James Galway masterclass, at the Royal College of Music

One day when I was in high school, my teacher told me that there was going to be a Masterclass, and that I should sign up for it.  I thought it sounded wonderful and awe-inspiring.

Since then, I’ve attended many masterclasses, mostly for the oboe, but sometimes for other instruments.  A good masterclass can be absolutely transformative for a student musician.  That is why we musicians put them together for our students!

But if you haven’t been to one, yet, you might be wondering what this mysterious-sounding event is…!  So, behold, all of your burning masterclass questions answered.

What is a masterclass?

The first time I attended a masterclass, my teacher told me that it was kind of like a private lesson, but on stage so all the other oboe students could listen in, too.  That didn’t really make much sense to me… but she was right!  That’s exactly how it is!

In a masterclass, there is one great teacher, and around a dozen students, who sit in the audience, and take turns coming up on stage for a mini lesson.  Each student, in his turn, plays for the teacher, who gives instruction to that student.  But the rest of the students, watching, get to learn from those instructions, too!

Every music school at a college or university will put on several masterclasses each year, for different instruments.  They are a valuable opportunity for students to learn more than they would in their normal lessons (or, if a student isn’t taking lessons, this is a great opportunity to learn a lot more than he ever could by his lonesome!).

The student gets individual instruction from an amazing teacher.  Plus the student gets to learn from the instruction that the teacher gives to the other students, too.  There’s a reason why every college-level music school offers masterclasses—students learn a lot from them!

Is it a Workshop, then?

In some ways, yes, you could say a masterclass is like a workshop.  But there are two big differences.

First, at a workshop, anyone could be the teacher, even if he’s just figuring out this skill himself.  At a masterclass, the only acceptable teacher is an actual master of the instrument.

Second, at a workshop, learners might show up without having done any preparation, and expect to be told what to do from scratch.  At a masterclass, students practice ahead of time to prepare their music—the idea is that you learn the piece as well as you can, and then bring it to the master teacher, who shows you areas where you can make it even better.

Do all of the students play the same piece?

At a typical masterclass, the students will bring the pieces they are working the hardest on, which means that, usually, the students play different pieces.  There are always students of all different levels at a masterclass.

At an All-Region masterclass, all of the junior high students will bring their études and scales, and all of the high schoolers will also bring theirs.  That means that there will be a large degree of overlap, but also some good variety.  Note that high schoolers will learn from hearing what the teacher says to the junior highers, and vice versa.  This is just how it is in college, where the master’s and doctoral students can learn from a masterclass teacher’s instructions to a freshman (and vice versa!).

Do I have to play that instrument to sit in the audience and listen?

Students enrolled in Bonham Conservatory are welcome to attend masterclasses for free, and we encourage you to do so!  As an oboist in college, I remember that I learned so much from attending one masterclass in particular—a cello masterclass taught by Yo-Yo Ma!  And… remember that Conservatory students are expected to attend at least one event each year in which you are not directly participating, and a masterclass is a great way to fulfill that requirement (and meet new friends!).

If you are not a student of Bonham Conservatory—first of all, why aren’t you, yet?!  And second, reach out to us, and we’ll see if there’s room for you to come listen in on the masterclass you’re interested in.

How can I sign up for a masterclass?

Go to our Masterclass Registration Form, and we’ll save your spot!

Note: The All-Region Masterclasses are currently limited to 12 students (6 for oboe).  Additional registrations will be placed on a waitlist for their instrument masterclass, and we may schedule additional times.  We will do our best to get everyone in!

How should I prepare for my masterclass?

So you’re all registered; what now?

Learn you études and scales as well as you possibly can.  Do everything you can to learn them.  Practice, practice, practice.  If you fix all of the things you know are bad ahead of time, that means the teacher will be able to tell you about the things you didn’t know you needed to fix, so you can become amazing!!  (All-Region audition music is listed in this packet, starting on page 26.)

What should I bring to the masterclass?

Bring:

• Your instrument
• All of your music
• Your pencil for marking on your music
• Additional paper and pen for taking notes

When should I arrive?

As always, my dears, Early is on time; on time is late.

Plan to arrive 15-30 minutes before the masterclass begins, so you’ll have time to figure out where you’re going, find a seat, warm up, meet new friends, make a bathroom run, and everything else.

What should I wear?

We usually dress nicely for a masterclass.  You don’t need a tux or suit, but dress pants and shoes with a collar shirt are a safe bet for young men, and the feminine, modest equivalent are the usual for young ladies.

Are parents or band directors invited?

Absolutely!  They’ll enjoy getting to hear you play, and enjoy seeing you work with the masterclass teacher.  It’s a little bit like a performance for you; definitely invite them!

Anything else I should know?

1. Come ready to introduce yourself to the other students, and plan a few friendly questions to ask them, too, like, “What grade are you in?  Where do you go to school?  What made you start playing this instrument?”  Make some small talk, and you might just make some lasting friendships.  Kids who come to masterclasses are usually pretty great kids.
2. Make sure you take some pictures.  You might not think so now, but you’ll want to have a picture of yourself with this teacher, one day.  (Parents or band directors are great for taking a picture of you when you’re up on stage!)

What should I do after the masterclass?

Go home, go through your notes from the masterclass (add any notes you need to add), and then diligently start practicing what you learned.  Practice every day—I always say, if you aim for 6 days a week, you should definitely end up practicing 5 days a week.  If you work on these things diligently 5–6 days a week, doing what the teacher told you to do, you will be in a very good position, come audition day!