Note-worthy Experiences Music Studio
F E A T U R E
Interview with Anton Boutkov
F E A T U R E
Interview with Anton Boutkov
What do you like about the viola?
The viola has a rich, warm tone in between the registers of a violin and a cello. As violists, we often get to fill out and complete the inner harmonic voices within an ensemble and act as the “glue” between the lower strings and the upper strings. Another reason to love the viola is that some of the most famous composers of classical repertoire played the viola as one of their primary instruments, including Ludwig van Beethoven and W. A. Mozart - not to mention the gorgeous solos they give to the viola in several of the string quartets they composed!
What is your best advice to students who want to learn a new instrument or improve?
It’s not about how much you practice, but how you practice. We can spend hours practicing carelessly and with many mistakes with the result being us learning and practicing how to make those mistakes and imperfections. It is much more productive for us to stay focused on what aspect of the music or technique we are practicing, and to quantify what success in our practice session looks like, rather than lackadaisically playing through music over and over without a specific goal in mind.
Who were some of your most inspiring teachers?
Bernard Klinger was one of the most important teachers in my life. Besides teaching the viola, he conducted for the local youth symphony, and his encouragement led me to fall in love with orchestral playing and repertoire at a young age. He gave me an incredible technical foundation to build off of in later years which helped so much once I started studying with my professor in university, Karen Ritscher. Karen was the most influential teacher in my life, and her approach focused on bigger musical ideas and concepts of physicality, rooted in Karen Tuttle’s concepts of coordination. To both Karen and Mr. Klinger I am forever grateful, as well as all other educators I've met throughout my life.
When you aren’t teaching, what are your hobbies?
I enjoy going outside to sunbathe, cooking delicious food, and walking around the forest looking for edible mushrooms to add into my recipes. I also love playing ultimate frisbee and going golfing to keep myself active and in touch with my body (and using other muscles than we do while playing viola!)
Learn more about our Viola teacher Anton Boutkov in his Teacher Page.
The viola has a rich, warm tone in between the registers of a violin and a cello. As violists, we often get to fill out and complete the inner harmonic voices within an ensemble and act as the “glue” between the lower strings and the upper strings. Another reason to love the viola is that some of the most famous composers of classical repertoire played the viola as one of their primary instruments, including Ludwig van Beethoven and W. A. Mozart - not to mention the gorgeous solos they give to the viola in several of the string quartets they composed!
What is your best advice to students who want to learn a new instrument or improve?
It’s not about how much you practice, but how you practice. We can spend hours practicing carelessly and with many mistakes with the result being us learning and practicing how to make those mistakes and imperfections. It is much more productive for us to stay focused on what aspect of the music or technique we are practicing, and to quantify what success in our practice session looks like, rather than lackadaisically playing through music over and over without a specific goal in mind.
Who were some of your most inspiring teachers?
Bernard Klinger was one of the most important teachers in my life. Besides teaching the viola, he conducted for the local youth symphony, and his encouragement led me to fall in love with orchestral playing and repertoire at a young age. He gave me an incredible technical foundation to build off of in later years which helped so much once I started studying with my professor in university, Karen Ritscher. Karen was the most influential teacher in my life, and her approach focused on bigger musical ideas and concepts of physicality, rooted in Karen Tuttle’s concepts of coordination. To both Karen and Mr. Klinger I am forever grateful, as well as all other educators I've met throughout my life.
When you aren’t teaching, what are your hobbies?
I enjoy going outside to sunbathe, cooking delicious food, and walking around the forest looking for edible mushrooms to add into my recipes. I also love playing ultimate frisbee and going golfing to keep myself active and in touch with my body (and using other muscles than we do while playing viola!)
Learn more about our Viola teacher Anton Boutkov in his Teacher Page.
