our lovely dogs

Maxine Vespucci Pierini in Florida 2006









This is Maxine Vespucci Pierini, called 'Max' at age 10 and a half. She lived in Miami, then in Ohio, then in Sarasota, Florence and Muenster Germany. She then moved to a lovely apartment in Nordhausen, Germany. Before going to sleep in the evening, she puts all her little toys an furry friends to sleep comfortably on her soft blanket. I saw her in January 2011 in Germany, I'll see her again in the summer. She has now left us, full of tumors.
Ecco il nostro carinissima amica di famiglia, Golden Retriever la signora Maxine Vespucci Pierini chiamata "Max", anni 10 e mezzo. Ha abitato prima a Miami, poi in Ohio, poi a Sarasota, Firenze e Muenster, e ora sta in un apartamento nuovo con pavimenti di parquet a Nordhausen. preferiva il tappetto morbido di lana della casa precedente. Comunque, prima di coricarsi la sera, mette anche a dormire sempre tutti i suoi "bambini", anatroccolo e coniglietto "bunny". Fine gennaio ci siamo visitati in Germania, forse ad aprile viene a trovarmi a Firenze.


Our beautiful Maxine left us in October 2011, now Elena has brought home a lovely, once mistreated German Shepherd from the dog shelter, Raika. Let's hope both get along well. The dog is now learning English.
Nostra bella Maxine ci ha lasciato ottobre 2011, e adesso, novembre 2012 Elena ha portato a casa una bella quieta sofferta cagna di 4 anni, Raika, di antica razza Pastore Tedesco. Speriamo si trovano bene tutti e due. Il cane ora sta imparando la lingua inglese.

conductor Elena Pierini - review of Christmas Concert

Dirigierende Florentinerin liebt Pasta
Montagabend, ein trotz miserablen Wetters gut besuchtes „Da Capo“ mit erwartungsvollen Gästen, die für ihr Kommen reichlich belohnt wurden – mit Informationen und Anekdoten aus dem künstlerischen Werdegang von Elena Pierini, der neuen Chordirektorin am Theater Nordhausen und Kapellmeisterin beim Loh-Orchester Sondershausen und mit musikalischen Einlagen des Opernchores vom Theater Nordhausen. Zur Begrüßung sang der Opernchor unter dem Dirigat von Elena Pierini vorab aus dem Programm des diesjährigen Weihnachtskonzertes das Lied „Candlelight Carol“ von John Rutter, ein bemerkenswert schönes Lied zur Weihnacht. Danach ging’s zur Sache, Elena Pierini. Angela Kalms und Dr. Götz Ehrhardt befragten sie, so wie wir das von ihnen gewöhnt sind, professionell, tiefgründig – wollten alles wissen. Und Elena Pierini antwortete spontan, hemmungslos auf alles – in deutsch!
Elena Pierini wurde als Tochter einer amerikanischen Klavierprofessorin und eines italienischen Malers in Florenz geboren. Musischer konnte das Elternhaus gar nicht sein. So kam es, dass sie bereits mit fünf Jahren Klavierspielen zu lernen begann. Dazu bemerkte sie, dass es große Unterschiede in der Technik des Klavierspielens (italienisch und russisch) gibt. Auf die Frage welche Technik sie anwende, antwortete sie – dazwischen. Ihren ersten öffentlichen (unsichtbaren) Auftritt hatte sie ebenfalls mit fünf, als sie ihrer Mama beim Orgeldiplom assistierte, indem sie eines der Fußpedale der Orgel bediente.
Mit sechs Jahren begann Elena Pierini ein zweites Instrument zu spielen – sie quälte sich, wie sie selbst sagte, zwei Jahre mit der Geige und ihren zu kleinen Fingern. Also zurück zum Klavier.
Als Elena acht Jahre alt war, gründete ihre Mama einen Kinderchor und Elena wurde natürlich Mitglied dieses Chores. Ihre Mama verfolgte damit eine ganz bestimmte Absicht, nämlich ihrem Kind und den anderen Kindern nicht nur den Chorgesang sondern auch das Drum und Dran, ohne das ein Chor nicht funktioniert, wie Verantwortungsbewusstsein, Disziplin, Respekt und soziales Verhalten zu vermitteln. Mit dem Kinderchor durfte Elena bereits an Theateraufführungen in Florenz und im europäischen Ausland mitwirken.
Mit elf Jahren unternahm Elena einen erneuten Versuch für das Studium eines zweiten Instrumentes, zur Überraschung für ihre Mama wählte sie das Schlagzeug. Mit 21 Jahren hatte sie das Diplom für Klavier und für Schlagzeug in der Tasche. Zu diesem Zeitpunkt reifte in ihr der Entschluss, statt selbst als Solistin lieber mit Sängern, z.B. mit Chören zu arbeiten, d.h. Chöre auf ihre Auftritte komplett vorzubereiten, mit allem, was dazu gehört.
Ihr Rüstzeug dazu holte sich Elena in den USA. 1997 bekam sie ein sechswöchiges Praktikum in New York und gleich im Anschluss daran den damit verbundenen Job. Um ihren Lebensunterhalt bestreiten zu können, musste sie Nebenjobs ausüben, Vorbereitung von weiteren vier Chören im Großraum von New York (Harlem, Brooklyn u.a.). Dazu musste sie Fahrzeiten bis zu sechs Stunden in Kauf nehmen. Gleichzeitig versuchte sie dreimal erfolglos einen Studienplatz für Dirigieren in New York zu bekommen. Nach zwei Jahren in New York ging sie nach Miami, wo ihr das Klima und das Flair besonders gut gefielen. Auf Vermittlung ihrer Mama bekam sie in Miami die Chance, Dirigieren zu studieren. Nach drei Jahren hat sie ihr Studium erfolgreich abgeschlossen. Nur einen Job hatte sie nicht. Den bekam sie 2003 nach vielen Telefonaten in Ohio. Mit einem Cabrio fuhr sie ahnungslos aber hoffnungsvoll vom sonnigen Miami ins kalte, vom Industriesmog geschwängerten, am umweltgeschädigten, pechschwarzen Ohio River gelegenen Stadt Ohio. Sie gewann sehr bald den Eindruck, dass auch mit den Menschen hier was nicht stimmte, die waren auch umweltgeschädigt. Elena konnte und wollte sich an diese Arbeitsbedingungen überhaupt nicht gewöhnen und kehrte Ohio nach elf Monaten wieder den Rücken und ging nach Sarasota, wo sie bis 2007 arbeitete.
Nun nahm sie wieder Europa ins Visier. Burgas in Bulgarien war die erste Station. Hier belegte sie Sommerkurse als Orchesterleiterin. 2008 entschied sich Elena nach Deutschland zu gehen. Sie wusste von der großen Theaterlandschaft in Deutschland und versprach sich gute Chancen darin einzutauchen. Ein gewagter Schritt, denn sie sprach kein Wort Deutsch – kaum zu glauben, wenn man sie heute deutsch sprechen hört – Kompliment!
Zunächst wirkte Elena als Korrepetitorin am Theater in Münster. Von dort wurde sie mit einem Angebot ans Aalto-Musiktheater Essen geholt. Das große Haus in Essen hat sie fasziniert und hat bei ihr Erwartungen geschürt. Dennoch setzte Elena wohl noch größere Erwartungen in die Stellenausschreibung der Theater Nordhausen/Loh-Orchester Sondershausen GmbH, indem sie sich dafür bewarb und ab der Spielzeit 2010/2011 als Chordirektorin und Kapellmeisterin engagiert wurde. Dabei hatte sie anfangs gar keine genaue Vorstellung von der geographischen Lage von Nordhausen – so etwa neben Leipzig. Heute verkündet sie mit Überzeugung: hier ist die Atmosphäre gut, das findet man nicht oft. Ihre bisherigen Projekte in Nordhausen waren die Übernahmen aus der vorangegangenen Spielzeit „Jekyll & Hyde“, „Wildschütz“ und die Neuinszenierung „Eugen Onegin“. Die nächsten Projekte sind „Gräfin Mariza“, Das Weihnachtskonzert mit dem Loh-Orchester und „Der Bajazzo / Gianni Schicchi“. Da ist auch was von ihrem Lieblingskomponisten Puccini dabei.
Wir haben heute eine Frau kennen gelernt, die ihre Arbeit liebt und sich mit Vehemenz in ihre Arbeit rein kniet. Sie hat damit unsere Erwartungshaltung an sie sehr hochgeschraubt. Wir wünschen Elena Pierini, auch in unserem Sinne, viel Erfolg mit dem Opernchor Nordhausen und dem Loh-Orchester Sondershausen.
Last but not least : vielen Dank für die musikalischen Kostproben des Opernchores an diesem Abend – unter Begleitung von Johannes Merkle am Klavier bekamen wir zwischendurch und zum Abschied noch den „Din, Don-Chor“ aus dem „Bajazzo“ von Leoncavallo und das Lied zur Weihnacht „The Twelve Days Of Christmas“ von John Rutter zu hören – wunderbar.

2010 Christmas Concert review for Elena Pierini

Weihnachtskonzert - English summary at the end

Da wehte ein reichlich frischer Schneewind durch die Sitzreihen des Nordhäuser Theaters.
Hinein geblasen hatte ihn die neue Chordirektorin Elena Pierini, in deren Händen die Leitung des diesjährigen Weihnachtskonzertes lag.... Unter dem Motto „Winterzauber“ spannte die gebürtige Italienerin, die viele Jahre in den USA wirkte, einen Bogen von der Musik aus dem englischen Sprachraum hin zu den uns vertrauten traditionellen Klängen.
Dass dabei die Mehrheit der ausgewählten Lieder und Musikwerke aus dem ersteren Bereich stammte, ist verständlich und brachte besagten frischen Wind. Manchen Zuhörern mag er zu eisig gewesen sein, wie an ihren Reaktionen zu vernehmen war, die meisten jedoch gaben durch stürmischen Beifall ihrer Zustimmung Ausdruck. Zu welcher Seite man sich auch immer bekennen mochte, es war ein bezauberndes Konzert mit großer Ausstrahlung.
Sehr emotional führte die Dirigentin das Loh-Orchester, den Opernchor und die Solistin Anja Daniela Wagner in dem „Gruß an die heilige Nacht“ von Max Bruch und stimmte damit feierlich auf das bevorstehende Fest ein.
Stimmungsvoll intonierte auch Marek Adam Smentek, 1. Konzertmeister des Loh-Orchesters, an diesem Abend als Solist, das „Ständchen“ aus dem Ballett „Der Schneemann“ von Erich Wolfgang Korngold.
Mit einer Auswahl von drei Weihnachtsliedern lernte das Publikum den englischen Komponisten John Rutter kennen. In „Shepherd’s Pipe Carol“ nach einem traditionellen Text waren vor allem rhythmische Akzente gesetzt und im Lied von den 12 Weihnachtstagen erzählt der Komponist eine heitere Geschichte, in der der Chor durch hohes Tempo sehr gefordert war. Dazwischen erklang als schöner Kontrast das Lied „Candlelight Carol“, dessen emotionaler Vortrag in perfekter Intonation ein Höhepunkt im Konzert wurde.
Die optische und klangliche Wirkung des Chores hätte noch besser zur Geltung kommen können, wenn dieser auf der Bühne günstiger positioniert gewesen wäre.
Dann endlich kamen auch die jüngeren Konzertbesucher auf ihre Kosten. Auf die Geschichte vom Schneemann hatte das wunderschöne Bühnenbild doch schon die ganze Zeit aufmerksam gemacht. In der spannenden Erzählung von Raymond Briggs erfuhren die Hörer von einem Traum des kleinen Tom, oder war es doch kein Traum? Die Wirkung der Worte wurde verstärkt und zum Teil illustriert durch die Musik, die der englische Komponist Howard Blake geschrieben hat. Das große Sinfonieorchester, noch erweitert durch Klavier, Celesta, Harfe und jede Menge interessantes Schlagwerk, vermochte mit Tönen zu malen und jeden, ob groß, ob klein, ob jung oder alt, in seinen Bann zu ziehen.
Sigrid Herforth ging als Erzählerin sehr geschickt auf die Kinder ein (teilweise hätte ihr Part tontechnisch besser ausgesteuert werden können), auch die Musiker hatten sichtliche Freude beim Spielen, wobei die beiden Schlagzeuger harte Arbeit zu leisten hatten. Eine besondere Anerkennung verdient aber Richard Heitmann, der mit seiner klaren und reinen Knabenstimme das Solo des Tom sang.
Sehr lange applaudierte das Publikum als Dank für diesen Winterzauber. So gab es zwei Zugaben, die das Weihnachtskonzert sinnreich abrundeten. Nach dem bekannten, vom Chor noch einmal temperamentvoll gestalteten „We wish you a mery Christmas“, stimmte die Dirigentin das Lied aller Lieder „Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht“ an, und das Publikum durfte mitsingen.
Wir gratulieren der neuen Chordirigentin, Frau Elena Pierini, für ihr erfolgreiches Debüt und wünschen ihr weiterhin eine erfolgreiche Arbeit am Theater Nordhausen.

Christel Laude

Fresh wind has come to Nordhausen, we have a new conductor. Elena conducted with emotion, she started with a blast (geblasen). The program of the "Magic Winter" concert was very interesting because it was varied and there was something for everyone, big and small. The orchestra painted the large piece with many sorts of colors depicting the story. The choir was perfectly in tune in one of the Rutter pieces. The audience applauded very much, so much that at the end there were 2 encores where the choir showed off in fast tempi again and the audience got to sing Stille Nacht. At the end the writer congratulates Elena on her successful debut concert and wishes her a proficous future with her endeavors at the Theater.

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM CANARY

http://www.seabirdstudio.com/Christmas2010.html

Joanna's Christmas Cake

CHRISTMAS CAKE RECIPE from my friend Joanna 2010

INGREDIENTS:
1 tsp baking soda
1 stick of butter
1 cup of water
2 cups of flour

1 cup of sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup of brown sugar
Lemon juice
4 large eggs
Nuts
2 bottles wine + + + + watch out for this ingredient !
2 cups of dried fruit

Sample the wine to check quality.
Take a large bowl, check the wine again.
To be sure it is of the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink.
Repeat. Turn on the electric mixer.
Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add one teaspoon of sugar. Beat again. At this point it's best to make sure the wine is still OK. Try another cup... Just in case.
Turn off the mixerer thingy. Break 2 eggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.
Pick the frigging fruit up off floor. Mix on the turner.. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers just pry it loose with a drewscriver.
Sample the wine to check for tonsisticity. Next, sift two cups of salt. Or something. Check the wine. Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one table. Add a spoon of sugar, or some fink. Whatever you can find. Greash the oven. Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over. Don't forget to beat off the turner. Finally, throw the bowl through the window. Finish the wine and wipe counter with the cat. Go to David Jones and buy cake.

Bingle Jells!

at the opera theater !

a few anecdotes here - -

We are at the opera theater everyday rehearsing and rehearsing with our kids from the music school. Twice now, Zubin Mehta speaks loud into his mike at rehearsals for the Strauss opera "Woman without a Shadow" - a lovely story - after the kids sing alone and says "bravi bambini" (kids ages 10 to 25! - I wasn't taking any chance, it's a difficult score to sing well) - and twice he tells the solists from Act 1 not to sing with the kids in act 3 on the first two long phrases. So that's a double wammy that has made the kids so proud -

these stupid 6 soloists sent by some agency sing at the TOP of their voices ! Mehta keeps asking them to sing softer - everyone is being miked into the theater from another big hall - but these soloists follow a new singing technique: Yell as loud as you can -

And Mehta held my hand for what seemed 10 minutes telling me that I did well getting more kids on stage in act 2, and how well the kids sing that high C (three times) in act 3 - so I am still trying not to wash my hand. He also thanked me for telling him that the stage directors wouldn't let the added kids on stage because they didn't know the stage movements . . Mehta needed to hear them, I brought them to the theater on purpose. So he stopped everything and screamed at everyone "get those extra kids on stage, anywhere, let them sing, you can stage them later" They hopped to it ! ! ! probably cursing me the whole time

Well, then last night the whole schedule has been changed for 3 days - emails emails - - some families had kids on school trips, they were organized to go pick them up to bring them back to Florence, now some won't be back and others have very kindly reorganized !

We open in 2 weeks - - the soloists totally do NOT know their part yet, and things are very complicated to put together - 4 hours of music, brass players off stage, choruses in another room blah blah - - mike man always disappears just when Mehta wants something louder or softer. He has to smoke. Poor Zubin, he treats me so well though, he speaks fluent German to the accompanying pianist and music director, italian to the orchestral players, english to me, other languages to some of the singers from Bulgaria or elsewhere - - one speaks english.

And in the meantime we are having rehearsals for another opera, Parrot Island, music by Nino Rota, opening May 27th and 28th. And rehearsals are in PRATO - nearby town! ! ! we need to bus the kids

and the school wants my programs for end of year concerts, june 24th. . ahi

and our Swedish friends are here this week and want to come sing for us during our lesson time at school - the kids aren't even there! Well, they'll sing for me and my pianist

I mentioned to the music school's head that I am writing an opera for kids, she said "hurry up - we need a new opera every year" WOW - that's incoragging - I have written a story and am trying to write the libretto too - - then the music!

I need to put it in 2 languages for now - english and italian - then we can get the German done if the theater where Elena works wants to put it on. I have a German mom, she'd help me translate if necessary, at least translate the story!

The story is a modern version of the Sword and the Stone . . story of King Arthur as a child.

I changed the end of the Duel scene again, Merlin the magician becomes first a mouse then a VIRUS, and infects the witch who falls ill, he and Arthur and the animals flee to the sword tournament, then have a party and Merlin phones the Witch (on an oversized cell phone) to see how she is, she says "I'd never miss a good party, I'm inviting myself. I searched in cyber space and found an ANTI-VIRUS that works and I was cured instantly, so now I am coming to your party". The story has electronic stuff throughout - - remote controls, cell phones etc. The witch gets on her cloud and floats in to join everyone for the final scene. The two magicians sing together for the final chorus and dance with the 2 children's choruses and other soloists and dancers.

Now I just have to find some free time to work on the libretto, then the music! That's the easiest part

TEACHING IN ITALY (a woman alone with a new method!)

I guess I'm supposed to write a book by this time explaining my experiences and experiments in the matter of teaching children how to read musical notation and how to appreciate their own endeavors and those of others; the fact is teaching music is a very personal adventure and each teacher necessarily brings to his/her students a composite of personal knowledge and capabilities. I must admit that I have met certain people convinced to know things they don't, and frankly they make AWFUL teachers. So one must be honest and open to improvement, and basically always stay on the ball updating their knowledge. I still have friends that cannot work email! Now these are college professors and great musicians, I cannot accept their weak excuses. A little motivation here . . please! Look at me, all these new languages and doing everything on my own . . with a little organisation and faith in your own capabilities, anything can be done. Look at my daughter, she's a big wig now in a famous Opera Theater in Germany, she always studied and always worked hard, and though she made numerous mistakes through the years, I always helped her out (people often criticized me for this) but I knew that someday she would successfully come through the struggle of finding her place in the professional music world. So faith, constant work and motivation are very important aspects. One must stay OUT of depression, one must EAT well, sleep enough and always have a PROJECT in mind. Look at my friend Dr Ann Gravino! Lots of problems but always studied to become someone better and more knowledgeable and now she too has a new position that she enjoys. ENJOY life . . and earn money while you're at it, that's the secret - - even Larry King says this all the time on his tv show.

So, getting back to teaching music, first of all, those who wish to teach ANYTHING really, should be sure of what they know before explaining things to young minds; they must update their knowledge constantly and feel the urge personally to do so, not update because one gets points and the government obliges all teachers to do so. That's a lousy system and takes away all motivation. Updating personal knowledge doesn't imply taking a COURSE somewhere thinking this will do it as what happens often in Western cultures that feel the necessity to uniform teaching situations and the successes of the students, funding those schools that achieve better grades. This just utterly stinks, too easy.

In Europe for many years now, funding from the EU - centered in Brussels - goes to those schools and theaters that can prove (on paper) that everything is better organised, money is not wasted and new ideas were being taught and the students were making incredible progress. So NEW COURSES INVENTED & taught by the smart people in the know of the political situation have grabbed up a lot of EXTRA MONEY in the State Conservatories and Universities - - I of course had no idea of new courses and I teach children as a profession, and there are very few children in the State Conservatory that has now become "University" equivalent, Institutes of HIGHER EDUCATION - Instead, at the Fiesole Music School where I teach children, we believe that children are our future and the investment in a good education in music is essential for future humanity.

All teachers in Europe have had to fill out PROGESS FORMS (including reports on EVERY student with their personal name mentioned - so much for Privacy) as if those who were reading them in Brussels had some idea of what they were judging. So if these things needed to be done, fine, but they really DO NOT COUNT on a personal level, they count for political - financial needs, which are necessary of course, but personally what have any of us gotten out of this system - still in act? Are the students smarter? More motivated? N O O O O - - instead I caught one kid stealing my beloved colored plastified music cards to take home the other day - these excited him . . I offered to make him some for himself but I told him you don't steal MINE ! I needed them first of all, and stealing is a NO NO . . . I think, is that still in vogue?

I have noticed over the past 30 years or so especially in the USA, that there are state-wide or inter-state curriculums and exams, and BIG books to follow with classroom lessons all laid out. This is why it has never crossed my mind to introduce my methods on a large scale, anywhere. Basically most music teachers have the BIG books to follow, imposed upon them or are so entrenched in their own methods or lack of, that understanding something new becomes a great weight! Once Boosey and Hawkes NY editors asked me to develop a BIG BOOK with lessons laid out for the Italian market, I nearly died laughing, we don't anything like this in Italy because basically music is only taught in the Music Conservatories and private music schools and no one coordinates anything here much less teaching lessons!

Now we have new laws and new curriculums, Italy is beginning to have MUSIC PUBLIC SCHOOLS . . at all levels, the new graduates from the Conservatories will have a chance at occupation in the field that they love: music and kids. So many of my ex-students are living and working successfully in other countries. I think though that now in unified Europe, people from Euroland can work anywhere in any country without problems, they need to know the local language. My daughter now lives and works in Germany but she has learned the language basically, maybe not enough to write an essay, but she can teach and rehearse in German.

(I love writing in English because it goes so nice and fast, I can write in Italian too but sometimes I get blocked thinking of certain grammatical problems. There are words in Italian that combine together like this: "I gave it to him" - "Gliel'ho dato" Basically ending up in 2 words in Italian. That is tough, also in Southern Italy they use the Plural "you" to be polite, not so in Northern Italy. So many times I have been embarassed talking to southern Italians asking them who they are refering to when they talk to me because I hear a plural YOU when they are just being polite. In Northern Italy there is the polite singular form of YOU, and that makes more sense to me seeing as I am only ONE person). In Italian the parenthesis symbol comes after a final period, but I believe still in English it comes before. It's tough living in two languages, my daughter now lives in three languages, and when she lived in Miami she had a lot of Spanish to deal with too, of course with Italian as her mother tongue, Spanish sounded like some western dialect.

Well to get back to my teaching methods in Italy, seeing that the century-old strict, only spoken solfegge tradition is held up in the Music Conservatories, basically NOT interesting to children, I needed to develop my own system that would interest and teach young and older children. I am using the same system basically since 1980, and all my students learn to read music and interpret notation according to the epoch in which the music was written through Choral singing and basic piano playing - which often I do together.
Notation changes with the times, it once was on a staff of 4 lines and odd shaped diagonal notes, and there is not just one way of READING notes and rhythms. In the 18th century a ONE DOTTED NOTE was interpreted with a DOUBLE DOT. The accompanying keyboard artist had one note written for the left hand with NUMBERS underneath to indicate chords (really indicating the intervals that were formed over the bass note). This was called basso continuo and was a great art which included embellishments and unharmonic tones that needed resolution.

So my method basically leaves you free to invent your own system of notation, move the C clef where you wish, color notes, make designs and put the notes on the lines and circles, sing at first approximating the intervals and rhythms, give titles to your music as if you were analyzing your score. Freedom, liberty and new expression. When we sing music then you can really hear IT - inventiveness and judgement - this is beautiful - - that is ugly. When we have visiting choirs to our music school, my students are able to judge immediately, and they do so, sometimes to our embarassment! They are free to invent their interpretation, and in my MADRIGAL course, which includes a cappella singing in small groups and also SOLO singing, the young adolescents are FREE to interpret arias and early music, even songs from musicals and American/English composers. Many times things sound a little absurd, but the course is FULL of willing and interested students, to the point that they need to come to my house for single lessons - which are a joy to me - because each of the 12 students should be doing ONE solo, but at least 6 are doing duets too - Haendel - Vivaldi - Purcell - Pergolesi. And they study from YOUTUBE - - why not, we even get ideas on the embellishments for the baroque songs.
Yes - this topic is to be continued - it is very complex I believe, it goes far beyond just teaching music, it goes into forming minds and patterns of behavior.