Sofia Study Tour Thoughts by Cassandra Lo

In June 2007, a team of six, including me, journeyed to Sofia, Bulgaria, for ten days, of which five were spent attending intensive masterclasses.

Our cello teacher for that duration was Professor Bogo, and the lessons that were conducted proved to be very practical though at times tiring. Following this trip, many thoughts were left imprinted on my mind, and penning it down, I hope it would give you a glimpse of what masterclasses were like.

Professor Bogo taught in such a manner that encouraged and motivated me to strive for the best possible sound for each note. He has made a prominent impact on my cello education, and I am grateful for the opportunity and privilege to fly to Sofia to attend these masterclasses. Learning from another master, apart from my regular teacher, introduced me to a whole new perspective, a great collection of unique musical ideas, and, furthermore, enabled me to experience the “joys” of performing before a “different” audience.” Normally, my family, teacher, and occasionally friends would comprise my usual listeners.

However, it was indeed refreshing though challenging to play for an exceptionally experienced and top-grade professor; the nerves that accompanied it in the beginning made it worse! Consequently, I received practical, handy, and valuable tips that aided me in enhancing the assortment of pieces that I presented during those five days. No song/piece played is ever entirely perfect - that is one of the many lessons that I’ve learnt. Looking at my past, one would find me rather impatient and anxious, due to the fact that I constantly sought to attain a “perfect song,” failing which I would get disappointed and upset, thus, unnecessarily stressing my mind. I have since discovered that enjoying and relaxing to the sounds of music are just as important as practising; simply stressing oneself to drill at the cello will not necessarily improve things. Learning music must include enjoying!

Professor Bogo, having worked with many students, is incredibly patient and committed, willing to take the time to constantly demonstrate the different ways I could beautify and sweeten each note, phrase and thereafter, the entire piece. He never rushed through one, thoroughly explaining his views and ensuring that I understood his point. Yes, these ten masterclasses, sweetly unforgettable and in no doubt invaluable, has played a major role in inspiring, motivating, and cheering me to advance toward yet an even higher caliber. Having experienced a fruitful series of masterclasses, I hope that the future would bring many more opportunities for me to study with different masters, thus, widening my limited scope of knowledge, musical thoughts, and ideas!