LACO violin, Jacqueline Brand remembers the tremendous violinist, and her teacher, Ruggiero Ricci, who passed away on Sunday:
“Almost every day that I practice, I hear Mr. Ricci’s words in my head. No. No. Tune that up, make that more exact…they were a kind and loving reminder of how important it was to really play in tune and accurate. And then there are the images of him demonstrating a devilishly difficult passage on the violin itself. Wait, how did you do that? Show me again, I would say…and his fingers would bend around the fingerboard in a way that could only be shown, not spoken. I can still see his hands making clear the notes that were so difficult to play. I think of him and the hours I spent playing music with him, and for him, back when I was very young. He was kind, loving and his love of the violin was contagious. He taught me more than just the violin…how to be a lady in the face of competition, how to try and relax and just play the fiddle…a kind and gentle soul that is deep inside my technique and heart. I was lucky to have him in my life… he was a giant of the violin.
I hope these words help express who Ruggiero Ricci was to me.
Thank you for the opportunity to express my memories of him.”