Dear Friends,
Welcome to maximvengerov.com!
I am excited to share with you the launch of my new innovative online music education platform that will allow me to share my time and teaching expertise with students online across the world.
The goal is to support teachers, students and young performers affected by Covid-19, to democratise the access of music learning, to offer young people new possibilities and a reason to believe that music is – and always will do – a great profession.
What is maximvengerov.com?
I will be offering up three free lessons every week. In the first month, there will be students from Salzburg University Mozarteum and Royal College of Music, London - where I am Professor at both - as well as with chamber music groups from Musica Mundi, Belgium, and other institutional partners. The other lessons will be open to violinists, violists and chamber music groups across the world, by applying for the Lottery Ticket. The first Lottery Ticket has been given to Léandre, who applied through Make-A-Wish©America.
My technical team will direct the filming of the live masterclass from their studio, adjusting the sound and cameras remotely. Meanwhile, you can watch the class in real time on the homepage of maximvengerov.com.
Lottery Ticket
This is open to anyone in the world. Violinists, violists and chamber music groups can sign up to have a free lesson with me on this website on the LIVE MASTERCLASSES page where there will be information and a sign-up button for the Lottery Ticket. Students can connect from wherever they are, and bring any repertoire or technique issues they have. The Lottery Ticket winners will be chosen by an e-lottery system.
Wishes can come true
The first two participants of the Inaugural Lottery Ticket lessons are Léandre and Festim.
Léandre came to know me through Make-A-Wish©America. Léandre, 12, from Canada, has been playing the violin since he was 3 and he tells me I am his favourite violinist. Léandre was diagnosed with a brain tumour at the age of 10 and underwent 10 hours of surgery last year to remove it. He returned to his violin only 3 weeks after surgery and practising it has been an important part of his recovery. We were very happy to meet, virtually, and enjoyed working on Vittorio Monti's Czardas, This masterclass will be broadcasted on 23 January at 6pm CET. In my ABOUT US page in the video section, you can see Léandre's feedback on the lesson.
Festim, from Kosovo and in his early 20s, was introduced to me through his violin teacher. He was a thriving young talent on his way to becoming a professional violinist when in 2019, he had a tragic accident after playing in a concert with me. On his way home, Festim was chased by street dogs leading him to run into the road where a bus struck him resulting in a coma. In hospital, his wife played his favourite recording, my Sibelius Violin Concerto recording, and Festim work from his coma to this. His teacher said, "After weeks, his comprehension and talking abilities are coming back slowly but its a miracle that he can remember how to play the violin and he is re-learning the Sibelius Violin Concerto! It has been life changing for Festim to meet Mr. Vengerov over an online lesson! The encouragement Maxim gave during the lesson will stay with Festim forever and this gives him the energy to get better and strong every day". This masterclass will be broadcasted on 30 January at 6pm CET.
Effective and positive
The idea came about through my own experience of Lockdown, during which my two daughters took all their lessons, including music, online, and I discovered how effective online lessons can be.
I've never had my own website - I didn't think I needed one until Covid-19, when the internet suddenly started playing an important part in our lives. My daughter took all their lessons online, even improvisation classes. They've used their time very efficiently online and have really progressed. This showed me how the internet has an enormous impact in effective online learning.
During the most challenging times of Covid-19 last year, I taught Professor Dora Schwarzberg's students online. These masterclasses will be broadcasted next month. Dora says, "With an open heart and mind, we must be ready that the future offers new opportunities. Nostalgia is a sweet feeling that makes it possible to relive the past and people are happy to be capable of feeling this. But you can only live by looking forward. In my profession, a few years ago I rejected with indignation the very idea of music communication over the internet because of the sound! Now, thanks to the almost limitless technical possibilities, we are able to share knowledge and emotions with people from all over the world. The world's preeminent musician, violinist and conductor, Maxim Vengerov, really brings us closer to opportunities!"
Advantages of the internet
Online teaching shall never replace live interaction between a teacher and student, but it is an incredibly effective way to support traditional learning and information exchange. There are advantages to learning over the internet. Online education is a democratic and time-saving method to be combined with traditional learning. And furthermore, it allows us to overcome any geographical barriers.
Complementing face-to-face learning
Online music learning has lots of advantages. In some situations it can even replace face-to-face teaching. In about 95 per cent of my online teaching, the results have been staggering – especially with senior students. For young students and beginners, ideally one needs an assistant on the other side to help with the positioning of the camera angles and of the hands and posture.
Online teaching also benefits me personally, as a professor. For me, the process of teaching has rarely involved the straightforward student - teacher relationship. Certainly, we are all learning together, and in a sense, there is an equality between us. Having us both on screen, playing and discovering music, with audiences around the world observing, opens up this process and democratises the experience of learning.
Technology is like a Stradivari
I have always been keen on new technologies and I am hands on in exploring the best available today with my team. This is an exciting age - everything is improving quickly. With my technical team we have looked through everything that is available and found ways to adapt it to our very needs. We've done testing and found solutions with teachers and students. We've even been connecting three ways with my daughters’ teachers and their assistants, from their apartments. At this high end, the technology is like Formula One. The internet is such a dynamic thing – you have to work hard with it. It’s like a Stradivari violin – you have to know exactly how to play it. The project relies on a great team. Watching my technicians developing the sound and connections reminds me of what I do when I play my Strad.
Protecting the future of music
I am very motivated and concerned for the future of music in the face of Covid-19 crisis and beyond. This is a challenging time for music. Many musicians are considering different careers and parents must be wondering whether their children should study music or not. That is why it is the duty of today’s leaders and entrepreneurs to create new platforms for musicians. We have to transform the online world into something more alive, more creative and more artistically interesting - that is also financially sustainable for future generations of musicians. There platforms have to offer young people great possibilities and the incentive to believe that music is still a great profession.
I passionately believe emerging technologies will expand the market for classical music, bringing more music to more people in their own homes – both education and performance – empowering and inspiring new audiences and ultimately creating more work and career opportunities for musicians.
What subscribers want?
This is the start my vision. We enjoy celebrating centuries of tradition in classical music and at the same time, we should positively look to the future by continuously reinventing ourselves. Today, we have to change perceptions. Music education is going through demanding times and beyond that, Covid-19 has changed our lives. It is inevitable that the way we perceive music, educate ourselves and learn music will be transformed. That is what we're offering, using the best platforms, with ever-improving technologies, at the highest quality. Then, it is up to our future subscribers - students who want to learn, teachers, artists, managers and those who simply like to observe. This is an interactive service so we want feedback from our subscribers. The more they ask for something the more likely it is we can arrange it - whether that's asking for a favourite teacher, or to bring in a wider range of instruments and voice types. There are no limits.
There online lessons with me are only the start, like an amuse-bouche. We want to democratise the access of music learning, empower our community, and ask you to help us create a valuable and long-lasting platform. It should be everyone’s responsibility and initiative.
I invite you to join me on this exciting journey!
Yours,
Maxim Vengerov
