Tony Ross, principal cellist with the Minnesota Orchestra and accomplished soloist, gave a masterclass at Pablo Center at the Confluence for UW-Eau Claire students and the community on March 1, 2022. That evening he performed the Elgar Cello Concerto with the Chippewa Valley Symphony Orchestra with Music Director and UW-Eau Claire Violin Professor, Nobuyoshi Yasuda. His experience as an outstanding performer and teacher was evident throughout the masterclass. In the masterclass he worked with two UW-Eau Claire students who study cello with Cello Professor, Tulio Rondon. Chesney Jahnke, a music minor from Rochester, Minnesota, played a portion of a Goltermann Cello Concerto. Mr. Ross was surprised that Chesney had only begun to play the cello in high school, as she had great control of the instrument. He offered valuable advice to Chesney including adjusting the angle of her bow on the string to allow for greater flexibility. Harrison Andropolis then performed the Elgar Cello Concerto, the same work that Mr. Ross was to play that evening. He emphasized that the hardest passage can become playable when it is turned into a warm-up that is practiced daily and when the essential tool of SLOW PRACTICE is employed. Mr. Ross was impressed with Harrison’s skills and passion, and he encouraged him to tell the story even more dramatically with greater despair and anger. The masterclass was collaborative event supported by the Music and Theatre Arts Department, the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, and the Chippewa Valley Symphony Orchestra.
