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Helena Maria Falk’s Nordic Lullabies: on grief composition and finding your voice
Poiesis Quartet announces new violinist
Obituary: former Chicago Symphony Orchestra concertmaster, Samuel Magad
A violinist and three cellists walk into a studio: Emerald Strings rethinks ‘Bolero’
’A small mark that carries memory’: Andrea Casarrubios on ‘The Book of Signatures’
Competition preview: what to expect from the 2026 Queen Elisabeth Cello Competition, final round
Each evening this week in Brussels from 25 to 30 May, the twelve finalists will present their performances of the competition’s imposed work and a concerto of their choice
Reflections on the Queen Elisabeth Cello Competition with 2022 winner, Hayoung Choi
The cellist chats with Davina Shum and looks back on how her major competition victory informs her career now, as well as what it was like to learn the competition’s imposed work in isolation
Obituary: British violinist Blaize Henry (1992–2026)
The violinist and violist was a long-time member of the Chineke! Orchestra
Playing Hub
A violinist and three cellists walk into a studio: Emerald Strings rethinks ‘Bolero’
Violinist and leader of Emerald Strings, Gregory Harrington, shares his thoughts behind a unique and viral performance of Ravel’s masterpiece
’A small mark that carries memory’: Andrea Casarrubios on ‘The Book of Signatures’
As she anticipates the premiere of her new double concerto The Book of Signatures at Next Festival, the Spanish-American cellist and composer reflects on gesture and memory in music, and on writing for the interplay between cello, percussion and strings.
My Music Cares: how cellist Alessio Pianelli turns music into environmental action
Sicilian cellist and composer, Alessio Pianelli, is bringing together advocacy for music and the environment with the next generation on the Mediterranean coast of his homeland
Reflections on the Queen Elisabeth Cello Competition with 2022 winner, Hayoung Choi
The cellist chats with Davina Shum and looks back on how her major competition victory informs her career now, as well as what it was like to learn the competition’s imposed work in isolation
Postcard from New York City: Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
In snowbound New York, Davina Shum gained an inside view of the collaborative ethos within the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
Chamber music in small spaces: music without boundaries
Chamber music has its roots in proximity and shared listening. As the genre increasingly migrates to large halls, Irina Rostomashvili explores what happens to musical intimacy – and speaks to fellow musicians about how connection can be preserved
Premium ❘ Feature
Trade Secrets: Making cochineal-coloured lakes
A guide to creating a rich, warm red pigment for varnish preparation
Premium ❘ Feature
Mysteries of the soul: soundpost acoustics
Often called the violin’s ‘soul’, the soundpost is possibly the least understood part of the instrument. Joseph Curtin details a series of experiments that shed light on the acoustic role of this tiny piece of wood
Premium ❘ Feature
Trade Secrets: Making cochineal-coloured lakes
A guide to creating a rich, warm red pigment for varnish preparation
Premium ❘ Focus
Postcard from New York City: Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
In snowbound New York, Davina Shum gained an inside view of the collaborative ethos within the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
Premium ❘ Focus
‘The more Haydn you play, the better you’ll play everything’ - David Finckel’s life lessons
The US cellist talks about his inspirations and the power of sound
Competitions
Winners announced for the 2026 Stulberg International String Competition
US–Korean violinist Ella Eom receives the gold medal and $10,000
Competition preview: what to expect from the 2026 Queen Elisabeth Cello Competition, final round
Each evening this week in Brussels from 25 to 30 May, the twelve finalists will present their performances of the competition’s imposed work and a concerto of their choice
Results announced for the 12th Osaka International Chamber Music Competition
Motus Quartet and Trio E.T.A. won their divisions for string quartet and piano trios/quartets respectively
Premium ❘ News
Competitions, Awards and Appointments: June 2026
The latest competition results, appointments and forthcoming contests
Premium ❘ News
Premiere of the Month: Freya Waley-Cohen’s new work for her sister, Tamsin Waley-Cohen
Siblings collaborate in a lullaby-inspired chamber work
Masterclass: Schubert Piano Trio no.2 in E flat major, first movement
David and Edgar Moreau dive into Schubert’s sound world, exploring colour, balance and the expressive detail that shapes their interpretation of this late work
Masterclass: Bruch Violin Concerto no.1, second movement
Bella Hristova outlines the importance of pacing oneself and creating a hierarchy of intensity in this popular slow movement
Masterclass: Schubert Piano Trio no.2 in E flat major, first movement
David and Edgar Moreau dive into Schubert’s sound world, exploring colour, balance and the expressive detail that shapes their interpretation of this late work
Masterclass: Bruch Violin Concerto no.1, second movement
Bella Hristova outlines the importance of pacing oneself and creating a hierarchy of intensity in this popular slow movement
Masterclass: Beethoven String Quartet no.11 op.95 ‘Serioso’, first movement
This whirlwind movement represents a turbulent time in the composer’s life, evident in the work’s relentless momentum and extreme characters, says Ariel Quartet cellist Amit Even-Tov
The Strad Podcast: How to tailor the Suzuki Method to different students with violinist Meghan Faw
The violinist shares her personal experiences with the method as both a student and a teacher
The Strad Podcast: How to hold a masterclass with violinist Paul Huang
The violinist speaks about his teaching approaches in a unique learning experience, in the third part of our four-part education-themed podcast series
The Strad Podcast: How to teach collaborative skills with violinist Annie Fullard of the Cavani Quartet
‘We should live in a chamber music world’ - the violinist speaks about the importance of collaboration inside and outside of the practice room, in the second episode of our four-part education-themed podcast series
The Strad Podcast: How to practise effectively with violinist Ray Chen
The first in our new four-part education themed podcast series features our September 2024 cover star
The Strad Podcast: How to tailor the Suzuki Method to different students with violinist Meghan Faw
The violinist shares her personal experiences with the method as both a student and a teacher
The Strad Podcast: How to hold a masterclass with violinist Paul Huang
The violinist speaks about his teaching approaches in a unique learning experience, in the third part of our four-part education-themed podcast series
The Strad Podcast: How to teach collaborative skills with violinist Annie Fullard of the Cavani Quartet
‘We should live in a chamber music world’ - the violinist speaks about the importance of collaboration inside and outside of the practice room, in the second episode of our four-part education-themed podcast series
Competitions
Winners announced for the 2026 Stulberg International String Competition
US–Korean violinist Ella Eom receives the gold medal and $10,000
Competition preview: what to expect from the 2026 Queen Elisabeth Cello Competition, final round
Each evening this week in Brussels from 25 to 30 May, the twelve finalists will present their performances of the competition’s imposed work and a concerto of their choice
Results announced for the 12th Osaka International Chamber Music Competition
Motus Quartet and Trio E.T.A. won their divisions for string quartet and piano trios/quartets respectively
A violinist and three cellists walk into a studio: Emerald Strings rethinks ‘Bolero’
Violinist and leader of Emerald Strings, Gregory Harrington, shares his thoughts behind a unique and viral performance of Ravel’s masterpiece
A violinist and three cellists walk into a studio: Emerald Strings rethinks ‘Bolero’
After hours at Guildhall Art Gallery: Vilde Frang and Lawrence Power perform ‘Capricci’
Merging cello and voice: Nicolas Altstaedt and Anna-Lena Elbert perform ‘Ophelia’s Song’ by Shostakovich
Watch: a video performance from Timothy Ridout’s new album, Alto Appassionato
Woven from Light: a listening guide to a world premiere work for violin and cello
Happy birthday Florence Price! Mount Vernon Virtuosi CelloGang performs String Quartet in G major
Guitar textures on the violin: Tomás Cotik performs Albéniz’s ‘Asturias’
‘Prokofiev in a mosh pit’ – ORBI’s arrangement of Muse’s Unsustainable
‘This piece has everything a violinist can ask for’: Frank Peter Zimmermann on the Elgar Violin Concerto
Video premiere: Édith Piaf’s ‘Hymne à l’amour’ for eight cellos performed by the SCS Cello Ensemble
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Auction Report June 2026: Room for optimism
Kevin MacDonald discovers a plethora of ‘golden age’ instruments and a fine selection of bows at this season’s London sales
Trade Secrets: Making cochineal-coloured lakes
A guide to creating a rich, warm red pigment for varnish preparation
Mysteries of the soul: soundpost acoustics
Often called the violin’s ‘soul’, the soundpost is possibly the least understood part of the instrument. Joseph Curtin details a series of experiments that shed light on the acoustic role of this tiny piece of wood
Truls Mørk loaned ‘Iwasaki’ Stradivari cello
The Norwegian cellist will give his first performance on the 1727 instrument in Norway on 21 May
Michael Rabin’s violins and bows
The great violinist Michael Rabin would have been 90 years old this May. Here, Jonathan Woolf details his instruments and bows
Making Matters: A history of the ‘Il Cremonese’ Stradivari violin’s case
For more than half a century, one of the finest violin cases ever made has lain undisturbed in Cremona. Dimitri Musafia examines the history of the case built to house the 1715 ‘Il Cremonese’ Stradivari
Auction Report June 2026: Room for optimism
Kevin MacDonald discovers a plethora of ‘golden age’ instruments and a fine selection of bows at this season’s London sales
Trade Secrets: Making cochineal-coloured lakes
A guide to creating a rich, warm red pigment for varnish preparation
Mysteries of the soul: soundpost acoustics
Often called the violin’s ‘soul’, the soundpost is possibly the least understood part of the instrument. Joseph Curtin details a series of experiments that shed light on the acoustic role of this tiny piece of wood
Truls Mørk loaned ‘Iwasaki’ Stradivari cello
The Norwegian cellist will give his first performance on the 1727 instrument in Norway on 21 May
Michael Rabin’s violins and bows
The great violinist Michael Rabin would have been 90 years old this May. Here, Jonathan Woolf details his instruments and bows
Making Matters: A history of the ‘Il Cremonese’ Stradivari violin’s case
For more than half a century, one of the finest violin cases ever made has lain undisturbed in Cremona. Dimitri Musafia examines the history of the case built to house the 1715 ‘Il Cremonese’ Stradivari
Concert review: Owls
Bruce Hodges hears the quartet’s performance of at Philadelphia’s American Philosophical Society on 11 March 2026
Concert review: Rosalind Ventris (viola)
Hattie Butterworth visits London’s Wigmore Hall on 8 March 2026 for the performance of Lillian Fuchs, Thea Musgrave, Sally Beamish, Elizabeth Maconchy, Amanda Feery and Imogen Holst
Concert review: Elias Quartet
Hattie Butterworth hears an all-Beethoven recital at London’s Wigmore Hall on 10 March 2026
The Strad Recommends: Jean-Guihen Queyras: Bloch, Lutosławski:
A fresh, illuminating take on a work written for Rostropovich
The Strad Recommends: Isidore Quartet: Adorations
A scintillating debut album from a Banff winner
The Strad Recommends: Pekka Kuusisto: Willows
A violinist turns personal loss into an album of solace
Book review: The Bromberg Collection of American Violins
Andrew Dipper reads through a comprehensive survey of more than 250 US instrument makers from the past 200 years
Book review: The Rolling Year: Listening to the Seasons with Vivaldi
Anne Inglis reads through Hannah French’s account of the composer’s ever-popular Four Seasons, which covers everything from birdsong to Cremonese violin making
Book review: Harmonising Cultural Leadership in Professional Orchestras
Arts consultant Mark Pemberton reads Samuel Cairnduff’s new publication on leadership in orchestral ensembles
Debate
Opinion: Period instruments aren’t just specialist tools
Benjamin Shute questions our assumptions about contemporary instrument set‑up and the idea that period instruments are merely specialist equipment
Opinion: Finding creativity in scales
Love them or hate them, scales are at the heart of string training. Violinist and teacher Mark Knight examines why, when approached correctly, they are the gateway to a world of expressive freedom
Debate
Opinion: Period instruments aren’t just specialist tools
Benjamin Shute questions our assumptions about contemporary instrument set‑up and the idea that period instruments are merely specialist equipment
Opinion: Finding creativity in scales
Love them or hate them, scales are at the heart of string training. Violinist and teacher Mark Knight examines why, when approached correctly, they are the gateway to a world of expressive freedom
Accessories
Products June 2026: Larsen Strings Sovereign cello strings
A new fast-speaking cello set from Larsen Strings
Products June 2026: Wittner 130th anniversary pyramid metronome
Wittner releases a new, vintage-style, metronome to mark the milestone
Products June 2026: Negri Cases Globetrotter violin case
The new case suspends the instruments for safety
Concert review: Owls
Bruce Hodges hears the quartet’s performance of at Philadelphia’s American Philosophical Society on 11 March 2026
Concert review: Rosalind Ventris (viola)
Hattie Butterworth visits London’s Wigmore Hall on 8 March 2026 for the performance of Lillian Fuchs, Thea Musgrave, Sally Beamish, Elizabeth Maconchy, Amanda Feery and Imogen Holst
Concert review: Elias Quartet
Hattie Butterworth hears an all-Beethoven recital at London’s Wigmore Hall on 10 March 2026
Book review: The Bromberg Collection of American Violins
Andrew Dipper reads through a comprehensive survey of more than 250 US instrument makers from the past 200 years
Book review: The Rolling Year: Listening to the Seasons with Vivaldi
Anne Inglis reads through Hannah French’s account of the composer’s ever-popular Four Seasons, which covers everything from birdsong to Cremonese violin making
Book review: Harmonising Cultural Leadership in Professional Orchestras
Arts consultant Mark Pemberton reads Samuel Cairnduff’s new publication on leadership in orchestral ensembles
The Strad Recommends: Jean-Guihen Queyras: Bloch, Lutosławski:
A fresh, illuminating take on a work written for Rostropovich
The Strad Recommends: Isidore Quartet: Adorations
A scintillating debut album from a Banff winner
The Strad Recommends: Pekka Kuusisto: Willows
A violinist turns personal loss into an album of solace
Artists
Christian Tetzlaff: ‘Following the score is freedom’
German violinist Christian Tetzlaff has built a career defined by artistic independence. As he celebrates his 60th birthday, he speaks to Richard Bratby about the values that have shaped his musical life
Yehudi Menuhin 110th anniversary: music with friends
To mark the 110th anniversary of Yehudi Menuhin’s birth on 22 April 1916, Tully Potter presents an overview of the great violinist’s numerous chamber music partnerships and their recordings
‘Never just the notes’: the musical and teaching legacy of Igor Ozim
The violinist and pedagogue Igor Ozim died on 23 March 2024. Two years on, Dijana Ihas writes about his legacy to commemorate a teacher whose seven‑decade career shaped generations of musicians through his analytical clarity, uncompromising discipline and deep commitment to musical expression
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