Students at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music had the opportunity to work with one of the most influential voices in contemporary violin performance during an April 17 master class with Leila Josefowicz. Celebrated worldwide for her passionate advocacy of new music and her compelling interpretations of major repertoire, Josefowicz brought that same energy and insight to a spirited session at the Shepherd School, working with violin students Kayleigh Kim, David Hung and Fiona Shea as well as piano student Max Milian, who studies under Brian Connelly. Josefowicz was in town performing Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto with the Houston Symphony.
Each student represented a different violin studio, and each performance offered a distinctive look at the depth of talent at the Shepherd School. Kim, a student of Paul Kantor’s, accompanied by Milian opened the class with Mozart’s Violin Sonata in A Major, K.526. Josefowicz encouraged Kim and Milian to push the dynamic contrasts further, explaining to the audience that rather than “exaggerating” the dynamics, it was about bringing out the music to the fullest.
Accompanied by artist collaborator Neal Kurz, Hung, a student of Cho-Liang Lin’s, followed with the first movement of Édouard Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole in D Minor, Op. 21, a virtuosic showpiece infused with Spanish flair. Josefowicz challenged Hung to imagine himself stepping into the ring before a bullfight, urging him to embody that confidence and intensity. The impact on his sound was immediate.
“Ms. Josefowicz is an outstanding teacher whose words alone were able to improve my violin sound remarkably,” Hung said. “She cultivated an open space encompassing vivid directions with great consideration of my own ideas. By capturing glimpses of her refined interpretations, I will be adding it into my endless arsenal of music-making.”
Shea, a student of Kathleen Winkler’s who was accompanied by artist collaborator Charlie Tauber, concluded the session with Maurice Ravel’s “Tzigane,” a tour de force of technical brilliance and expressive freedom. Having studied with the same violin teacher as Josefowicz earlier in their musical journeys, Shea brought a personal connection to the master class. Rather than launching into suggestions, Josefowicz asked Shea what aspects of the piece challenged her most, tailoring her advice to strengthen Shea’s interpretation.
“I have admired Ms. Josefowicz’s playing and dedication to violin artistry for such a long time, so receiving the opportunity to work with her and hear her insights on the piece I had prepared was inspiring and rewarding,” Shea said. “I found it particularly interesting the way in which her comments required me to consider both the emotional expression I was trying to convey and the technique required to successfully realize that vision. It is something that I think is at the heart of her playing and one which I hope to continue exploring in my own playing — impressive technical proficiency but always as a conduit for genuine artistic expression.”
Josefowicz’s appearance was one of many master classes held at the Shepherd School during the 2024-25 academic year, which also included James Ehnes, Yefim Bronfman, Ruckus, Sandbox Percussion and Ryan McKinny.
Learn more about the Shepherd School here.
