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I have been to over a 100 master classes(mostly at Mannes in NYC). I was curious about how these would compare to a private lesson.

By *private lesson* I mean a conservatory level student(like those appearing in master classes)taking a private lesson from a teacher at a music conservatory.

Of course, just as the master classes vary quite a bit in tone, format i suspect the private lessons may show considerable variation.

Are the teachers generally more critical/more honest in private lessons? Do they go into more detail? Do they discuss technical issues more(this seems to be rarely done in master classes)? Do they usually let the student play the work completely through first? Does the fact tha a master class lesson is usually a one time chance for the student and teacher to discuss the work make a difference in what's done?

P.S. I heard a master class at Mannes with Eteri Andjaparidze yesterday. Anyone heard her perform or teach?

Good question. I've sometimes wondered as to their worth. The first I witnessed were Tortellier on the 5 Beethoven sonatas. I was tremendously taken with them and found his enthusiasm and imagination a great inspiration. Same can be said about some others. But when it comes down to it they are mostly about the master giving his interpretation of the works to a good young player. I wonder if that purpose wouldn't be better served by lecture-performances. I witnessed an awful master class given at Juillard by Maria João Pires. She appeared to want to reduce the young player to public tears and just about succeeded. The best teaching I witnessed was Barenboim, but I'm not sure that provided the best spectacle.


John

With most Master Classes that I've attended or others that I have read about, the work to be performed is brought to the class when it's almost at performance level. I would highly doubt that, even with very good students, the private lesson always revolves around pieces that are performance-ready. The student has to get to that level somehow, and much of getting there is related to what goes on in the private lesson.

Very generally speaking, I've always viewed the Master Class as an opportunity to get another professional's opinion on a work that the student already has performance-ready - or nearly performance ready. The private lesson, on the other hand, is all about getting pieces up to performance level.

Regards,

Master classes are more for the audience. Lessons are for the student.

Lessons address - among other things - short term and long term issues and goals for the student, and well as specific pieces, and techniques.

This doesn't jibe with the more than 100 master classes I've seen. I've haven't seen even a single master class that was more for the audience assuming you mean the comments were directed more to the audience as opposed to the student and the specifics of the piece played. I've never seen a master class where more than about 10% of the comments were specifically audience directed.

Of course, in a private lesson 100% of the comments would be student directed but my guess is tnat this is not what you meant.

Whether the "audience" of a master class be a public audience in a large hall or just the other students performing for the class' teacher, one of the benefits of the master class is the student's experience at playing before an audience. One could say, then, that the performance itself is, in part, for the audience, while the critique of the performance is directed towards the student.

Regards,

When Phlebas says the masterclass is more for the audience he doesn't mean for the audience to learn about the work performed. The 'master' is putting on a show. The audience comes to see a great musician teach (and often demonstrate) rather than to see the student perform. I have played in quite a few masterclasses and they are very different to a private lesson. It was useful (for me) to perform and get the opinion of another musician aside from my usual teacher. There is not much time to work on the piece in the class itself. The 'master' will offer sugestions and try to help you make improvements in one or two gener areas. The private lesson can go into much more detail. Also with the lesson you have continuity. Your teacher will see how a work developes from start to finish and guide you along the way.