All Debate articles – Page 6
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Debate
Are competitions inherently problematic?
Charlotte Gardner checks recent Joseph Joachim Competition rumours against reality and cautions against letting young musicians get caught in the crossfire
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Debate
Are France and Britain guilty of a lack of musical interaction?
Classical music should be a beacon of internationalism, yet each country’s scene appears to be stubbornly insular, writes Charlotte Gardner
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Debate
Why musicians should appeal against the ivory act
Benjamin Hebbert on the ethical tightrope of campaigning for exemptions to the Ivory Act while supporting its aim to put a stop to the slaughter of elephants
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Debate
Opinion: How should a musician respond to a string breaking on stage?
Nobody can blame a musician for their string breaking on stage. But, says Charlotte Gardner, the way a performer responds is certainly within their grasp
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Focus
From the archive: Technique or tone?
This article from The Strad, September 1954, argues that the trend among students of pursuing mechanical brilliance at the expense of beauty of tone is misguided
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Debate
Virtual reality: tool for audience engagement or passing fad?
Orchestras across the globe have been experimenting with enhancing the audience’s musical experience. What are the potential applications for VR technology, asks Peter Somerford
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Debate
Can a music stand destroy a performance?
Naomi Yandell makes a plea to school music departments for a common-sense approach to performance ‘details’, such as the big black music stand
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Article
Competition juries: is dropping teachers and publishing scores the answer?
Publishing the jurors’ scores in their entirety is the latest move for music competitions to prove their transparency – but is it a trend that’s likely to catch on, asks Peter Somerford
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Blogs
Lynn Harrell's eureka moment on the opening of Beethoven's A major cello sonata (no.3)
In this micro blog, the American cellist shares his recent inspiration regarding the first two bars of a piece he has been playing for decades
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Focus
Is own-label recording the right choice if you're not already established?
Creating your debut CD is only the first step on the road to success, as the subsequent marketing process can be just as difficult. Peter Somerford gathers some expert advice
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Debate
Should classical artists embrace music video singles?
More core classical artists these days are mimicking their contemporaries in the pop world by releasing music video singles to accompany their albums. Charlotte Gardner asks whether this is a positive development
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Focus
Do string players who refuse to embrace popular music face extinction?
String players must embrace the vernacular of today’s popular music or risk being consigned to a bygone era, writes electric violinist Tracy Silverman
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Debate
Orchestral manoeuvres in the dark: classical music organisations prepare for Brexit
With the UK and EU no closer to finalising a Brexit deal, British orchestras are facing an uncertain future in Europe – and continental players have a right to be concerned, writes Peter Somerford
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Focus
'My father hated competitions': David Stern at the Shanghai Isaac Stern Competition
David Stern, joint chair of the Shanghai Isaac Stern International Violin Competition – currently in its final round – tells The Strad about protecting his father’s legacy and enforcing ‘radical clarity’ on the jury
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Focus
Why are female composers still markedly behind in terms of prominence?
Are quotas the solution, or do public attitudes still need to change, asks Peter Somerford
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Focus
Nurturing limb-differences in students
The benefits of accommodating and encouraging limb-different string students far outweigh the challenges for teachers, says University of North Texas lecturer Elizabeth Chappell
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Debate
Why do string players often sound so different on disc than live?
Too many string players are unable to take ownership of their recorded sound because they lack an external perspective, says Charlotte Gardner
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Focus
Joshua Bell: Don't impose bowings and fingerings on your students
There is no ‘one size fits all’, argues the American violinist. It is important to discuss why students chose their fingerings and why there may be better alternatives
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Blogs
Putting students and professors in chamber music groups together is invigorating for both
In the run-up to the Guildhall School’s first chamber music festival, cello professor Ursula Smith reflects on the mutual benefits of its unique approach
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Blogs
Layale Chaker on the violin as cultural chameleon
The Lebanese composer and violinist discusses the ease with which the violin can drift between genres – and why she has devoted her creative life to doing just that