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Some of the youngest musicians at SFCM got a cutting-edge music lesson as Emanuel Ax visited for a special masterclass in October.

“I was nervous to play for such a well-known and respected musician, but he was very kind and incredibly patient,” said 14-year-old violinist Sydney Li-Jenkins. “He was very detail-oriented and helped with all the nitty-gritty details, but at the same time, he connected the feedback to an overarching concept for the entire piece,” Sydney added. Sydney has been part of SFCM’s Pre-College Program for eight years, and called the masterclass “an incredible experience.”

Ax works with Sydney Li-Jenkins, Elan Dorman Mackenzie, and Kamil Iny-Woods.

“It was such an honor to be able to work with Mr. Ax in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said 17-year-old Kayla Lee, a violin player. “He offered unique insights and guided us through some tricky spots with voicing issues while keeping us laughing throughout,” Kayla added.

Ax, a well known GRAMMY-winning classical pianist and musician, last visited SFCM for a collegiate masterclass in October 2023, about which he reflected, "SFCM has some really exceptionally talented students.”  Ax is represented by Opus 3 Artists and Askonas Holt, the leading artist management companies acquired by SFCM now part of SFCM’s growing alliance  to enhance the student experience.

Pre-College students Kayla Lee, Starla Breshears.

“SFCM Pre-College is able to provide masterclasses with world-class artists such as Emanuel Ax because of the alliance with Opus 3 Artists,” said Pre-College Executive Director and Associate Dean Justin Sun. “This partnership is another reason why SFCM provides an unparalleled music education experience for our Pre-College students. The impact that this masterclass had on our students will last them a lifetime.” The Pre-College division provides an immersive set of programs that instill the value of music in youth 18 and under. Programs integrate private lessons with musicianship courses, small and large ensemble experiences, master classes, jury assessments, and performance opportunities, with the goal of making music a core part of children’s lives.

SFCM's Sydney Li-Jenkins, Elan Dorman Mackenzie, and Kamil Iny-Woods.

During the masterclass Ax spoke with students on learning the meaning behind the music, as well as how to work cohesively as a group, while still letting their individual part shine through. “He was so detailed and also kind. Learning from him was awesome,” said 15-year-old Elan Dorman Mackenzie, a cello player. “Having this opportunity to work with Mr. Ax is something I will always be grateful for,” he added.

“The biggest lesson I learned was that when performing, you have to really exaggerate everything you do,” Sydney added of her biggest takeaway from the masterclass, “When Mr. Ax was asking us to have a bigger contrast in dynamics, I had to really make the fortissimos much louder and the pianissimos as quiet as possible, almost like there was no sound coming out at all.” 

Learn more about SFCM’s Pre-College program.