JAVS Fall 2007

ro work with great motivation. She adds, "But there is no way that anyone will learn better or faster by tak ing themselves too seriously." he does not believe in comparing students with each other, and tries ro motivate without pressuring them too much. "It is important that we try to see each individual as a spe cial person that we can all learn from." She adds, " I have learned so much from my students over the years." Ms. Westphal strives to help her students realize their individual potential and to help them grow artistically. She tries not to superimpose her own ideas, but gives them the chance to develop in their own unique way. While she has strong musical convictions, she does nor want her students simply to copy her. "I try to make the students think for themselves by asking a lot of questions. Independence is a great gift, and I rry ro help them be as self-sufficient as possible." She admits that sometimes this process takes longer, bur believes that the students learn much more by discovering things on their own. "For me this is more than just a teaching philosophy, bur really something political. In my opinion, the world needs independently thinking people who are capable of forming their own opinions and who know why they think what they do. " I observed one ofMs. Westphal's weekly studio semi nars in Lubeck, and noticed that her students basically run the class. She explained that she prefers that the class operate in this way. Since the students will be required to comment, they will listen in a more specif ic way in order to provide suggestions after their peers perform. "I do not want them to just say that they were wonderful; ofcourse that is welcome if it is true, but the constructive part is the most important." he has observed that some teachers will lavish praise upon students in master classes even when the affirmation is unwarranted. "There is no need to say, 'That was real ly awful,' bur on the other hand, I think that there is a way ofaddressing each student honestly." She chooses her comments carefully so that even when a student may not have played very well, she offers the student constructive criticism. "I think that giving undeserved praise damages my credibility as a teacher. I want my students to trust me, and I think they will not trust me unless they can count on my honesty. "

Wmphal and author.

classes at the Oberstdorfer Musiksommer, a music fes tival that is held each year in the picturesque Bavarian mountainside village of Oberstdorf. At the beginning of the first master class, Ms. Westphal commented to the entire class that she is not a teacher who will just address musical matters, but who will attend to core technical matters as well. She explained that it was not her intent to contradict the student's primary teacher, and that in most cases, she was probably say ing the same thing in another way. She continued to explain that when she was suggesting something dif ferent from the student's primary teacher, then it was the student's responsibility to consider the options and then make a choice. After spending a substantial amount of time observ ing her reaching, I was compelled ro ask Ms. Westphal about her reaching philosophy. The follow ing comes from several interviews rhar I conducted with her: Barbara Westphal believes that a nurturing environ ment is necessary for someone to blossom, and aims to create an atmosphere where students feel accepted. She advises her pupils that four years is very little time, and that jobs are hard to get, so it is important

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN VIOLA §Q~IE}"Y 48