In the 19th century, Popper's High School of Cello Playing, Op. 73 was designated for cello students to refine their playing skills. It was not for nearly a hundred years that such a series of etudes became widely recognised. However, music has naturally evolved with the times. New forms and styles emerged, requiring different timbres, rhythmic phrasing and even playing skill sets.
In 1988, the American cello composer Aaron Miansky wrote his first series of etudes: Ten American Cello Etudes.
Minsky's original intention was to write works in the style of contemporary American pop music. In the published score, he wrote an introduction that described cello in modern music as "dignified but limited" and that it had not transformed as smoothly as the guitar or bass into a common instrument of modern pop music. His Ten American Cello Etudes exercises a mixture of rock, blues, Latin, experimental and other modern influential musical styles. They are not only musically inspiring for cello players, but also provide a real direction on how to approach the relevant styles.
Minsky has been invited by music academies around the world to give guest lectures on the Ten American Cello Etudes and has been very active in sharing his playing on various platforms. In 2008, when video platforms like YouTube became more popular, he saw that more students were posting their practice online. Responding to this new trend, he got involved by giving his own demonstrations as well as ensemble playing with students in order to encourage more cellists to share their hard work with their peers.
Ten American Cello Etudes has been a success since its publication. It has been included in Jeffrey Solow’s published list of "standard cello repertoire". Solow is the instrumental department chair of Temple University (Pennsylvania), and also editor of The Violoncello Society Newsletter (New York). Besides, you may also find the etudes familiar when listening, as they have been included in the examinations of the ABRSM and Trinity College! For example, No. 3 Broadway is a Category C piece for ABRSM Grade 8 in 2020-2023 and a Group A song for Trinity 6 (click here to listen), while No. 1 The Train Whistle (ABRSM Grade 7 / Trinity 6) is also a piece for the 2020-2023 exam. In the former, the lively rhythm of the piece and the wide use of double stops simulate the lively atmosphere of a Broadway musical; in the latter, you can hear a lot of staccatos for creating the atmosphere of a train moving at full speed, which requires students to master a steady and rapid rhythm.
After all, Minsky's series of exercises also reminds us that learning cello is not only about technique, you can also step forward to discover what its musicality can be in the contemporary time. Indeed, thirty years since the publication of the Ten American Cello Etudes, we have witnessed cellists applying their instruments to new works in different genres, even in the music from other cultures. So, what will the next generation of etudes be? Perhaps soon to be found!