is an cello active soloist, chamber player and teacher. He has performed and given masterclasses throughout the United States, Canada, Italy and Germany. Dr. Hodges received his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in cello performance from the Eastman School of Music, where he was the teaching assistant for Marcy Rosen, and his Doctorate in Music Arts in cello performance from the University of North Carolina Greensboro. Dr. Hodges has taught at Mercer University, the University of North Carolina Greensboro, Spring Arbor University and Albion College. He is currently Associate Professor of Cello and Coordinator of Chamber Music at Boise State University. Brian is principal cello of the Boise Baroque Chamber Orchestra and regularly performs with Classical volution: Boise, which has been featured at the Idaho Shakespeare Festival and live on Radio Boise.

1. Intonation
Introduction
Secret 1: How to Play in Tune
Secret 2: Finger Patterns
Secret 3: Fingerboard Mapping
Secret 4: No Fixing
Secret 5: Sevcík's Paradox
Secret 6: Which Intonation?
Secret 7: Using Overtones
Secret 8: Using a Tuner
Secret 9: Tuning Fifths
Secret 10: Tuning Octaves

2. The Left Hand
Introduction
Secret 11: Don't Slap the Puppy
Secret 12: Maximum Velocity 1 (Take it easy)
Secret 13: Maximum Velocity 2 (Bursts)
Secret 14: The Right Fingerings by Pattern
Secret 15: The Right Fingerings by Color
Secret 16: Clear False Harmonics
Secret 17: Extensions
Secret 18: Small Hand Technique
Secret 19: Coordinating the Bow and Fingers

3. Shifting and Playing High
Introduction
Secret 23: Zen and the Art of Shifting
Secret 24: The Right Shift
Secret 25: Shifting to High Positions
Secret 26: Using the Bow to Help Shifting
Secret 27: The Best Shift May Be No Shift

4. Vibrato
Introduction
Secret 28: Know Your Vibrato
Secret 29: Get Control of Your Vibrato
Secret 30: Achieving Continuous Vibrato
Secret 31: Vibrato Tricks for the Fourth Finger
Secret 32: Electroshock
Vibrato
Secret 33: Shimmer Vibrato
Secret 34: Vibrato Sculpture

5. Tone and the Bow
Introduction
Secret 35: Know Your Bow Hold
Secret 36: The Bow as a Lever
Secret 37: Default Setting
Secret 38: Gravity is Your Friend
Secret 39: The Culprits
Secret 40: The Formula for Your Optimum Sound
Secret 41: Playing into the Curve
Secret 42: How to Make your Bow Longer
Secret 43: Pop & Float
Secret 44: Mastering Spiccato
Secret 45: Sizzling Sautillé
Secret 46: Flying Bow Strokes
Secret 47: Fabulous Flautando
Secret 48: Tremolo
Secret 49: Using the Left Hand to Improve Tone
Secret 50: The Law of Inertia
Secret 51: Don't be a Slave to Your Bow

6. Practice Strategies
Introduction
Secret 52: Now Practice
Secret 53: Practice Concentrate
Secret 54: Never Pay Rent Again
Secret 55: Divide and Conquer
Secret 56: Skeletons
Secret 57: When Slow Practice Isn't Enough Part 1. AddaNote
Secret 58: When Slow Practice Isn't Enough Part 2. Looping
Secret 59: When Slow Practice Isn't Enough Part 3. Burst Practice
Secret 60: When Slow Practice Isn't Enough Part 4. Rhythms
Secret 61: When Slow Practice Isn't Enough Part 5. Notching
Secret 62: Improving Your Technique in Just 15 Minutes a Day
Secret 63: Using Etudes to Prepare Repertoire
Secret 64: Journaling
Secret 65: Building Your Practice Haven
Secret 66: Team Practice
Secret 67: Your Best Friend, the Metronome

7. Artistry Strategies
Introduction
Secret 68: Start from the Music
Secret 69: Learning Polyphonic Bach
Secret 70: It's All Opera
Secret 71: Playing Powerful Chords
Secret 72: Masterful Passagework through Lyrical Preparation
Secret 73: Shaping the Phrase in Fast Detaché
Secret 74: The Climax
Secret 75: Cultivating Your Unique Voice
Secret 76: Choosing the Right Edition

8. Performance Strategies
Introduction
Secret 77: Stage Makeup
Secret 78: Practice Performing
Secret 79: Firewalls
Secret 80: Overcoming Stage Fright
Secret 81: Connecting with the Audience
9. Chamber Music Strategies

Introduction
Secret 82: Groups Who Play Together Stay Together
Secret 83: Successful Rehearsals When No One is in Charge
Secret 84: Playing Blind
Secret 85: Keeping the Score
Secret 86: No Barriers

10. Orchestra Strategies
Introduction
Secret 87: Sharing a Part
Secret 88: Being a Team Player
Secret 89: Sitting Principal
Secret 90: Preparing Orchestra Music
Secret 91: Faking
Secret 92: Building Your Orchestral Library
Secret 93: Mastering Audition Excerpts
Secret 94: Playing the Auditions Game

Bonus
Secret 95: Mirroring

Further Reading