Ripples of laughter, words of wisdom and the music of Beethoven and Brahms filled the Glidden Recital Hall Tuesday as Marina Lomazov, world-acclaimed concert pianist, gave advice to Ohio University piano students.
The master class, attended by a group of about 13 people, was the first part of Lomazov’s visit to OU. The pianist also will be performing a recital Wednesday featuring the music of Haydn, Pann, Liszt, Schubert, Rachmaninoff and Kapustin.
Lomazov, an associate professor of piano at the University of South Carolina’s School of Music, listened to two OU pianists play and then ran through noteworthy aspects of their pieces with them, praising their efforts and focusing on parts of the piece that needed work.
“She focused on timing, tone and dynamic contrast,” Yoonsook Song, a graduate student studying piano performance, said. “(They are) the most important things (in a piece).”
Song, one of the performers at the master class, said that Lomazov’s teaching style narrowed in on trouble spots with detailed instructions. Lomazov said she believes errors are an essential step in practicing a piece.
“I love making mistakes in the practice room,” Lomazov said. “It lets me know how it feels to be really focused on it.”
Lomazov began her career studying at the Kiev Conservatory in Ukraine and then immigrated to the United States. After obtaining degrees from The Juilliard School and the Eastman School of Music, she has gone on win international awards and performed with numerous orchestras.
Lomazov is also a Steinway Artist and the founder and artistic director of the Southeastern Piano Festival in Columbia, S.C. As well as performing internationally as a soloist and with symphonies, Lomazov performs in a prize-winning duo with her husband Joseph Rackers.
Dr. Christopher Fisher, chair of the keyboard division of the Glidden School of Music, said that classical artists guest-teaching at OU is an exciting learning opportunity for students, especially in the case of Lomazov’s talent and teaching style.
“Ms. Lomazov is a thoughtful and intuitive teacher who is able to get immediate results from the students with whom she is working,” Fisher said. “Not only do the performers benefit from the artist’s instruction, but all of the piano students present are able to take the ideas to the practice room to experiment with and possibility implement them in their own playing.”
Fisher said that he believes those who attend Lomazov’s recital will be impressed by her performance. However, despite her national acclaim, Lomazov said she believes the piano is simply a vessel for the piece they are performing, and conveys that through her teachings.
“We are the conduits to let the music come through,” Lomazov said during Tuesday’s class. “So let the music come through.”
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