For the player, relaxation in the body and mind is number one. For the listener, sound quality can make or break a performance. The musician’s goal is to satisfy both.
A Unique Perspective
Unlike most instrumentalists, An-Po's musical education developed under the influence of both violin and conducting traditions. Early studies with conductor Imant Airea cultivated an approach in which musical expression and technical development are inseparable. From the beginning, An-Po's understanding of musicality centered around two essential elements—phrasing and character—and technical limitations are never permitted to disturb the natural musical flow.
Influenced by the pedagogical legacy of Ilya Musin, An-Po approaches music with the analytical attention of a conductor, emphasizing clarity of intention, critical listening, and expressive freedom. His studies with violinist Mikhail Kopelman have further shaped his understanding of the limitless scope of musical expression, and his vibrato reflects the lyrically "singing" quality often associated with the Yankelevich school of violin playing.
Read about how An-Po’s musical lineage traces back to history’s most important teachers!
A Unique Method
An-Po’s approach to performance and teaching involves a deep understanding of physical relaxation and how the human brain forms connections between sounds/expression and tasks. Learning a musical discipline requires not only the right posture and movements but also the right thinking at all times. In other words, coordination of movements must be combined with the right kind of mindset and awareness.
Read more about An-Po’s Three Levels of Relaxation and other thoughts on music and pedagogy.
