Ariane Todes got carried away at last night's Prom

It always happens. In June, I mark the many BBC Proms concerts I want to go to, and then before I know it, it’s Septembe...

Posted at 11:21 on 29/08/2008

Ariane Todes tries a Baroque bow and the wobble board at the ESTA conference

Last week I popped into the summer conference of the European String Teachers’ Association, at Dean Close School in Chel...

Posted at 10:46 on 21/08/2008

In her second blog entry, Clio Tilton is reminded how tiring orchestral tours are

The last two days have been busy – lots of travelling for our first two concerts. The first was in Berlin at the Konzert...

Posted at 15:14 on 14/08/2008

The editor, Ariane Todes, tries to make friends with the portaloos at the Big Chill Festival, and searches in vain for the classical music

At the ripe old age of [ahem] I’ve just been to my first non-classical music festival, The Big Chill, in Eastnor, Herefo...

Posted at 13:21 on 05/08/2008

In Clio Tilton's first blog from the Moritzburg Festival Academy, she and her fellow musicians decide on a common language

The Moritzburg Festival Academy kicked off with a friendly welcome from the director, cellist Jan Vogler. Crowding into ...

Posted at 13:14 on 05/08/2008

A night of folk music at the Proms

Ariane Todes: The BBC Proms are well underway and on Sunday I went to my first this year, to see Bellowhead, one of my f...

Posted at 13:51 on 22/07/2008

Ariane Todes, editor of The Strad, is inspired by some nifty mandolin playing

As I’m currently trying to teach myself the mandolin I seized the opportunity last night to see Chris Thile (fastest man...

Posted at 12:13 on 15/07/2008

In her final blog entry, young violinist Kitty Cheung embarks on the Mahler performance under Valery Gergiev

Here came the big evening. Backstage, members of the orchestra were practising the difficult passages. It seemed everyon...

Posted at 15:13 on 06/06/2008

At her second rehearsal with the LSO, violinist Kitty Cheung is inspired by Valery Gergiev's interpretation of Mahler

We had a fantastic rehearsal at the Barbican Hall this morning. The four-hour rehearsal began at 9am and after the late ...

Posted at 11:46 on 05/06/2008

In our new blog, a young violinist describes her experience of working with Valery Gergiev

Kitty Cheung is a postgraduate violinist studying at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London. She is on the Lond...

Posted at 11:36 on 04/06/2008

Violinist Ruth Rogers' blog from the Thai-Burmese border - Part Four

Ruth Rogers, Victoria Sayles, Rose Redgrave and Katherine Jenkinson are playing string quartets to Burmese refugees o...