Cleveland violinist quits orchestra to join CIM
OrchestrasJessica Lee, 4th chair at the Cleveland Orchestra, will leave in September to teach full time at the Cleveland Institute of Music. She will hold the post of chair of the violin department.
‘After years of teaching while playing in the great Cleveland Orchestra, I am so excited to devote myself full-time to the students I love and admire,’ she said. ‘Alongside my wonderful colleagues, I will work tirelessly to provide the greatest music education and support for our passionate young musicians for many years to come.’
Lee negelcted to mention two wonderful colleagues who were fired recently by CIM, or the overwhelming vote of no confidence passed by the rest of her wonderful colleagues in the CIM’s president and board. The CIM is in a dire state.
She is, however, the 3rd titled violinist to quit the orchestra in recent months.
Please get the vote number facts correct. This quote is copied from cleveland.com article regarding the recent report of the hall renovation.
“Earlier this month, a portion of CIM’s faculty issued an 83-to-8 no confidence vote against Hogle and 81-10 against Provost Scott Harrison. (The school said it has an academic staff of 163, indicating a 56% participation in the vote).”
A 56% participation is hardly as you say “overwhelming vote of no confidence passed by the rest of her wonderful colleagues”.
I wish Professor Lee well as she pursues her love of teaching.
“Confused” is an apt pseudonym for somebody speaking on behalf of Paul Hogle, Susan Rothmann, or Scott Harrison.
Keep spinning, person who is totally not Susan/Paul/Scott’s anonymous account.
We see you. Not that shame is something you’re capable of, but still, we see you.
Aside from David Radzynsky, who left “by mutual consent,” who else has quit the Cleveland Orchestra violin section?
Peter Otto quit. The orchestra has now lost 3 title players since the summer. Whatever the reasons, it’s not a good look.
Peter Otto left for a better job. CM – even in Nashville – is evidently better than not-CM, even in Cleveland.
That said, maybe he had other dissatisfactions, like not getting selected as Cleveland CM.
Nashville now is a hot bed for music. The Nashville Symphony is very good and the community is very supportive. It’s a shame people are leaving the orchestra though. I’ve been a big fan for almost 50yrs.
David Radzynski did not quit – he was terminated in his probationary period.
She put on a good performance earlier this month as the concertmaster soloist in the Cleveland Orchestra’s Total Eclipse Fest concert with footage available on YouTube.
That was Amy Lee, not Jessica Lee. She did sound incredible!
Thank you for the correction.
The charm of playing even in a great orchestra can wear off after a while. Probably nothing more to it than that. And if CIM is going to recover from its troubles, it may need fresh blood.
More importantly, they’re down the concertmaster chair (1) and the first associate chair (2) when Peter Otto left. So this will make three. They still have an associate and assistant concertmasters who are, of course, fine musicians. But the character of the string sound has changed under FWM, and I personally don’t find it a positive.
Not a great move, considering the low pay at the Institute, and that she will hardly be a draw to major talent.
My niece pointed out that she and her current roommate, a graduate of CIM, were unaware of this violinist teaching at the CIM. The violinist’s page on instagram gives directions on using a digital tuner device to correct intonation. Most pedagogues have organic means to teach intonation. Although I am an architect, I tutored mathematics in my university days. Had I pulled out a calculator to show how to solve a problem…
The CIM has employed some prestigious violinists, even now. This fourth chair player is a pedagogue? Where is this violinist’s teaching track record?
Bravo to her and her positivity. The music world needs it. We must hope that she can teach a proper bow arm without a contraption device.
She won a titled position in a major orchestra fresh out of school. And by your logic… I assume you’re against using a metronome as well?
Since you admit you are not a musician, I suggest you refrain from speaking with any kind of authority whatsoever about intonation on the violin. How ridiculous to read this kind of crap that passes muster for musical knowledge. You have NO idea wtf you’re passing judgement on! “Organic”? Sheesh….
I am not a professional, but my parents were. I enjoyed their chamber music soirées while playing with fellow children of other artists.
I am an architect by profession, and have relatives whose children have attended top tier music institutions in both the US, UK, and also the CNSMDP.
I am fascinated observing this music world from outside of the bubble. Much has changed since my parents’ time, yet much has also stayed the same.
Electronic tuners are not appropriate for teaching harmony, quite the opposite, but her post aims to emphasize this. Solfège and keyboard harmony are the best ways to train the ear. Equal Temperament is anti-intonation. Please see Ross Duffin’s book: How Equal Temperament Ruined Harmony. WSJ did a marvelous review about twenty years ago.
The main point to address is that a ‘pedagogue’ should know how to teach intonation without the needs of a modern electronic tool. The key to great intonation is intervals and harmony, as well as context. A ‘B’ functions differently in D Major than in E Major, but a tuner will misguide its user into a dangerous comfort zone, given its distance from the artistic process.
Please, enlighten me.
When we play with piano we have to be able to play equal;). Given we have open strings we also have to be a bit flexible. Many people also use the tuner as a drone to practice pure or just intervals. In addition many wind players use the cents fonction on the tuner to practice harmonic intervals. Some tuners like TE which many people have feature just, pure or equal modes. The tuner is just a tool.
Pianos are tuned in Equal Temperament, this is true. If string players are to train their ears to ET, that’s a dangerous habit to train. A drone would be fine, when a tuned piano is not available. But suggesting a visual tuner is simply an irresponsible ‘pedagogy.’ Imagine solo Bach on a stringed instrument tuned to Equal Temperament? There is expressive/pythagorean intonation (more suitable to melodic lines) and Just intonation (for harmony and double-notes); ET is not a tuning system a violinist should strive for lest he/she wishes to play alone or strictly with piano. We must worry for the quartet confined to a cellist who only knows ET.
Mr Galamian never told me or any of his other students to use a tuner, and somehow we managed to learn is to play in tune (thanks also to Dotty)
We just need to be able to do both. As I explained we one can also use the tuners to find just intervals by looking at the cents and that’s very common practice for winds. Good for you if you’ve cracked the code to perfect intonation. Most of us consider it a lifelong pursuit and use a variety of tools to explore it including tuners. I’ve never met a professional musician who thought that was bad. Using a tuner when practicing doesn’t mean playing equal at all times.
Fortunately, she will be teaching students who are advanced enough that she will not have to mention how to hear intonation. Ms.Lee will be teaching musical studf instead.
I also see no issue with telling students to use a digital tuner, that’s a start before trying to hear harmonies and etc. If students don’t know ABCs, they can’t read books.
I’m a lifelong music teacher myself. Yes, there’s great joy in teaching. There are many great performers but great teachers are very rare.
Congratulations to your students for having you in their lives! Bravo!
And Scott Harrison continues his open fetishization of Asian women. What an absolute creep.
Really? How so? I used to be friends with the guy and he never had yellow fever. In fact, pretty sure he was married to a white woman?