When Pinchas Zukerman picked up the viola, he discovered that the instrument demands a different kind of patience.
“On viola,” he says, “you have to fit between the cello and the violin. If you start playing your own intonation, you’ll be out of tune.”
In this short lesson from his Insights: From Tackling Nerves to Mastering Viola course, Zukerman demonstrates how a slower bow stroke and a catch and release motion open the instrument’s resonance. Drawing from his own early experiences adapting from violin, he shows that the viola isn’t so much about control...it’s about letting the string vibrate freely and responding to the ensemble’s sound.
For violists seeking a deeper, warmer tone and truer intonation, Zukerman’s perspective offers a simple truth: sometimes, the most expressive playing begins when you slow down and listen.
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