All Features articles – Page 5
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Inheriting others’ pupils: a fresh start
Taking on other people’s ex-pupils can be a tricky business – especially when they come with ingrained unhealthy habits. Focusing on upper strings, Alun Thomas outlines what may need to be addressed to make progress
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Luigi Mozzani: Renaissance Man
As a luthier, musician, composer, teacher and successful businessman, Luigi Mozzani spread his talents far and wide. Lorenzo Frignani examines his eventful career, which produced all kinds of instruments
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Anne Akiko Meyers: What’s next?
US violinist Anne Akiko Meyers speaks to Rita Fernandes about her Californian roots, lifelong hunger for commissioning new works, and determination to make a lasting impact on the future of new music
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Copying a Montagnana cello: The Full Monty
For the past few years, the attendees of the annual Oberlin Violin Makers Workshop have set themselves increasingly challenging group projects. Robin Aitchison explains how 30 luthiers collaborated on their latest task: to copy a Montagnana cello with pinpoint accuracy
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Kronos Quartet at 50: Hunger for the new
Kronos Quartet has been at the vanguard of contemporary string quartet performance for 50 years. Founder David Harrington and former cellist Joan Jeanrenaud speak with Thomas May about the legacy of innovation that the ensemble is celebrating with an ambitious series of projects this season
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German bow makers in America: Across the Atlantic
Many, if not most, of the earliest bow makers working in America originally hailed from Germany. Raphael Gold discovers how they helped lay the foundations for the industry
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Session Report: The Solem Quartet’s recording of 20th-century and contemporary music
The Solem Quartet’s violist Stephen Upshaw talks to Harry White about the themes of light, shade and perspective that link the works on the ensemble’s album of 20th-century and contemporary music
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Sphinx Organization: Change for good
For the past quarter-century the Sphinx Organization has worked tirelessly to bring much-needed diversity to the US classical music scene. Bruce Hodges examines its achievements, and hears from its founder and its president about the future
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Double bassist Joseph Conyers: Driven by music
Principal double bassist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, teacher, mentor and entrepreneur, Joseph Conyers has a multifaceted career. David Kettle speaks to him to discover the source of his boundless energy
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'When someone is healthy inside, it sounds that way' - Mental health services in conservatoires
Rita Fernandes hears from administrators, counsellors and teachers from music schools about what defines a successful conservatoire mental health support system
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Pablo Casals and the Bach Cello Suites: Journey to a masterpiece
To mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Pablo Casals in October 1973, Oskar Falta examines the great Catalan cellist’s ‘rediscovery’ of the Bach Cello Suites, and the continuing legacy of his highly personal approach to the music
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Norwegian Wood: The history of the Hardanger fiddle
Regarded as Norway’s national instrument, the Hardanger fiddle is the product of a long evolution beginning in medieval times. Wiebke Lüders presents a history of the instrument’s development, profiling some of the most notable artisans
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Finding the right bow: A marriage made in heaven
A string player can miss out on the full potential of their instrument if they don’t find the perfect bow to go with it. A host of players and bow makers share their experiences with Jacqueline Vanasse and lend advice on the process of searching for the right bow
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Session Report: Johan Dalene on recording Neoclassical 20th-century works
The young Swedish violinist Johan Dalene speaks to Tom Stewart about recording his fourth album, a recital of luminous, Neoclassical 20th-century music for violin and piano
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The Strad Calendar 2024: The Fulton collection
The Strad Calendar 2024 pays tribute to one of the 20th century’s finest stringed instrument collections, put together in just a couple of decades by American violin collector David L. Fulton. Christian Lloyd examines the treasures
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‘We want to learn everything’ - Leonkoro Quartet
Formed in 2019, the Leonkoro Quartet burst on to the scene with a string of competition wins and now a debut album. The foursome speak to Peter Somerford about what it takes to succeed as a young string quartet today
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‘Be the person to teach them how to learn’ - Training an apprentice
Sarah Kluge explains her method of training an apprentice from scratch, including an essential list of dos and don’ts
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Session Report: Hilary Hahn on Ysaÿe’s Solo Violin Sonatas
When Hilary Hahn decided to record Ysaÿe’s Six Solo Violin Sonatas for their centenary year, all the stars seemed to align in terms of both timing and fresh musical insights, as she tells Charlotte Gardner
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Zosimo Bergonzi: Family fortunes
Zosimo Bergonzi, son of Carlo, was for a time the only luthier active in Cremona . Michel Samson tracks his career through his known works
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21 reasons why your instrument might be buzzing
Finding why an instrument buzzes while playing is a task that bedevils luthiers. Dmitry Tarakanov presents a checklist for the most likely causes