# Sumi Jo’s Star Formula



## joshuamaccluermusic (Apr 11, 2014)

In early February I made my debut as a soloist with the Hong Kong Philharmonic in a performance of Handel's Let the Bright Seraphim partnered with the terrific soprano Sumi Jo. It was a very enjoyable musical experience for me and I learned a lot from working with her.

Sumi shared about what her values were; what was the most important to her. Her answer was succinct and made a lot of sense.

1: Technique: "The technique must be there, we are technicians, and there is no substitute for proper use of your instrument."

2: Musicality: "The musicianship and phrasing come from deep within and some people have it and some people don't. It is an inherited gift at birth."

This one I do not agree with, I think that phrasing is mostly a matter of a lifetime of playing, studying, and listening to music. Sumi's musicianship perhaps does come from God, but mine is something I picked up along the way.

3: "Give yourself. You can't hide anything from the audience. Give 100% yourself, as much as you can to them, and they (assuming you have #1 and #2) will accept you, follow you, and love you. Give give give, until you are exhausted. Then give more."

Read the full article at:
http://joshuamaccluer.com/everyone-loves-sumi-jo/


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Congratulations on your debut! I attended a couple of Hong Kong Phil performances when I lived there some years ago.


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

congrats  I love Sumi Jo, great belcantist and good points. I'm kinda with you on #2, although I'm not sure I completely understand just what musicality is. Is it just phrasing or is there more to it, more in the sense of "going with the flow of everything around you (by that I mean the orchestra, the other singers)" or something equally as elusive?


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

joshuamaccluermusic said:


> 1: Technique: "The technique must be there, we are technicians, and there is no substitute for proper use of your instrument."
> 
> 2: Musicality: "The musicianship and phrasing come from deep within and some people have it and some people don't. It is an inherited gift at birth."
> 
> ...


I _do_ Agree with all points, but since the second seemed problematic for you, as it does for many, I'll qualify what I believe was meant.

The musicality must be innate to some degree or there is nothing to grab on to when trying to further develop or shape it via either teaching or experience. Fortunately, many many people are to one degree or another, innately musical.

Sometimes a display of that innate ability is extreme, but those so gifted and those whose gift might be measured as 'less' must all learn how to think of contouring, where to breath (this is true for any player of anything, not just singers) the relevance to the style, the structural aspects, etc. Since so much of those aspects of music are not "natural," they must be learned. While some may have extremely canny instincts in this area, there is always some piece or a general era of the repertoire where the style will not be innately understood, and that is where an ability to clinically 'think about it,' rather than think you have it in the genes, is a necessary part of the professional musician's toolkit. But, some innate musicality is necessary to have, or all the learning about what to technically do to bring the music to life will have nothing to which to connect. (Without, we get the 'robot' performer for whom the music will never 'come from inside,' -- and that lack is usually more than audible, even to lay listeners.)

This pretty much boils down to "talent can not be taught, but only guided and shaped." Ergo, it must be in place from the start; Ergo, No. 2 

I can pretty much guarantee you there is not a high-end performer on the circuit who does not have the technical savvy about the musicality -- raw, without training, they have would barely got in the door.

Congratulations on your 'debut.' It must have been thrilling and very satisfying.


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