2021 "FOCUS ON YOUTH":
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Cellist:
Cloë Shan
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Cloë Shan grew up in Poughkeepsie, NY with her parents and older brother. She graduated from SUNY Fredonia in May 2021 with a Bachelor of Music in music education and will complete her Master of Music in music education from her alma mater in 2022.
Cloë started playing the cello in fourth grade through her school’s music program and has been playing ever since. As a participant in Stringendo Orchestra School of the Hudson Valley’s 'Summer Strings' and year-round programs, and later returning as counselor and teacher-in-training, Cloë enjoys fostering a love of music in students through orchestral and fiddling experiences. She has also worked at Amadeus Strings, a violin shop in Poughkeepsie, NY and was a counselor at SUNY Fredonia’s 2019 Summer Music Festival. Cloë teaches private lessons in home, school and online settings. Cloë played with the Woodstock Symphony Orchestra in their 2019 season and attended the Brancaleoni International Music Festival in Piobbico, Italy in 2018. Cloë also enjoys walking, biking, embroidering, reading, baking, and spending time with family and friends. |
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Watch Cloë Play a Piece by a Favorite Composer Below:
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Cloë shares her journey as a cellist. She discusses the composers she most admires and her plans for the future.
What do you love about playing the cello?
There are so many great things about playing the cello. I love the kinesthetics of how my fingers press down on the fingerboard, the tension and release created as my bow pulls the strings, and feeling the cello’s vibrations where it leans against my chest. It’s also really cool when you can feel the other orchestral instruments’ vibrations through the stage floor. Playing the cello also provides an emotional outlet and was a huge support when I was in middle school and high school. Both then and now, regardless of what happens in my day, I can come home or go to a practice room and focus on one technique, method, or section of music at a time, putting all my other worries to the side. Although practicing can sometimes be frustrating, noticing improvements in what you worked on is extremely rewarding and increases your confidence in your abilities, both musical and otherwise.
I also love the community that I have been introduced to through playing the cello. Engaging with others in both practice and performance settings has helped me connect with many wonderful, hard-working people and has provided me with a more natural way to communicate with my peers than with words.
What do you love about playing the cello?
There are so many great things about playing the cello. I love the kinesthetics of how my fingers press down on the fingerboard, the tension and release created as my bow pulls the strings, and feeling the cello’s vibrations where it leans against my chest. It’s also really cool when you can feel the other orchestral instruments’ vibrations through the stage floor. Playing the cello also provides an emotional outlet and was a huge support when I was in middle school and high school. Both then and now, regardless of what happens in my day, I can come home or go to a practice room and focus on one technique, method, or section of music at a time, putting all my other worries to the side. Although practicing can sometimes be frustrating, noticing improvements in what you worked on is extremely rewarding and increases your confidence in your abilities, both musical and otherwise.
I also love the community that I have been introduced to through playing the cello. Engaging with others in both practice and performance settings has helped me connect with many wonderful, hard-working people and has provided me with a more natural way to communicate with my peers than with words.
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Was it difficult to manage the size of this instrument when you first started playing?
No, it wasn’t too bad! The cello I had early on was smaller and lighter than the one I have now, which made it easier to handle. My case also had straps on it, so I could wear my cello on my back while walking around. The trickiest part was bringing it on and off the bus in elementary school, which was a tight squeeze between the seats! Do you play other instruments? I do! I play violin, viola, and bass, and I can manage a little bit of ukulele, piano, trumpet and clarinet. Who is your favorite composer? |
Chamber Concert (2019)
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That’s a tough one! Trying to choose one can be overwhelming, so I often switch back and forth between favorite composers. I’ve loved playing J.S. Bach since I first learned the Prelude from his G Major Suite for solo cello in middle school. As I learned about him (I took a whole class about him in college), I became more drawn to his compositions, writing techniques and story. His Six Suites for Solo Cello are dense but composed in an incredible way – his harmonies, chords, and the way he plays with what a listener expects to hear versus what is actually written gives each movement variety, nuance and endless interpretations. His violin sonatas and Well-Tempered Clavier for piano are amazing to listen to, especially in concert.
I also keep coming back to William Grant Still as a favorite, although I am most familiar with his “Afro-American” Symphony No. 1. Grant Still’s mix of jazz and classical techniques is beautiful and reminiscent of earlier composers - falling in line with some conventions yet completely defying others. It’s something I could listen to all day.
I also keep coming back to William Grant Still as a favorite, although I am most familiar with his “Afro-American” Symphony No. 1. Grant Still’s mix of jazz and classical techniques is beautiful and reminiscent of earlier composers - falling in line with some conventions yet completely defying others. It’s something I could listen to all day.
Please describe your most memorable performance.
My high school orchestra’s performance of Rossini’s William Tell Overture still stands as my all-time favorite performance. It was an energetic, expressive and dynamic performance where all of the orchestra members’ hard work came together.
But the real magic was in what happened afterward. At the end of the piece, there were roars of applause, and our conductor, Mr. Handman, took a bow and smiled before turning back around to the orchestra. He raised his baton to the trumpets, cueing them to play. The trumpets knew exactly what to do and came in together with perfect articulation. Then, the rest of the orchestra recognized right where we were in the music and jumped in when it was time. Although Mr. Handman must have mentioned to the brass and woodwind sections about the possibility of this happening, it was an encore that most of the orchestra wasn't privy to, making it all the better. Even though I’m sure there were some mistakes and messy entrances, the elation of the moment, the energy of the orchestra and audience alike, and the pure disbelief of what was happening is something I will never forget.
My high school orchestra’s performance of Rossini’s William Tell Overture still stands as my all-time favorite performance. It was an energetic, expressive and dynamic performance where all of the orchestra members’ hard work came together.
But the real magic was in what happened afterward. At the end of the piece, there were roars of applause, and our conductor, Mr. Handman, took a bow and smiled before turning back around to the orchestra. He raised his baton to the trumpets, cueing them to play. The trumpets knew exactly what to do and came in together with perfect articulation. Then, the rest of the orchestra recognized right where we were in the music and jumped in when it was time. Although Mr. Handman must have mentioned to the brass and woodwind sections about the possibility of this happening, it was an encore that most of the orchestra wasn't privy to, making it all the better. Even though I’m sure there were some mistakes and messy entrances, the elation of the moment, the energy of the orchestra and audience alike, and the pure disbelief of what was happening is something I will never forget.
Please share your future plans.
I am returning to SUNY Fredonia to complete my master’s degree in music education as part of the school’s “Masters in Five” program. I have a full course schedule and hope to be teaching private lessons along with some other form of part-time work. I look forward to being back on campus after working from home as a student teacher last semester. I plan to live in an off-campus apartment with my friends, which I am very excited about.
After I complete my degree, I’ll be looking for jobs. Contact me if you hear of any public school orchestra teacher openings for 2022!
I am returning to SUNY Fredonia to complete my master’s degree in music education as part of the school’s “Masters in Five” program. I have a full course schedule and hope to be teaching private lessons along with some other form of part-time work. I look forward to being back on campus after working from home as a student teacher last semester. I plan to live in an off-campus apartment with my friends, which I am very excited about.
After I complete my degree, I’ll be looking for jobs. Contact me if you hear of any public school orchestra teacher openings for 2022!
