By Strings Staff
Many cellists of all skill levels have similar questions about their practice: “What should I practice daily?” “How should I structure my practice time?” “What areas of my playing should I focus on?” Professional player and teacher Amit Peled has created a new live online class focused on these topics and more, titled “The First Hour,” designed to accompany his book of the same name.
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The class, held over Zoom, covers warm-up, technique, how the body interacts with the instrument, thumb position, and more. Peled invites amateurs, teachers, students, with the goal of having as many cellists as possible join in. The class is also recommended for advanced students wanting to stay in shape as “cellist athletes,” or those who would like to enhance their daily practice routine.
In the one-hour lessons, Peled shows how the exercises in his book correspond with specific pieces in cello repertoire. He also covers his “cello emoji” language and his scale system. Students are muted for the first 45-50 minutes of class (instructional and playing time) and unmuted for the final 15 minutes to ask questions.
Cost is $440, with discounts for returning students. It is highly recommended that students have a copy of The First Hour book. Classes meet weekly on Saturdays at 10 AM EST starting December 5.