CLASSICAL GUITAR MAGAZINE - 2009

LETTER FROM NEW YORK

by Julia Crowe

Ms. Tali Roth, who runs the Juilliard School of Music's Pre-College division
guitar programme, performed a mini concert demonstration followed by a
masterclass on the use of castanets with flamenco dancer Silvia Duran.

Ms. Roth performed a short concert which featured Albeniz' RUMORES
DE LA CALETA;  Granados' SPANISH DANCE NO. 5;
Albeniz' TANGO IN D MAJOR and the ASTURIAS LEYENDA
accompanied by Silvia Duran's distinctive and rhythmical castanet- playing
and traditional Spanish dance.

Ms. Duran, who runs a school of Spanish dance in Israel, carried herself
with a youthful gait and grace, dressed in a flowing black robe.  She has a
commanding presence, marked by beautifully expressive eyes with her hair
set into place with a traditional ornamental "peineta".  Her fire red polish on
her fingernails, which flashed to unfold a gold and black lace trimmed fan,
blurred in motion at they tapped a staccato trill out of her polished black
castanets.  Not even the tepid repeated attempts of a father admonishing his
son to put away a mobile telephone while seated in the front row could
detract from the focused polish and quality of Ms. Roth and Ms Duran's
performance.

Afterward, Duran provided the students with a masterclass introduction on
the art of the castanets, starting with how she keeps the castanets tucked inside
her bodice and close to the skin to acquire body warmth until they are needed.
She explained how the right and left hand castanets are each different in pitch,
with the higher-pitched castanet "hembra" worn on the right hand and the lower
pitched "macho" on the left.  Duran instructed on the necessity of applying a tight
loop upon the thumb in order to keep the castanets fixed in an open position for
better response when applying a finger roll.  For a demonstration, she asked the
ensemble to play Machado's "Xote" and explained the system of counting or compas.
By the end of the lecture she had the group ending their clapping in perfect unison
at her lead.

"I've worked with Silvia Duran, the Spanish Dance Master, for the last five years."
Roth said.  "We are using the castanets as a chamber instrument to complement the
guitar, and the Spanish dance movements enhance the expression of the music."
Starting with a successful show in Tel Aviv Duran and Roth were invited to perform
in Tokio's Haiyuza Theatre in the Roppongi district.  The local Japanese newspaper
called the performance "magical".