Schedule of Events

11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.—Registration

1:00 p.m.—Stijn Kuppens. Meet Belgian cellist Kuppens and learn how to play his piece “Tocai,” a multilayered cello orchestra piece with a Latin feel and room for improvisation. All levels are welcome.

1:00 p.m.—Rufus Cappadocia on Polyrhythms. Learn a polyrhythm based on the etude Cappadocia wrote for Berklee. He will share it ahead of time so participants can come to the workshop prepared to work on the sticking pattern. 

2:10 p.m.—Eric Wright on the Chop. Participants will work on chopping from every direction, starting from the beginning. Tone, groove, and simple patterns will get you headed down the road of percussive string playing. This is a beginning- to intermediate-level session.

2:10 p.m.—Rufus Cappadocia's Modal Music Workshop. Based on growing modes out of the pentatonic scale, Cappadocia touches on the lineage of the pentatonic scale and its microtonal alterations and blues as modal music distinct from jazz. 

3:20 p.m.—Stephen Katz's Flying Pizzicato Counterpoint. Build your own multivoice pizzicato grooves using the principles of Katz’s unique, highly rhythmic approach to strumming the cello. Participants will also incorporate left-hand pull-offs and hammer-ons to add detail and flourishes. This is an intermediate- to advanced-level session.

3:20 p.m.—Stijn Kuppens on Finding Your Inner Cello. Belgian cellist Kuppens shares his project, called Inner Cello, and gives you suggestions on how to connect with your inner cello. Discover some of his compositions, find out where he got his inspiration, try out some new cello techniques, and find your own motivation. This is an intermediate- to advanced-level session.

4:30 p.m.–6:00 p.m.—Cello Big Band Rehearsal 1. The Cello Big Band is a cello choir made up of anyone associated with the festival (participants, guest artists, staff) interested in reading and performing works for many cellos featuring contemporary arrangements and compositions, many of which have sections for improvisation. It will be a lot of fun. Please note that you should attend all three rehearsals.

6:15 p.m.–7:15 p.m.—Dinner

Click here for information on Friday night's concert.

9:00 a.m.—Gunther Tiedemann on the Groove Cello Connection. Participants will learn to play Tiedemann's composition “Ruching Blues,” which is four parts and contains a big band theme, a trombone-inspired counterpart, a walking bass, and a strumming part. If time allows, participants can take a blues solo to complete the final performance in the workshop. This is a beginner- to intermediate-level session.

9:00 a.m.—Trevor Exter's Club Cello Workshop. Lay down a groove. Amplify. Lead a band. Sing. Improvise in a diverse group. Blend, but without becoming a background player. Exter brings a technical clarity to these elusive pursuits, helping you find your authority on stage. ​This is an intermediate- to advanced-level session.

10:10 a.m.—Stephan Braun. This session will cover how to start arranging songs for one and more string player, including playing chords, bass, grooves, percussion, and chopping. All levels are welcome.

10:10 a.m.—Matthieu Saglio's the Cello with a Thousand Accents. Discover new technical resources for a free cello. There are so many possibilities for the right hand to work as a guitar or bass, with rhythm and groove. Participants will have a look at flamenco rhythms, quarter-tone, and phrases from Arabic music; and discover the loop-station and the use of sampling. Then they'll practice and improvise together. This is an intermediate- to advanced-level session.

11:20 a.m.—Corbin Keep's Out of the Loop: “Electronic” Effects on Acoustic Cello. Using extended techniques, participants will learn to emulate loopers and other effects, and in so doing, expand the concept of what a cello can do. 

11:20 a.m.—Mike Block's Contemporary Cello Etudes. This will be an exploration of this new book, with contributions by many favorite New Directions cellists. Participants will learn one of the singing-while-playing etudes during the workshop, and if you have one prepared to play, we can have a mini-master class, too.

12:20 p.m.–1:15 p.m.—Lunch

1:20 p.m.–2:05 p.m.—Click here for daytime concert information.

2:30 p.m.—Stephen Katz's Flying Pizzicato Basics. Transform your pizzicato skills with Katz’s unique, highly rhythmic approach to strumming the cello. Learn to apply basic flying pizzicato principles to almost any mid-tempo groove, including new ones we’ll compose together. All levels are welcome.

2:30 p.m.—Helen Gillet's Surrealist Archaeology of Cello Techniques Workshop 1. Uncover a surrealist archaeology of cello techniques through looping, deep listening, improvisation, and vocal accompaniment. Participants will explore, using technology as a seamless tool of expression, and Gillet will share her own synthesis of North Indian Hindustani music, funk, rock, avant-garde jazz, and French chansons. Participants will improvise using Sun Ra’s "Call for All Demons" (G minor).  

3:40 p.m.—Vincent Courtois's Chant Interior for the Inner Singer. Don't miss this experiential playing, drawing from your inner singer. All levels are welcome.

3:40 p.m.—Gunther Tiedemann on the Groove Cello Connection. Learn to play Tiedemann’s composition​ “Pluck Party,” which has three parts and features the pizzicato technique, hammer-on, and some percussion. It’s in a friendly Latin mood, and participants will ​do some solo improvisations, exploring the advantages of hammer-on and pull-off for faster pizzicato lines. This is an intermediate- to advanced-level session.    

4:50 p.m.–6:00 p.m.—Cello Big Band Rehearsal 2. (See the description on Friday.)

6:15 p.m.–7:15 p.m.—Dinner

Click here for information on Saturday night's concert.

9:00 a.m.—Matthieu Saglio's the Cello with a Thousand Accents, Part 2. Discover new technical resources for a free cello. There are so many possibilities for the right hand to work as a guitar or bass, with rhythm and groove. Participants will have a look at flamenco rhythms, quarter-tone, and phrases from Arabic music; and discover the loop-station and the use of sampling. We will practice and improvise together. This is an intermediate- to advanced-level session.

9:00 a.m.—Helen Gillet's Surrealist Archaeology of Cello Techniques Workshop 2. Uncover a surrealist archaeology of cello techniques through looping, deep listening, improvisation, and vocal accompaniment. Participants will explore using technology as a seamless tool of expression. Gillet will share her own synthesis of North Indian Hindustani music, funk, rock, avant-garde jazz, and French chansons. Participants will turn into a rock band and improvise, sing, and jam out on Velvet Underground’s "Ride into the Sun" (D major) and a polyrhythmic singing/looping/improvising original tune.

10:10 a.m.—Stephan Braun's Jam. Learn and play jazz standards like "Au Privave," "Recordame," and "Nothing Personal” for smaller groups. This is an advanced-level session.

10:10 a.m.—Eric Wright's Advanced Chopping. Participants will dive deeper into the chop, exploring interesting grooves, improvisation, fills, and variations to go along with their chopping foundations. You must have an intermediate to advanced knowledge of the chop, or be prepared to push yourself.

11:10 a.m.–12:25 p.m.—Cello Big Band Dress Rehearsal at the Boston Conservatory Theater

12:30 p.m.–1:15 p.m.—Lunch

Click here for information about the Farewell Concert.