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Cellist Hans Jørgen Jensen Discusses The Glenn Gould School

The Toronto-based school is taking applications from international pianists, vocalists, and orchestral instrumentalists

 

The Violin Channel this week sat down with internationally acclaimed cellist and music professor Hans Jørgen Jensen at The Royal Conservatory’s Glenn Gould School to talk through the benefits of a smaller conservatory, and how students can best prepare for professional success in the modern era.

 

Can you tell us about The Glenn Gould School? When did you start teaching there?

The Royal Conservatory has a long tradition of musical excellence in Canada, and The Glenn Gould School was founded in 1997 to provide music students with the skills and attributes necessary for a successful professional career in the industry. It is one of the few musical schools in North America that is integrated with a major performing arts centre, the acoustically superb Koerner Hall, which gives students an edge when it comes to preparing for a professional career. Joining the faculty in 2018 was very exciting, as Glenn Gould’s recordings have always been a big musical inspiration for me.

 

You have taught in many prestigious institutions and summer programs around the world. What is special about The Glenn Gould School?

The Glenn Gould School is a wonderful modern Conservatory located in the heart of Toronto within the facilities of The Royal Conservatory of Music – one of the largest and most respected music institutions in the world. The name is perfect, because not only was Glenn Gould a phenomenal pianist but he is also one of the most inspiring musicians of all time. The Glenn Gould School has a wonderful faculty and has more than 125 guest master classes with up to 50 guest artists and some of the world’s foremost musicians every year.

 

For you, what are the key aspects of a good music school?

A great music school has to have:

1. A talented and dedicated faculty

2. A great chamber music and orchestra program

3. A great curriculum

4. Excellent facilities

5. Many performance opportunities, including community engagements

And I am happy to report that all of these can be found here at The Glenn Gould School.

 

How do you feel the professional music world is evolving and how can students best prepare to enter it?

While the world is changing at a fast pace, I believe that venerable professional standards and values are still very much expected from modern-day musicians. It is of the utmost importance for students to develop entrepreneurship and the ability to market themselves effectively to take advantage of all the possibilities that the digital age has brought.

 

What do you and the Glenn Gould School look for in potential students?

When selecting students, teachers are looking more at their future potential as a professional musician rather than judging their present level of playing. Being open and willing to accept constructive feedback is one of the most important qualities that I look for in students.

 

You have published a number of books including CelloMind and PracticeMind. Can you tell us about those and how you apply them in your lessons?

Writing a book is an incredible learning experience. Having spent so much time writing CelloMind and PracticeMind really forced me to think about every aspect of my experience as a performer and teacher. The process of writing these books inspired me to crystallize the various aspects of the teaching process and I feel I can teach even more to the point than before writing these books. It was also a very important and enriching process to work with co-editors Minna Chung and Oleksander Mycyk – to see their point of view and to learn from all the ways they think about everything.

 

Applications for the 2023 school year close on December 1, 2022. For further details, visit: https://bit.ly/31qr58R

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