Strings Magazine Review and my teaching philosophy

I’m beyond thrilled to share that my recording of Bach’s Cello Suites has been reviewed in Strings Magazine! The reviewer wrote:

“From the jump, Megiddo signals to the listener that she has ideas of her own…I gasped in delight at the rubato Megiddo applies to the opening of the first Prelude, and again at the unadorned solitude evoked in the second, after which I needed to sit for somewhere and collect myself for a time…Her generous vibrato burnishes a gleaming tone that asks to be listened to again and again.”

The Recording Process

Making the journey through these suites my own—bringing something fresh while honouring Bach’s vision—was my intention throughout this project. I recorded at Stella Maris chapel here in Aotearoa, which along with the magical NZ scenery, provided both the acoustic space and sense of contemplation these works require.

Bach’s Suites have been part of my life for decades, as a performer, teacher, and student. Each encounter reveals something new. This recording represents where I am with these pieces now—the interpretive choices I’ve made, influenced by my teachers (particularly Aldo Parisot) and by years of performing and teaching them.

Teaching Individual Voice

The opening line of the review—“from the jump, Megiddo has ideas of her own”—is what resonates most deeply with me. Having your own ideas, your own artistic voice, is exactly what I work to cultivate in my students. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by tradition when approaching canonical works, to think your role is simply to reproduce what’s come before. But artistry lives in the individual interpretation. My hope is that students hear this recording and understand that finding their own voice isn’t just permitted—it’s essential.

Moving Forward

The issue also features a review of Anastasia Kobekina’s Bach recording, and I’m glad to be part of the ongoing conversation around these works.

The album is available on Atoll Records and streaming platforms.