Alisa Weilerstein Interview: Bow Grip & Arm Weight

Alisa's playing has made me totally rethink how I hold the bow. I'm now working with these new concepts, and it's really paying off. I'm able to sustain a bigger sound with less effort! THANK YOU!!

Please spanish suuuubs 😭😭😭😭

I like the emphasis on arm weight. Unfortuneatly little else is covered. Obviously a great player, and friendly interview. Little use for a new player, and more evidence that classical teaching is a wild west show.

Thank you so much this will help me a lot with holding the bow better while I play the cello.

I've yet to experience the dead arm feel. So long as my arm is under neurological and muscular control, I do not know how that is accomplished.

Using your weight efficiently..there are many ways to do it...please elaborate on a few of those ways.

These are good questions, many of which I have myself. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think she just said “Yeah it’s hard to explain, I just fix it if it sounds off.” Definitely would explain the way she laughed at the question when it was brought up. My arm has a problem with tension, even outside of cello, but even when it feels like it’s totally limp, the tone still sounds bumpy.