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’Does anybody have an A string?’ – cello string gets crowd-sourced at the Queen Elisabeth Cello Competition semi-finals
Obituary: Canadian cellist and composer Cris Derksen (1981–2026)
Violinist Giulia Rimonda awarded Villa Musica Star Award for 2026
David Finckel and Wu Han to extend CMS leadership contract through 2032
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’Does anybody have an A string?’ – cello string gets crowd-sourced at the Queen Elisabeth Cello Competition semi-finals
Obituary: Canadian cellist and composer Cris Derksen (1981–2026)
Violinist Giulia Rimonda awarded Villa Musica Star Award for 2026
Preparing to perform the Elgar Cello Concerto on the viola: Rosalind Ventris
Preparing to perform the Elgar Cello Concerto on the viola: Rosalind Ventris
David Finckel and Wu Han to extend CMS leadership contract through 2032
Obituary: British violinist Blaize Henry (1992–2026)
Truls Mørk loaned ‘Iwasaki’ Stradivari cello
Winners announced for 2026 Cavatina Intercollegiate Chamber Music Competition
Obituary: British violinist Blaize Henry (1992–2026)
The violinist and violist was a long-time member of the Chineke! Orchestra
Finalists announced for 2026 Queen Elisabeth Cello Competition
Twelve candidates will participate in the competition’s final round from 25 to 30 May
SNAP! Violinist Ray Chen’s E string breaks at the Royal Albert Hall
The Taiwanese–Australian violinist was performing the Korngold Violin Concerto with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Playing Hub
How studying vocal repertoire has shaped my approach to phrasing and storytelling as a cellist
Ahead of her debut album release featuring works by Rachmaninoff, Amy Beach and Alma Mahler, cellist Ariana Kashefi shares how singing and breath informs her musical approach as a string player
The viola: the composer’s instrument of choice?
Madeleine Mitchell explores why so many composers gravitated towards the viola, and how the instrument shaped their creative voices
An enchanted evening: the Pops launch 2026 with Ray Chen and Arcane
Cecilia Tan reports back on the Boston Pops’ 2026 season opener, headlined by violinist Ray Chen in a programme drawn from film and game soundtracks
‘Have we forgotten to behold careful craftsmanship?’: How period string instruments can inspire today’s composers
Composer Ng Yu Hng on how he came to find inspiration from the idiosyncrasies of the Baroque violin, viol and viola da gamba, and what contemporary classical composers can learn from these period instruments
Casting a wider net: building a life in music
Reflecting on his own career, cellist (and fishing enthusiast) Michael Reynolds outlines the importance of entrepreneurial skills for musicians embarking on work beyond the practice room
‘A second golden age’: cellist David Finckel on luthier Samuel Zygmuntowicz
American cellist David Finckel, co-artistic director of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, reflects on his long association with Samuel Zygmuntowicz, the Brooklyn-based maker being honoured at this year’s CMS Spring Gala
Premium ❘ Feature
Michael Rabin: a brief flame
Michael Rabin, one of the most gifted violinists the US has ever produced, enjoyed a short but dazzling career before his untimely death at 35. To mark what would have been his 90th birthday this May, Jonathan Woolf examines Rabin’s legacy and his central place in the history of American ...
Premium ❘ Feature
Tales of a cinema violinist - From the Archive: May 1926
An anonymous cinema violinist, used to performing alone with a pianist, rails against the vicissitudes of the cinema screen – speaking entirely from experience
Premium ❘ Feature
Michael Rabin: a brief flame
Michael Rabin, one of the most gifted violinists the US has ever produced, enjoyed a short but dazzling career before his untimely death at 35. To mark what would have been his 90th birthday this May, Jonathan Woolf examines Rabin’s legacy and his central place in the history of American ...
Premium ❘ Focus
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
Premium ❘ Focus
Postcard from the Netherlands: String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam
Clare Varney reports from the String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam, where an array of star performers and repertoire old and new proved that the genre is alive and well
Competitions
Winners announced for 2026 Cavatina Intercollegiate Chamber Music Competition
Trio Rossetti from the Royal College of Music wins £1,500 and a paid performance engagement
Finalists announced for 2026 Queen Elisabeth Cello Competition
Twelve candidates will participate in the competition’s final round from 25 to 30 May
Results announced for the 2026 Henri Marteau International Violin Competition
Violinist Maya Alexandra Kasprzak wins the €10,000 first prize
Premium ❘ News
Competitions, Awards and Appointments: May 2026
The latest competition results, appointments and forthcoming contests
Premium ❘ News
Premiere of the Month: Bernd Richard Deutsch’s new saxophone quintet
Each movement channels a different emotion in this new saxophone quintet
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 2026 Cavatina Intercollegiate Chamber Music Competition
Trio Rossetti from the Royal College of Music wins £1,500 and a paid performance engagement
Finalists announced for 2026 Queen Elisabeth Cello Competition
Twelve candidates will participate in the competition’s final round from 25 to 30 May
Results announced for the 2026 Henri Marteau International Violin Competition
Violinist Maya Alexandra Kasprzak wins the €10,000 first prize
After hours at Guildhall Art Gallery: Vilde Frang and Lawrence Power perform ‘Capricci’
The work will feature in the upcoming multimedia concert event at the Barbican, Darkness Visible, curated by Power’s production company, Âme
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
Cellist John-Henry Crawford performs Ravel’s ‘Pavane pour une infante défunte’
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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
Resurrection symphony: an 18th-century composite cello
The careful restoration of a composite cello identified merely as ‘possibly Italian’ proved a journey of discovery for Sally Gosling and the family team at Chapel Violins, UK
Sgarabotto and Ornati: lives in fragments
When Giuseppe Ornati and Pietro Sgarabotto donated the contents of their workshops to the Cremona School of Violin Making, they ensured an enduring legacy. Luca Baratto and Matteo Giovanetti tell the story and examine some of the treasures
Trade Secrets: Camouflaging a patch using a veneer
An innovative and intricate method for a taxing problem in restoration
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
Resurrection symphony: an 18th-century composite cello
The careful restoration of a composite cello identified merely as ‘possibly Italian’ proved a journey of discovery for Sally Gosling and the family team at Chapel Violins, UK
Sgarabotto and Ornati: lives in fragments
When Giuseppe Ornati and Pietro Sgarabotto donated the contents of their workshops to the Cremona School of Violin Making, they ensured an enduring legacy. Luca Baratto and Matteo Giovanetti tell the story and examine some of the treasures
Trade Secrets: Camouflaging a patch using a veneer
An innovative and intricate method for a taxing problem in restoration
Concert review: Australian Chamber Orchestra at Carnegie Hall
US correspondent Thomas May hears the Australian Chamber Orchestra on tour at Carnegie Hall, performing Schubert and the world premiere of Horizon by John Luther Adams on 22 April 2026
Concert review: Jennifer Pike (violin) Czech Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra/Daniel Raiskin
Hattie Butterworth attends the performance of Janáček, Bruch, Shostakovich and Dvořák at London’s Cadogan Hall on 18 February 2026
Concert review: Anne-Sophie Mutter (violin) London Philharmonic Orchestra/Karina Canellakis
Edward Bhesania ventures to London’s Royal Festival Hall on 18 February 2026 for the performance of Tchaikovsky, Sibelius Previn and Beethoven
Steven Isserlis: 1851
A master cellist offers an unusual concept album
Tabea Zimmermann, Jean-Guihen Queyras: Brahms, Joachim, C. Schumann, R. Schumann
Plenty of mellow beauty in a thoughtful programme
Gaspard Trio: Haydn
Hugely characterful performances blow the dust off a Classical master
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: 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
Opinion: Why students should rehearse with musicians other than their teachers
Cellist and teacher Naomi Yandell highlights how valuable and insightful it can be for string students to rehearse with a musician outside of their teacher – especially a pianist
Debate
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
Opinion: Why students should rehearse with musicians other than their teachers
Cellist and teacher Naomi Yandell highlights how valuable and insightful it can be for string students to rehearse with a musician outside of their teacher – especially a pianist
Accessories
Products May 2026: OldWood Italian Varnish Rosso Antico
A new varnish colour from OldWood
Products May 2026: Leatherwood Rosin Golden Ratio rosin
An anniversary rosin takes inspiration from the Golden Ratio
Products May 2026: Strappy Music violin and viola straps
The straps for both violin and viola help support the instrument’s weight
Concert review: Australian Chamber Orchestra at Carnegie Hall
US correspondent Thomas May hears the Australian Chamber Orchestra on tour at Carnegie Hall, performing Schubert and the world premiere of Horizon by John Luther Adams on 22 April 2026
Concert review: Jennifer Pike (violin) Czech Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra/Daniel Raiskin
Hattie Butterworth attends the performance of Janáček, Bruch, Shostakovich and Dvořák at London’s Cadogan Hall on 18 February 2026
Concert review: Anne-Sophie Mutter (violin) London Philharmonic Orchestra/Karina Canellakis
Edward Bhesania ventures to London’s Royal Festival Hall on 18 February 2026 for the performance of Tchaikovsky, Sibelius Previn and Beethoven
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
Steven Isserlis: 1851
A master cellist offers an unusual concept album
Tabea Zimmermann, Jean-Guihen Queyras: Brahms, Joachim, C. Schumann, R. Schumann
Plenty of mellow beauty in a thoughtful programme
Gaspard Trio: Haydn
Hugely characterful performances blow the dust off a Classical master
Artists
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
Nemanja Radulović: music in the moment
Charismatic Serbian violinist Nemanja Radulović chats to Charlotte Gardner about the importance of artistic freedom and musical friendships, and recording his latest album of music by Prokofiev
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