Master Class

I'm on the board of Music in Corrales, an all-volunteer non-profit organization that brings high quality music performances to our community eight times a year, and also provides supplemental music education for students and teachers in local schools.

Last November we presented the Lysander Piano Trio, a classical ensemble -- piano, violin, cello -- of young, talented, Juilliard-trained musicians.  (You can visit their website by clicking here.)  In addition to a general audience concert, the Trio agreed to conduct a master class for string ensembles from local high schools, and I had the opportunity to photograph the event.

To begin, the Trio performed a few short pieces, then took questions from the students.

 




















Then, it was the students' turn.  First up was a double string quartet with players from Albuquerque High School and Sandia High School:

The Trio members watched and listened intently . . .

then provided critique and suggestions:

Next up was a traditional string quartet from the Albuquerque Youth Symphony Program:

They, too, listened intently to the feedback from Trio members:

Last up was a solo violinist from Rio Rancho High School whose quartet colleagues bailed at the last minute.  But the Lysander pianist and cellist generously agreed to accompany her so she could play her piece and receive feedback.

The best part for me as a photographer was capturing the intensity of the student musicians.  And black-and-white seemed to convey that intensity best:

 

If you would like to see these images in a larger format, please visit my photography website, Todos Juntos Photography, by clicking here.

Enjoy!