PHILIP A. DRAGANOV

Philip A. Draganov was appointed Professor of Violin at the Bern Academy of the Arts. The HKB is one of the outstanding art schools in Europe.

His work at the HKB focuses on:

-Preparing his students for national and international violin competitions

-Preparing his students for concerts as a soloist with orchestra and as chamber musicians

-Preparation for orchestra auditions

-Training of future teachers

-Preparation for exams

1. Individual lesson (depending on the course of study 75-90 minutes)

2. Technique class (currently every Wednesday evening):

Every student of the class receives an individual technique program, based on weaknesses and as part of a “semester topic”. Special individual exercises will help the student to improve. The semester topic is articulated for each student in front of the class in the beginning of the semester. In the end of the semester the class discusses the improvement.
In the technique class we work on all aspects of violin technique.

For the left hand this could be:

- Intonation
- Shifting
- Relaxation
- Dropping fingers
- Fast fingers/speed
- Chords
- Trills
- Harmonics
- Left-hand pizzicato
- Vibrato
- Avoiding aches and pains

For the right hand it could be:

- All different strokes and bowings
- Relaxation
- Bow changes
- Evenness
- Tone production
- Contact exercises
- Chords
- Avoiding aches and pains

In class, every student performs every week:

- Scales
- Arpeggios
- Double-stops
- Individual exercises
- Etudes such as Kreutzer, Rode, Dont, Gaviniès…
- Caprices such as Wieniawski, Paganini, Ernst….

3. class for orchestra excerpts

Orchestra excerpts are an often underestimated and important part of an orchestra audition.

The candidates who apply for an orchestra job usually receive a list of excerpts with the invitation for audition. Very often, only then they start practising these excerpts for the first time in their life – 2-3 weeks before maybe the most important audition in their life – which might be too late.

In the class of Professor Draganov, students train these orchestra excerpts every week, for years.

They work on around 40 of the most common tutti excerpts and around 10 excerpts they would need for a concertmaster or Principle 2nd violin job.

All students in the Bachelor and all Master courses take part in this weekly class activity.

4. studio class – internal class concert (currently every Thursday evening)

The weekly performance training (without a public audience) is a very important part of the “Draganov system”. Students receive clear suggestions for improvement every week and will try again in the week to follow to work on progress.

In addition, for more than 85% of all students, all issues suffering from nervousness disappear with this weekly performance training.

The principle is simply: when you perform all the time, performing is not difficult anymore!

5. Public concerts of the violin class

A public concert of the violin class takes place about once a month.

In addition, every student in the violin class also plays a recital with piano once a year.

Participation in all class activities is required for every student studying with Professor Draganov.

Draganov leads an international violin class at the Bern Academy of the Arts and teaches students in the following courses:

1.Bachelor of Arts (Music Classical)

The Bachelor in Music/classical offers a solid foundation for life as a professional musician.

Bachelor students are on the fundamental studies at university level. It is the last opportunity in the training path to work on technical deficits.

At the same time, this time should be used to find one's special talent and one's "calling", and one begins to work more focused in a certain direction (orchestra musician, chamber musician, soloists, teachers, etc.)

During the years studying in the Bachelor of Arts the student prepares for the following course – the master's degree with different possibilities of specialization.

Find more information here: https://www.hkb.bfh.ch/en/studies/bachelor/music-classical

2. Master of Arts Music Performance – Classical

Master of Arts in Music Performance is designed to help you mature as an artist and musician. You will be trained to become a professional musician.

The Students in the "Master of Arts (MA) Music Performance - Classical" course aspire to a career as an orchestral musician, chamber musician or soloist.

Philip A. Draganov has performed all the important violin concertos as a soloist with orchestra and as a chamber musician in all formations from duo to octet.
As an orchestra musician, he can draw on decades of experience in symphony orchestras, opera orchestras and chamber orchestras.

Preparing for auditions is a central part of his work at the HKB.

Find more information here: https://www.hkb.bfh.ch/en/studies/master/music-performance-classical

3. Master of Arts Music Pedagogy – Classical Music

In our stylistically broad Master in Music Pedagogy – Classical Music programme, we offer arts-and education-based training for prospective music teachers, with a focus on classical music.

In this course, future university and music school teachers are to be trained.

Philip A. Draganov has over 20 years of experience and numerous successes in the training of young talents and can share these experiences with his students in this course and support them on becoming teachers themselves.

Find more information here:

https://www.hkb.bfh.ch/en/studies/master/music-pedagogy-classical-music

4. Master of Arts Specialized Music Performance – Classical

Our Master represents the highest academic qualification available in music, and is designed for particularly gifted students who are looking to specialize.

This degree programme:

• is aimed at students who have a very good Bachelor or Master qualification, who excel artistically and who have a strong connection with their chosen specialisation;

• offers one-to-one teaching in a core subject and individual support for your projects from our internationally renowned teaching staff;

• offers you 5 specializations: Soloist, New Music (also as a Master’s degree, International Cooperation), Music in Context, Research and Chamber Music and provides you with excellence in content and craft in your chosen specialisation area;

• sharpens your artistic profile at the highest level and offers you the opportunity to realise your research or outreach project as well as become part of an active artistic scene and fully concentrate on your chosen specialisation;

• offers you numerous options from related artistic disciplines and enables you to benefit from the networks of a transdisciplinary arts university.

Find more information here:

https://www.hkb.bfh.ch/en/studies/master/specialized-music-performance-classical/

Pre – University – Education possibilities:

The Pre-College HKB:

In the PreCollege of the HKB, there is the opportunity to prepare for the university entrance exam in a targeted and focused manner. This can take place in the last year or years of school or in 1-2 years after school, before the start of the bachelor's degree.

Find more information here:

https://www.hkb.bfh.ch/de/studium/vorbildung/

b. High Scholl “Gymnasium Hofwil”

By attending the “Gymnasium Hofwil”, High School students receive school relief and more time for music. At the same time, they are already being taught their main subject by professors at the HKB.

Find more information here: https://www.gymhofwil.ch/