Masterclass of Bruno Leonardo Gelber
28.09.2009
Feedback by John Paul Ekins
Iserlohn Music Festival, Autumn 2009
From the 22nd to the 28th September 2009, I was fortunate enough, courtesy of the European Union of Music Competitions for Youth, to be given a scholarship to attend the masterclass of the prestigious concert pianist Bruno Leonardo Gelber, at the Iserlohn Festival of Music in Germany. It being my first time participating in a masterclass in another country, I was unsure of what to expect, but in all elements of my stay there, I was wonderfully surprised by so many aspects of the experience.
We were housed with local families in the town of Iserlohn, and my hostess and family were wonderfully kind, generous and hospitable, and all of them even spoke amazing English, which was a huge bonus! We were very close to the music school in Iserlohn, where the participants could spend the mornings practicing on the numerous pianos they had there. Then, at 2pm every day the masterclasses started, continuing until 6 or 7. Among the many composers whose works Maestro Gelber is renowned for interpreting, Beethoven is certainly one of his specialities, and therefore I feel fortunate that I had a Beethoven sonata to play to him on this occasion. His insights were always enlightening and compelling, always abundant with infectious passion and commitment, and he often helped us with general playing issues, and explained the principals and the art of piano playing in such a way that was incredibly helpful for all concerned. The whole course was overseen by Herr Breidenstein, the head of music at the Iserlohn music school, and his generosity with his time, and friendliness was also symptomatic of the general atmosphere there.
The other nice aspect of this course was the amazing support and solidarity that the participants gave to each other. Every evening we went out for dinner, with the result that, over just a few days, some firm friendships were made, and I'm sure we will keep in touch for many years to come.
Overall, a wonderful experience, a chance to learn from a real master of the keyboard, in a beautiful German town, and alongside wonderfully warm and like-minded people. Many thanks to EMCY for the opportunity.
