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Opinion: Practising scales in sequential order
While most string players agree that scales and arpeggios are the basic building blocks for good technique, cellist Robert Jesselson says that it’s essential to practise them sequentially to gain the maximum benefit
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Opinion: Avoid overloading students with information
Double bassist Alex Ferkey believes that young string players are often derailed by information overload, and should trust more in unconscious processes when trying to perfect their technique
Premium ❘ FocusOpinion: Independence of the left-hand thumb
To free up left-hand technique, violinist and teacher Martin Goldman encourages players to think more carefully about their thumb as an independent entity, yet still in close partnership with the four fingers
Premium ❘ FocusOpinion: why don’t string players practice pizzicato?
Perfecting bowing is a lifelong quest for string players – but what about pizzicato? Cellist Davina Shum advocates setting aside some dedicated practice time to this neglected technique
Premium ❘ FocusOpinion: The benefits and challenges of playing at the back of the section
While the musicians at the front of an orchestral string section might be in the spotlight, every string player should experience the unique challenges of sitting towards the back, says violinist Alexandra Gorski
Premium ❘ FocusOpinion: Criticism in teaching
Cellist and teacher Naomi Yandell explores the fine line between nagging and getting a point across by reminder and reinforcement, and suggests that a less verbal approach can often yield good results
Premium ❘ FocusOpinion: How improvisation can help with perfectionism
Having discovered a love of improvisation during the pandemic, cellist Simone Seales believes that the practice can free classically trained musicians from a typically unhealthy fear of imperfection
Premium ❘ FocusOpinion: The benefits of rest for students
Cellist and teacher Naomi Yandell is often pleasantly surprised at how much progress can be made by students during a break from lessons
Premium ❘ FocusOpinion: Flexibility in orchestral playing
Violinist Alexandra Gorski argues that an orchestra’s greatest asset is not power or accuracy; rather the ability to adapt seamlessly to every style of music and manner of conductor
Premium ❘ FocusOpinion: The importance (and difficulty) of playing softly
As string players, we are often encouraged to make a big sound, but cellist Davina Shum believes that the art of playing quietly is an underrated one
Premium ❘ FocusOpinion: EFT for performance anxiety
Violinist Jenny Clift struggled with performance anxiety until she discovered an unusual therapeutic technique
Premium ❘ FocusOpinion: Rethinking Beethoven’s String Quartet op.135
Norman Werbner argues an intriguing case for a different way of performing Beethoven’s String Quartet op.135
Premium ❘ FocusOpinion: The pros and cons of backing tracks
Naomi Yandell argues that while backing tracks are a useful learning tool, they create an experience gap that needs bridging
Premium ❘ FocusOpinion: A case for depping
The art of deputising may be one of the scariest things a musician can do, but it’s a skill that can benefit all players, says cellist Davina Shum
FocusOpinion: Jedi Wisdom for string playing
In the second of his articles, mining the wisdom of the Star Wars universe, cellist Brian Hodges explains how the teachings of the Jedi can be applied to string playing
Premium ❘ FocusOpinion: French or German bass bow hold?
Rodrigo Moro Martín, the London Symphony Orchestra’s new principal double bass, argues that the two tribes who favour French and German bow holds should coexist in perfect harmony
Premium ❘ FocusOpinion: Are regional differences in orchestral tuning really necessary?
Historically, orchestras have tuned to slightly different versions of the note A. Thomas Eisner wonders whether such gradations really matter
Premium ❘ Focus‘The violin concerto lives again’ - Opinion
Are we witnessing a golden age for new violin concertos, or simply too much of a good thing?
Premium ❘ FocusOpinion: how chamber music develops communication and listening skills
Violist Rosalind Ventris shares her experience of the transformative power of playing chamber music
Premium ❘ FocusOpinion: Does an orchestra’s home hall define its sound?
Edwin Barker, principal double bass of the Boston Symphony, argues that an orchestra’s ‘home’ concert hall shapes the unique character of the ensemble
Premium ❘ FocusOpinion: How learning a language can inform musical practice
Naomi Yandell’s efforts to learn a language using Duolingo have inspired her to rethink the way she teaches her own students, particularly with regard to repetitive practice
DebateSlow practice should be used only when needed as a learning tool
Are you wasting your time? As musicians we should be doing more to question the standard warm-up and practice regimes, writes violist Paul Neubauer
Premium ❘ FocusOpinion: A teenage cellist on spreading the love for classical music
Megan Clarke, a 16-year-old cellist in the National Youth Orchestra, is on a mission to communicate her love of classical music to other young people
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