Sir.... you are a great teacher... !! I learnt more about my wrist tension problems in these seven minutes than I learnt over 5 years of cello lessons..!! Thank you..

I have watched easily a hundred cello instruction videos on KZfaq. Andre Navarra's remains unchallenged among comprehensive instructions, but this one takes the crown among one pointers. Truly revelatory. Thank you!!

A marvelous lesson. Thank you for posting. Will be following all of your videos. I never learned this at Meadowmount 60 years ago.

Thank you so much for the information. I'm just now getting back to the cello playing after a wrist injury a little over a year ago. I still can't play a lot of fast stuff yet. Getting there.

This was a great explanation video!! Thank you! I agree that this should be taught to beginner cellist as it forces you to have no tension in the hands and wrists.

This is a great video I started cello at 40yo and now 43 but struggling to relax the wrist. In theory sounds so easy but definitely my biggest cello challenge. My teacher points out the issue but this is some good exercises hopefully help me overcome it. Without a bow hold it is relaxed but adding the pencil or bow it locks up. But the pencil less so, so seems like good way to develop more than move to bow.

I have gone to your bio and looked at your teachers- for example Karen Buranskas who was schooled by some of the very best artists and technicians- Starker, Piatigorsky and Parisot, or Laurien Laufman a student of Starker, Parisot, Navarra and Tortelier- so it is not unusual that you should have such a strong understanding of the physiological aspects of technique and much more. I don't know anything about your first teacher Kathleen Lester, but judging from the pedigree of some of the musicians of the Milwaukee Symphony I can well imagine her as a strong player and, judging by your own teaching, an excellent pedagogue. These people in our heartland are hidden gems in our musical culture that we should appreciate and respect. Would that we spent more time on our arts, cultural life, and our science- and technology both applied and theoretical- instead of finance- and political science and economics, both pseudo sciences - and the privatization of our resources. IMHO, if we did, we could again have a real economy generating wealth and a better quality of life for us all.

Thank you Professor! This is very helpful! I am a beginner and I am so glad that I get to watch this video whilst I am when I am in beginner stage 😃 a good wrist movement goes a long way!

I have a wonderful teacher. Fantastic. We’ve been working on this very issue and I call this new looseness, “Slippy Wrist”. My very serious teacher said! “I will never call it Slippy Wrist”. Lmao. We had a good laugh about it.

This is very helpful. I've just tried it and feel much relaxed now. Thank you.

Working on this! Thanks for the amazing drills!

Cool. I'm going to try these exercises with my left hand too where I have too much tension. Paul Katz of CelloBello points out that if the thumb is tense, the whole hand is tense.

I just didn't get about what you think is an active motion and what is the passive motion... could you explain here further? thanks so much, this vis helping a lot

Thank you for this! Quite helpful. God bless.

Thanks for the very helpful video!

Please could you do a video on releasing tension in the shoulder when bowing. I find mine up by my ears and my deltoid/pecs so tight 🙈

How can I take your classes? I am a 40 year old beginner (1 year) and I am also a teacher (15 years). I know when I see a teacher/professor who is effective! Many thanks for your helpful techniques, explained in a way I haven’t yet seen on video. 🙏 Anyway, enjoying the process and happy to have found you!

absolutely helpful!

one way to find it fast is with no pencil or anything, just see where your thumb can "fall" into your hand (and into middle finger) without losing the loose hand and then grab the pencil by leting your thumb fall there again instead of "using" it actively pencil will fly a couple times, guaranteed, but your are now using the thumb without actively pushing it. Probably very useful for violinists left hand and for thumb position

Thank you.... this helps

Hi professor, I have an another question for the wrist: does the wrist always follow the motion of the forearm (passive movement) OR sometimes it could move actively? I am asking this is because I found myself with flexible wrist but maybe too flexible. Sometimes my wrist is actively moving. Would you mind to answer this question? Much appreciated!

Thanks man, you are a great teacher. I play cello for 6 Years, i am in a "student level", and i often have struggle with my right wrist: when i play something that it's fast, my right wrist suffer that and It hurt in a minute or less. Do u think that maybe my wrist isn't in a correct position?Lemme know. Sorry for english, greetings from Italy 🇮🇹

I have an unbearable pain in my right wrist when I’m playing. Do you have any advice :)?

It's fine for me right up until I actually put the bow on a string. It feels like my wrist has to transfer my arm weight and that locks it up. Advice?

Thank you so much, my hand feels much more relaxed. Hopefully it will help me not to grip my bow too much. I have a question for you, can you explain how to get a good sound in forte dynamics without putting too much tension in your bow arm and clenching it? I've been struggling to find a way to play powerfully and with a good sound without stiffing my arm. Thank you!

if i have cramping in the area between my thumb and index finger what would that mean

Do you take lessons