Playing the cello involves the mind, body and spirit. The sound you make is "you" and it takes a great deal of power and strength to play. What makes playing the cello easy is producing the maximum amount of tone with the least amount of effort. Playing incorrectly is very difficult and playing correctly is very easy. Getting my students to use all the weight and gravity that nature gives us rather than clamping tightly to the bow or cello neck when playing is my main goal as a teacher. Watching and hearing my students extrovert their personality and temperament makes all the effort worthwhile.      Another goal I have as a teacher is getting my students to think for themselves once they understand the concept of the physics and anatomy of cello playing. Harvey Shapiro once told me that his students got better after they left him. He of course got his students progressing faster than any other teacher I know of. What I understood from this was his students knew how to think and learn more and continue to change the way they play.      I offer a free introductory lesson to new students and I will help you find a rental cello or purchase one when you are ready. The photo of the young cellist was taken in Hungary in 1931.