San Francisco Conservatory of Music Master Open Classes Full Documentary
It was snowing on the morning on November 10th. Two professors from San Francisco Conservatory College, Wei He and Yoshikazu Nagai visited our school as invited to give two fabulous master open classes for our students and faculty.
Before the class, two professors gave a brief introduction of San Francisco Conservatory of Music to the audience. The audience also took the opportunity fully and asked questions actively. The professors answered their questions attentively regarding application for admission, curriculum, etc., with details. The official open lecture began after that. Our school’s Yang Yu, Wu Yuanchun, Guo Baojun and Kong Linghao received professional instructions from the two professors separately.
During the class, the professors gave instructions to each of the students. They had them play two pieces at first, then professors gave each student individualized instruction based on their different characteristics and problems. Guo Baojun and Kong Linghao played two works that they were still not very familiar with and professor Yoshikazu Nagai gave a subtle explanation and demonstration concerning the balanced between the two hands, use of pedal, music process including the strength and weakness of tones; whereas violinist professor Wei He also did the same instruction to Yang Yu and Wu Yuanchuan in regard of muscle control, standing posture as well as noise processing.
After class, the students all said that they learned a lot from this lesson. The teaching style of Professor Yoshikazu Nagai is quite different from my subject teacher, although the class only lasted 30 minutes, it is still very helpful for me to absorb different genres in my musical expression and broaden my horizon, said Kong Linhao after class. While Yang Yu and Wu Yuanchun also said that they have learned a lot from the professors’ guidance in the sixteenth notes playing method, violin playing posture
Master Introduction
Yoshikazu Nagai
Piano
A famous Japanese-American pianist and an educator who is currently serving as the director of the piano department as well as chamber music professor for San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Professor Yoshikazu has won many international awards:
• 2002 Washington International Piano Competition first prize
• 2002 Liszt International Piano Competition in Italy, Special Mention Award
• San Antonio International Piano Competition; southern Missouri International Piano Competition
• New Orleans International Piano Competition and so on ...
Mr. Yoshikazu has been frequently invited to play on stage all around the world and has cooperated with many world-renowned orchestras. At the same time, he was also invited to participate in events like Aspen Music Festival, the Sarasota Music Festival. His playing has been rebroadcast by internationally well-known major radios and networks. He is often frequently invited as jury and distinguished artist to participate in many competitions and master classes in US and Asia. Many of his students have won championships in various international piano competitions.
WEI HE
Violin
Chinese-American violinist, now a full-time professor at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music violin, San Francisco - Shanghai International Chamber Music Artistic Director and senior expert of Department of American Culture Fulbright. Studied from violin legend figure Carmilla Wicks from the United States.
As an active soloist and chamber musician, He has held concerts in many cities around the world. The New China Trio founded by him has won a gold medal in the Yellow Springs International Chamber Music Competition in 1996 held in the United States and the special award of Carmel International Chamber Music Competition.
Professor He Wei is enthusiastic toward violin teaching and his students are virtually scattered over all famous American Conservatory of Music; they are also frequent award-winner in international competitions.
Master Wei He Highlights
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