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Do you want to become a PROFESSIONAL CELLIST?

cellist drawing

COME TO TILBURG TO STUDY AT THE FONTYS CONSERVATORY WITH

MONIQUE HEIDEMA

Concert Monique Heidema cellist

First of all the question: why should you choose for Fontys school of the arts in Tilburg?

Fontys Conservatory, in other words AMPA, is an unique conservatory in the Netherlands. This school stimulates you to find and choose your own musical life. In addition of getting good basic techniques you will be free to develop your own style. On the accommodation you will find many different disciplines of art. Can you even imagine you will have the freedom to work together with dancers, jazz musicians or people from the theater. Very important is also the chamber music! Beautiful opportunities for studying the common repertoire, the contemporary music, or a total free direction. 

AMPA Tilburg

In my way of teaching I want to try to discover what the personality of every student actually is. Every human being has his or her own character and his or hers own way of envolve. Every musician has a own way of expressing his own creative feelings. During this process I will adjust the repertoire to the situation. In addition, there is a structural guideline for obtaining a good, solid technical basis, which of course is necessary to be able to express yourself as well as possible as a cellist.

Once you have chosen to become an artist, a cellist, a musician, that is a courageous choice. I will help you develop that artist in you.

Important aspects that are required for this:

  •  A good technique:

Making music is a craft, just like goldsmiths or pottery. And you have to learn that craft. You shouldn't suffer from a lack of techniques. All channels must be open to be able to make music in complete freedom. You will therefore study many études and scales. These scales basically cover all the material for your future repertoire, such as the concerts of Elgar, Dvorak, Haydn, Shostakovich etc.

Etudes by Popper, Piatti, Dotzauer, Servais and so on will be treated and also tested.

For scales, triads, etc, I have developed an own system through which the range of possibilities on the instrument can be understood more quickly and technical difficulties can be overcome more quickly. All these technical skills have the ultimate goal of developing your own sound, something that can only contribute to the individuality and personal identity of the cellist. 

  • Studying repertoire

There is a choice of an enormous repertoire for cello (solo, with piano or with orchestra). I will always, together with you, take a good look at which piece is suitable for studying at a certain moment. In the process, I also teach you how to put together beautiful and interesting programs that are either effective or that are requested by concert organizations, or that are necessary in connection with. playing an audition.

It is of great importance to me that everyone has a good foundation of the standard cello repertoire. The more knowledge and skills, the better you can develop in any style.

The further you progress in this during your studies, the more you will develop your own taste. At the end of the process we will therefore not only have a technical basis for the rest of your career, but also an artistic one.

A thorough knowledge of all the repertoire that exists for cello is absolutely necessary to develop yourself into a musician with an individual personality. Already in the 16th century the first beginnings of music for cello came into existence, and a great deal is still written for our instrument.

  • Work independently: 

 One of the most important things I want to give you as your teacher is self-motivation and independence in general. I prepare you in that way that after your studies you can stand on your own feet and be strong enough to determine your own artistic and practical line. And that you prefer to be able to provide for your own necessities of life. This also starts immediately during your conservatory time. I am not a teacher who always comes with ready-made answers or tips. It can be very instructive to find your own answers. I am always there to assist you in this. You will become your own inspirator: The difference with the trajectory prior to this study is that the motivation must now come primarily from yourself. I'm your coach. I tell you what can be improved and what goes well and I keep trying to keep you on the right track. Music can always be better, and we will do our utmost to get the most out of it.    

  • Moments of Performing and group lessons: 

Every month we organize a performing moment for all strings. Here you can train yourself to play for others and you will listen to other students.

II also give a group lesson every week. A special technical phenomenon can be dealt with here. Here I also learn you to express you critically (but not negatively!) about what your fellow students have played.

You also have rehearsals with a co-repetitor. You make appointments with the pianist. The rehearsals with the co-repetitor are essential for the training. Here you become acquainted with the repertoire, the piano parts, and you learn to play together.    

  • A reflection every six months: 

With every exam in the bachelor, the student shows his progress through an exam. This is also the moment of reconsideration; your plans and / or ideas may have changed. After all, nothing is more changeable than an artist.  

  • Methodology 

A lot of cellists will have to deal with the teaching phenomenon. At first, that is probably not something you aspire to. After all, you have to learn a lot yourself and playing always seems to be the best. But often it turns out that this will change. Besides teaching someone, you also will learn a lot from learning techniques, solving problems and providing music. Because I teach to people with a rather different level, I will let you attend classes at music school students at a certain moment and teach you how to teach. This is a unique opportunity to follow a teaching practice so closely.

  • Choose more years of study: 

In most cases it is wise to choose to enter the prior education. Then you have an extra year. Even if you were ready for the first year. If this is difficult for financial reasons, for example, we could discuss a possible extra year at the end of your studies.    

  • Final exam: 

At the end of the study you will give a final concert. This is always an important and festive final presentation. You present in a concert what you have learned in the past years. It is important to present a good technique that is as problem-free as possible, but you also have to show what you will be doing artistically in the coming years, which repertoire you find worthwhile and which way you will go in general . And if things are going well, you might be able to study a master's degree. 

  • Knowledge of the repertoire:           
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