MASTERCLASS

Professor Neaman taught sometimes at his home at 11 Chadwell Street EC1R 1XD First floor.

First, one called at his home and the housekeeper would let you in.

Then on the First floor there was an ante room that connected to the main drawing room in which he taught. This ante room served two purposes:

1.?????? You picked up his copy of the étude or piece it had been agreed that you would learn containing his bowings and fingerings. Then you took this to the print and photocopy shop around the corner run by Mr Platt and made a photocopy before returning his copy to his house. Then at the lesson or masterclass you would play from the photocopy after handing Professor Neaman your copy of the music which he would annotate as you played- just like Carl Flesch.

2.?????? Or you came early for your lesson in order to tune your violin and put rosin on your bow etc. then at the hour of your lesson generally 50 minutes the connecting door would open for you to enter.

On the wall in the ante room was a framed REUTERS news story about 8 year old Yfrah’s public performance of Beethoven Violin Concerto in Israel [then Palestine].

Four hour masterclasses took place generally at the Guildhall but sometimes at his home with the pianist arriving after the first hour. Your performance was recorded on a cassette tape handed to you at the end of your hour.

·?????? Sevcik

·?????? Flesch scales etc

·?????? Corelli La Folia

·?????? Mozart Violin Concerto No 2

·?????? Beethoven Violin Sonata in D Op 12 No1

·?????? Brahms violin Sonata in A

·?????? Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E

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Sometimes Guildhall would schedule a few days of six hour orchestral rehearsals which made it tough to practice and prepare for the masterclass. The most interesting rehearsal was when we played a film score whilst the film was projected on a screen.

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