"With Nicky" - Inspiration

Growing up, two of my dad’s favourite words were ‘Motivation’ and ‘Inspiration’. When my sister and I were little that basically went right over our heads, but given time and hours and hours of necessary practice, those two words come in really handy.
For me this sometimes involves taking a step back from the endless repetition of practising and looking at what can inspire us to channel more feeling, energy and commitment into our playing.
Music and our instruments can open doors into all sorts of learning. And I always believed that stepping into the mind and place of composers could get us to practice empathising. And doing so with those who seem situationally, geographically and culturally far from you is something we must continually readdress and practice throughout our lives.
This type of practice not only has the potential to motivate and inspire you musically and emotionally, but to nurture your personality and humanity. Take some moments in your practice to just think on this. It will serve you and those around you, in more ways than purely musically.
The videos have been generously supported by ESTA UK, MiSST - The Andrew Lloyd Webber Programme, and Oasby Music Group and I am very grateful for their support.
Huge thanks to our media partners Classic FM, The Strad, The Violin Channel, WQXR and Charanga Music who will be sharing the videos with their audiences.
Finally, these videos wouldn’t have been possible without an amazing team - thank you to Scott Jaeger, our film maker, Laura Gardiner, our Education Manager, Rebecca Driver, PR Manager and Hannah King, Online Media Manager.
To watch more of the clips shown in this video:
S. Prokofiev : Sonata no. 7 op. 83 in B flat Major - 3rd mov. 'Precipitato' (Sokolov) - • S. Prokofiev : Sonata ...
Richter plays Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 5 - • Richter plays Prokofie...
Prokofiev - Symphony No. 6, Op. 111 (Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, Valery Gergiev) - • Prokofiev - Symphony N...
Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet -- Ball Scene (Macmillan) - • Prokofiev Romeo and Ju...
With grateful thanks to NCO-GB, www.nco.org.uk and Black Swan Film and Video for the recording of Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 2
TIME CODES:
00:32 Looking Elsewhere and Taking a Step Back
04:07 Motivation
07:14 The Importance of Strengthening the Depth of Our Feeling in Order To Express It
09:27 Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 2 with The National Children’s Orchestras of Great Britain

[@user-do5hd7zb4x]

Just got through watching fastenating French footage of 1970s Mirecourt bow makers and Mr.Menuhin playing soulful old country ballad. Thank you Ncola for making the documentary possible. IF IT WASNT YOU THANK YOU ANYWAY FOR YOURYOU

[@akazis]

That's not just a lesson for the violin... It's a lesson for life. Thank you Nicky. Please do keep these videos up :)

[@leahhamdaoui7755]

Thank you for inspiring and motivating us Nicky with your wise words and heart-full playing! XX

[@user-xh4nq4vt5y]

Inspiration is central to being a musician. We DO learn a lot from other artists' performances, and can be influenced by their approaches to interpretation. Being original, not just in interpretation, but in programming interesting, challenging, and above all, heartfelt and spiritual music is important. This is important in concerts, church services, short recitals or in our own compositions.

[@danafouras7794]

Nicky thank you - just so beautifully articulate x

[@stephengilbert5612]

Great music moves me so much i smile and cry at the same . Nicky,s playing often has that effect on me . Thank you Nicky.

[@popitoto]

My inspiration is you!great performance of Prokofiev,but short...

[@fadel1254]

I think it is good to listen to Arab and Iranian vilon ...

[@rebeccafaber]

These videos are great! Please keep doing them!

[@danny_chestnut253]

Your learning my favorite violin concerto!!!!! I hope I get to hear you play all movements of Prokofiev’s 2nd violin concerto on UA-cam!😊😊

[@jellybaker8670]

Inspiring!

[@420actionunits]

"Definitely on the fence" ... I'm going to use that one!

[@edentorem]

This was a really great video. So much emotional intelligence in you and your way of passing on your knowledge and experience. Bravo!

[@jeremythornton6930]

Inspirational! (as always!)

[@jlinwinter]

Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 5 is my absolute favourite piece of classical music! Brings back memories of those days I spent at the library just listening to records and cd's of Prokofiev's music.

[@mikedunnbmi]

Thanks for this video Nicky x

[@kristingarson2413]

OMG. I need to watch this video every day! At the very least I will watch this video as often as I can! No one talks about this subject...or very few musicians do anyway.

[@danwingham9590]

Great video!!!

[@williamkauffman5745]

Being an artist means that you do something original and unique with your playing. I no longer worry that my interpretations don't sound just like the recordings that I compared myself to.

[@janiceallan2981]

So interesting! Thank you. X