Master Class with Jordi Savall (V/VI)

Jordi Savall–renowned gambist, conductor, composer, musical researcher and leader in the field of early music–collaborates with conductor Michael Tilson Thomas in a series of six master classes featuring alumni of the New World Symphony (NWS). He works with the young string players on solo pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach, exploring with them the significance of style, technique, musicianship and historical context in the performance of baroque music.

Performing the Allemande from Bach's Cello Suite No. 5 in C Minor on viola, NWS alumna Elzbieta Weyman’s master class with Jordi Savall focused on the value of historical context when developing a musical interpretation. Pointing out that the suite consists entirely of stylized baroque dances, Jordi Savall recounts contemporary descriptions of dance tempi and character. Then, he works with Weyman to help her perform the movement in more “dance-like” fashion.