Enrico Dindo: “To play the cello, you have to spread your wings”
“To play the cello, you have to spread your wings”: this is not only a technical instruction but also a powerful metaphor, a profound thought. Because wings can open to reach expressive freedom, the ability to convey emotions to those who listen. It is Enrico Dindo who from May 14 to 17 held his first masterclass at the Stauffer Academy, where the renowned and celebrated cellist arrives for the first time, further enriching the network of illustrious teachers who have successively graced the Academy at an increasingly rapid pace.
“I’m absolutely delighted to be here, and truly honoured,” says the Maestro. “For me, Stauffer has always been a point of reference for advanced musical training, even though I never had the chance to attend because I began my career right after graduating. But the place is wonderful — the classrooms are magnificent and superbly equipped, and the level of the students is really very high.”
To play the cello, you have to spread your wings: “Actually,” Dindo explains with his open and sincere smile, “paradoxically, we cellists play the instrument from the ‘wrong’ side. We have to open our arms to move to the ‘right’ side, so to speak, in order to move our hands and make the strings vibrate on what I consider the most beautiful instrument in the world! Its sound has a range that most closely resembles the human voice — both in the lower male register, with its very deep tones, and in the higher female register, with its very acute pitches.”
But with Dindo, one can also indulge in the metaphor — of the mind taking flight to capture all those images, that narrative which music can evoke. “I always encourage my students when they play,” he continues passionately, “to create real characters, to tell stories, to create situations that move the emotions of the listeners. To interpret with intensity and depth, I ask them to imagine and listen to the voice of the person who composed the music — the language of Brahms, Dvořák, the voice of Schumann. This suggestion helps tremendously to convey to the audience the intensity of our feelings.”
A son of musicians, Enrico Dindo began studying the cello at age six. He refined his skills with Antonio Janigro and, in 1997, won the prestigious First Prize at the Rostropovich Competition in Paris. From that moment on, he embarked on a solo career that has brought him to perform with the world’s most prestigious orchestras, in the greatest international halls and theaters — a brilliant concert career. But how did the desire to teach arise? Teaching is an act of great generosity, not always found in the greatest artists: “I must confess that at first, I wasn’t very suited to teaching because many years ago I started working with very young children and felt inadequate. In fact, I worried I might even spoil them! So I stopped. But when I was able to teach older students, a whole new world opened up to me. I discovered I was very interested in this dimension; I felt comfortable and quickly found a way to communicate with young musicians. I’ve received so much from life, and at that point I wanted to start sharing my experiences with those who entrusted themselves to me. Even now, I love sharing, connecting, and above all, supporting those beginning their journey. That really fulfills me.”