of three Chinese men and one American.
Guaspari-Tzavaras answered questions about her experience as a world renowned music educator.
“The children love working towards concerts,” she said of her violin program in Harlem. She emphasized the need for form and posture in young, beginning players, stating that, “if they look good, they’re going to sound good.”
Guaspari-Tzavaras was also asked about her time as an undergraduate student at Fredonia, of which she stated, “the teaching was always high quality; the teachers were always wonderfully enthusiastic. It made us all enjoy being musicians and their spirit is what made me want to be a teacher.”
The discussion in Rosch Recital Hall was followed by a violin master class taught by the quartet’s violinists, Weigang Li and Yi-Wen Jiang. When critiquing the students who auditioned to perform in the class, they made astute observations and comments.
“Your two hands are trying to destroy each other instead of help each other,” said Weigang Li of an example student’s grip on the bow and neck.
When critiquing another performance, he made the suggestion of playing from memory: “Always go back to the music. Pretend it is your first time seeing it.”
The Shanghai Quartet’s residency this past week was a great opportunity for both music and non-music majors to hear about the dedication, trials and successes involved in creative pursuits.