Student Recommendations
Recommendation for Dr. Ignacy Gaydamovich
Written by Angelina Juliet Barbosa, Cellist and Alumna of Stetson University, BMP, Class of 2025
It is with great respect and heartfelt appreciation that I write this recommendation for Dr. Ignacy Gaydamovich, whose excellence as a cello teacher has had a profound and lasting impact on my musical and personal growth. His teaching is defined by clear, direct communication, a deep knowledge of cello technique, and a passionate dedication to expressive and meaningful music-making. He provides insightful, precise feedback and has an exceptional ability to identify both the strengths and technical challenges within a student’s playing. Equally important is the warmth, professionalism, and genuine care he brings to every interaction—he is a teacher who truly believes in his students and empowers them to reach their full potential.
In lessons, he combines intellectual rigor with emotional depth. His focus on building a strong technical foundation ensures that students understand what is working, what needs improvement, and how to grow with intention. He skillfully bridges the gap between technique and expression, enabling students to approach their repertoire with greater ease, confidence, and artistry. Through frequent demonstrations, he provides a powerful and clear model of both technical execution and musical phrasing. These demonstrations are not only inspiring but also highly effective in helping students internalize concepts and sound quality.
He is particularly committed to helping students produce excellent sound. His emphasis on playing close to the bridge draws out a resonant tone that brings out the cello’s finest qualities. Drawing from the legacy of legendary cellist János Starker, he has created his own adaptation of Starker’s method in an original work titled Beyond the Octave—a comprehensive and intelligent guide to advanced cello technique. Regular study of key technical repertoire, including Piatti’s Twelve Caprices, Popper’s High School of Cello Playing, and other foundational etudes, is central to his teaching. At the same time, he places high importance on expression and interpretation, helping students explore the emotional language of the music while also guiding them to study the historical context and original manuscripts to deepen their understanding of the composer’s intent.
During my senior year at Stetson University (August 2024 to May 2025), I had the privilege of studying under his guidance. In just ten months, I experienced more growth than I could have imagined. He recognized the strengths in my playing, addressed my technical struggles with clarity and patience, and guided me toward healthy practice habits that transformed my approach. One of the most meaningful highlights was being encouraged to take on repertoire I never imagined I was ready to play at this stage in my journey—and I did. His belief in my potential played a pivotal role in my growth, not only as a cellist but as a developing artist. Looking back now, it is deeply fulfilling to see how far I’ve come and how much I’ve learned.
He provided opportunities not only for individual growth but also for collaboration. Under his leadership, we formed a cello ensemble—a rare and exciting experience at our school. Thanks to his efforts, we were able to present a full cello studio recital in March 2025, featuring solo performances of Piatti Caprices and a group performance with him of Edvard Grieg’s Holberg Suite, followed by Chris Barbosa’s Let the Music Play as an encore, with him conducting the ensemble. This was the first cello studio recital the School of Music had in many years.
My time studying with him coincided with one of the most difficult chapters of my life—the passing of my father in October 2024. In the midst of grief, when I questioned whether I could finish my degree, audition for graduate school, or ever find joy in music again, he never gave up on me. His unwavering support, patience, and belief in my potential carried me through the darkest days. Every lesson and conversation reminded me that music still had meaning, and that there was still purpose in my path. He became more than a teacher—he was a mentor, a guiding light, and a steady presence who helped me rediscover hope. I am forever grateful for the impact he has had on my life.
Thanks to his guidance, I graduated from Stetson University with a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance and was accepted into the University of Central Florida’s Master of Music program—an opportunity he supported and helped me pursue.
He is not only an outstanding pedagogue and accomplished cellist, but also a deeply compassionate and dedicated educator. He helps students reach both their professional goals and their deepest dreams. I consider him the greatest cello teacher I have ever had, and I recommend him with the highest confidence and lasting gratitude.
Sincerely,
Angelina Juliet Barbosa
Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance
Stetson University, Class of 2025
May, 12, 2025
To whom it may concern,
I first met Dr. Ignacy Gaydamovich through a master class for the next interim professor for my college last summer. My original cello professor had just left for a new opportunity at another school and me, and my colleagues were concerned about getting a cello professor to help mentor us in our continued cello studies. He talked extensively about how I could improve my right-hand bow technique and about how it specifically applied to the Brahms symphony No. 2 second movement excerpt I was playing. After playing for him in the masterclass, it was immediately apparent that Dr. Ignacy was very serious about developing a strong set of foundational techniques in my cello playing in addition to showing an in-depth knowledge of the music I was playing.
That semester, Dr. Ignacy served as my interim cello professor.He helped me continue to develop my cello technique like no teacher I have had before and made me and my colleagues play in multiple ensembles outside of orchestra to give us additional chances to incorporate our cello skills. In addition to providing in-depth instruction on my technique studies like etudes and scales, Dr. Ignacy was very accommodating to us. Depending on our musical interests, whether education or performance, Dr. Ignacy tailored our lessons depending on our career interests. For me and my performance colleagues, Dr. Ignacy stressed our technical ability to prepare us for graduate studies.
Dr. Ignacy, in addition to providing us with exceptional undergraduate mentorship, Dr. Ignacy was a very friendly and encouraging teacher, setting up end of semester get togethers for us to connect, relax and reflect on our semester’s cello accomplishments and future goals. After getting to know Dr. Ignacy this last year, I think he will be a great inspiration and mentor anywhere he goes.
2023-Current Assistant Principal Cellist Stetson University Orchestra
Anthony Toro
Chart of Studying Music
During my time at Texas Christian University, I mentioned to students that the order of learning the piece should be outside-in. Now, finally, I found time to make a slide representing this idea.
The premise is simple but easily forgettable when you practice. Best description would be to say:
"Every accent will be different depending on the context in which it appears".
During my time at Texas Christian University, I mentioned to students that the order of learning the piece should be outside-in. Now, finally, I found time to make a slide representing this idea.
The premise is simple but easily forgettable when you practice. Best description would be to say:
"Every accent will be different depending on the context in which it appears".
Here you can see what hierarchy should be followed at least as a starting point. These circles can be changed at will but generally speaking, you should consider your musical choices always in the context of the bigger oval. Therefore, terms like "good sound" or "good articulation" become too arbitrary for a serious performance. Accent in a Shostakovich Concerto No. 1 first theme of the first movement will be quite different than accent in the second movement of this concerto. Same goes for any expressive tool or sound quality. It changes drastically when outside oval implies a different treatment.
As mature musicians, we need to develop an array of expressive tools that become relevant to every oval of the chart that we consider. Simply trying to learn to play "well" or "with good sound" will result in insipid performances, stripped of definitive character and deep expression. In order to portray the music, one must find out as much as possible about the context (composer, genre, meter associations etc.) and through that make informed decisions (informed intuition blog entry) about the details of the musical text. In the academic world, I hear too much about learning a bare technique that's supposed to create a magnificent player. Music IS technique. Every piece has to be considered on its own terms, with specific technique that allows the listener to transcend into your world.
Please leave your comments here, I would love to have a discussion about the validity of my observations.
Thoughts on music while traveling
Country of Lebanon is full of contrasts. You have Christians living side by side with Muslims. Mosques across churches, modern restaurants in ancient ruins, incredible Lebanese food served with French fries and coleslaw, hookah served with sashimi, full symphony orchestra withy great musicians and not a single educational orchestra program. Children here speak Arabic, English and French.
Country of Lebanon is full of contrasts. You have Christians living side by side with Muslims. Mosques across churches, modern restaurants in ancient ruins, incredible Lebanese food served with French fries and coleslaw, hookah served with sashimi, full symphony orchestra withy great musicians and not a single educational orchestra program. Children here speak Arabic, English and French.
The week here was really exhausting but I have learned probably more than I could teach. Here one can feel how much of a difference you make teaching music. These young people have never experienced playing music together. I hope that in the future when these kids will become adults with their own opinions and beliefs - they will remember that experience. That we are all sharing the joy of music together and we are all equal under the composer. Between gun shots and Ramadan celebrations I can only be thankful for this experience of feeling the real power of music.
There is a beautiful cave next to the city. It was considered one of the wonders of the world. If you take repetition and variation as hen basis for describing the beauty of music - that cave was a perfect example. The stalactites and stalagmites were all made almost in exact same way, formed similarly to each other, creating churches and organs, however, not a single one of them was similar to the other one.
I think this relates to music directly. We play notes and we repeat phrases, gestures, dynamics, articulations, sections, but not a single note can be executed the same way twice. The variety of nuance is really the key to understanding the beauty of nature and art.
Informed Intuition
Imagination is a powerful tool that lets us transcend from here to anywhere. It is powerful enough in children to create a different reality. The more we are aware of our surroundings, the less we engage with our imagination. But it has to be paired with knowledge. Without knowledge and understating, pure imagination can be a false trait.
a few thoughts and quotes...
Imagination is a powerful tool that lets us transcend from here to anywhere. It is powerful enough in children to create a different reality. The more we are aware of our surroundings, the less we engage with our imagination. But it has to be paired with knowledge. Without knowledge and understating, pure imagination can be a false trait.
In music, without imagination the art is gone. But imagination has to feed on something. It's not coming just from within. The greatest geniuses on Earth had been studying their art all their lives. Their abilities to comprehend were stunning and fast, and their imagination blossomed, producing new paths, connecting what was impossible before with the help of intuition.
Intuition cannot be left to itself. One needs to be full with possibilities and questions to be able to trust intuition. After all, it's needs to choose between best solutions, not the worst ones.
A great writer requires a great reader.
The task falls onto a performer. We know how to make great sounds, vibrate, use various bow speeds, etc. Technique comes from great artists who used it in order to express what they felt and thought. Playing another Beethoven sonata with all that information surely will sound "good" but what's the point? Imagine a prophet that repeats the words of another prophet but instead of believing in them, he just repeats the words with a practiced expression. Is it really gonna cut through the skins and bones to the hearts of people? In a political campaigns - those with most energy and sincerity win over those who have great points but are passive orators. The sound has to carry your feeling and thought. Your imagination is the one that creates the connection between music you see and music you play for others. Great Slava said - sound is not important. It is your relationship with music that is important. Today there are far too many cellists that play without caring deeply for the music they perform. They do all the things they've learned, and they do them well, but the outcome is very predictable.
Playing a piece is like proposing to an audience through music - words of Rostropovich. You have to be sincere. It has to come from your gut, from you belief. But where do we find enough strength to believe in our musical choices? Studying. Not practicing, studying. It's all in the music, life, and context of the composer and his time. We need to feed our intuition with the most healthy and nutritious meals, then it will pay back with a confident choice.
Below is a video that explains to actors and audience members how to "read" a theatrical text. All musical markings and hints, and "genius" harmonic and formal changes are not for the audience - they are for us, to guide us. To help performers understand the music they play. If we take them as a guide - we can express more truthfully the meaning behind the text.
So after you fed yourself with information by reading, listening to your heart, to others, to other works, after studying form and harmony, you have to ask yourself what is this phrase, note, passage, page, expositions, movement, work about? And only then you can rely on your intuition that will help you decide - where is that phrase going and how I will shape it.
The score is a mere skeleton of what music really is. If you follow just the design of the score, the best you get is the answer that "this was a dinosaur or a cathedral based on bones and blueprints". Thats not enough. you have to be the animal, the priest inside. In words of Yo-Yo Ma - bad musicians show you the architecture of music, good musicians let you experience it.
Its like a guide that shows us painting by Seurat up close. We see every brush. As artists we need to be able to see the far away, and hear like an audience member, doing the details up close at the same time.
