The Bubble

This was a phone conversation around eight months ago:

Vesa: eyal, do you happen to play the viola?

Me: What are you talking about, I thought we were friends, how dare you imply…

Vesa: because if you do, we can play the concertante together.

Me: Of Course I can play the viola…

So I learned to play the Viola and flew to New Zealand.

Every time I go to New Zealand I come back rejuvenated. The country is beautiful, the people are just the nicest in the world but the best part of the trip is meeting my friend, Vesa-Matti Leppanen, who is the concert master of the NZ symphony orchestra. Every time we meet I learn something new (and not just how to play a new instrument).

This time I learned about the Bubble (or "the circle"); a technique Vesa uses on stage when playing solo, especially with orchestra. I have tried it myself and I wished I knew this years before, it is very effective.

The idea is that going on stage to play a concerto, with an orchestra behind you and hundreds of people in front of you can be a tad overwhelming…

In the rehearsal you find the space around you that you define as "mine" and create in imaginary circle. Inside the circle you are safe; nothing can come in, only come out. You play within the circle like playing inside your room, with your eyes fixed to the edge of the circle to stop them moving around the place (which can lead to all sorts of trouble).

There are three of those circles which increase in size. The smallest one is saved for those difficult passages and moments, the largest one is for the moments you want to include the audience and you can switch between them at will.

Thank you Vesa…