The first word that comes to mind is not necessarily part of the "cello secret language" but for me, I really like the word "peanut butter" to describe the fingers on my bow hand. My teacher had been trying to improve my connection to the strings via my bow for a long time but it had never really clicked until he told me to think of spreading peanut butter on a slice of white bread-- when you spread peanut butter, you have to do so using your fingers to maneuver the knife smoothly because otherwise, you will exert too much strength and tear the bread. Now, though my bow hold is still not 100%, I've definitely noticed a difference in my sound. It's become more concentrated, more smooth, and certainly more luscious.

Another word that my teacher often uses is "chi." When non-cellists think of chi, they think of breath/life force/energy flow, which is kind of what my teacher is referring to. But when he says it, he uses it to remind us that we need to play from the core. A lot of times, we play by trying to exert force onto the cello-- we attack from above with our arms, thinking that the more force we play with, the more sound we're going to get. However, the best sound is achieved by sourcing the strength from your core and channeling it out to your limbs, giving you the greatest power. It all sounds very hokey, I know, but after I took his advice and focused on playing with my inner chi, my sound improved drastically and surprisingly enough, I felt more relaxed because I was no longer attacking my cello with brute force.

The last word I really like is "schmaltz." It's a pretty commonly used word in the music world but I think it has a special meaning for cellists because I think cellos are so much more capable of creating that cheesy, goosebump-rendering sound. It's the range that we play in and the position we play in (sitting down and playing vertically vs. a violinist standing up and moving his fingers horizontally) that gives us the ability to make music so classically schmaltzy.

One thing that drives me nuts is when people say "Oh, I love the cello because it's so beautiful! Bach Suite No. 1 is so beautiful and relaxing!" I understand that Bach Suite No. 1 is probably the most recognizable cello piece for non-musicians but there's so much more to the cello repertoire than Bach. I didn't spend all my time at a music school just to learn how to play a beautiful Bach. I spent my time learning ways to be a chameleon. Yea, I can play Bach, but I can also play an ethereal Debussy or a dramatic Ginastera. Don't limit me to just Bach!