All Focus articles
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FocusSentimental work: Jennifer Stumm on Rebecca Clarke’s Viola Sonata
For the American violist, this 1919 work brings back memories of early successes and the inspirational teacher who introduced it to her
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Premium ❘ FeatureMasterclass: Ida Haendel on Bach’s Chaconne in D minor
To mark the 120th anniversary of The Strad, the great virtuoso Ida Haendel draws on a lifetime of playing to explore what is for many the pinnacle of the solo violin repertoire. From the May 2010 issue.
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Focus8 tips for perfecting your violin varnish
Advice from The Strad Archive on preparing, applying and drying varnish for best results
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FocusAsk the experts: What should a luthier look for when choosing tonewood?
For a beginner luthier, choosing the perfect spruce and maple for an instrument can be a confusing process. Three experts in wood selection offer some guidelines
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FocusPioneering Female String Players from The Strad archives
Ahead of International Women's Day on 8 March, take a look at these string players who graced the pages of our early magazine
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FocusMastering intonation, by cello professor Antonio Lysy
Cellist Antonio Lysy provides exercises to help you play in tune every time you put your finger on the string
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Premium ❘ FeatureMasterclass: Arabella Steinbacher on Ravel’s Tzigane
The German violinist gives advice on how to inject character and charisma into the daunting solo introduction of this much-loved work. From February 2018
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Premium ❘ FeatureMasterclass: Barnabás Kelemen on the first movement of Beethoven's ‘Rasumovsky’ quartet, op.59 no.1
The leader of the Kelemen Quartet discusses spontaneity and scales in the first movement of this ‘Rasumovsky’ Quartet. From the January 2018 issue
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Premium ❘ FeatureMasterclass: Vadim Gluzman on Brahms’s Violin Sonata no.1
The Israeli violinist discusses why colour, shading and restraint are key in the first movement of this often-misinterpreted work.
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Premium ❘ FeatureMasterclass: Baiba Skride on the Berg Violin Concerto, first movement
The Latvian violinist discusses the importance of thorough planning, together with emotional engagement, when playing this awkward work
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FocusWords of wisdom from cellist Aldo Parisot
As Yale School of Music announced the official retirement of the cello guru in 2018, we looked back at some of the inspiring quotes from an interview for The Strad conducted by one of his most illustrious students, Ralph Kirshbaum
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FocusThe teaching of Dorothy DeLay - by violinists Itzhak Perlman, Stephen Clapp and Brian Lewis
Shortly after the legendary Juilliard School violin professor died in 2002, pupils and colleagues paid tribute to her teaching magic
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Focus11 views on teaching by Juilliard School violin professor Dorothy DeLay
During the Joseph Joachim International Violin Competition in Hannover in 1995, jury member Dorothy DeLay led a 90-minute discussion on teaching. Evelyn Chadwick recorded some of her views.
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Focus‘I try to teach the students to think for themselves’ – the singular teaching legacy of Dorothy DeLay
Dorothy DeLay was born on this day in 1917. In this excerpt from September 2017, Laurie Niles speaks to former students about the legendary pedagogue’s teaching methods
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FocusThere is no such thing as a piano 'accompanist'
Elana Estrin delves into the field of collaborative piano
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FeatureStudying the violin with Carl Flesch: Yfrah Neaman
Lebanese violinist Yfrah Neaman, who died in 2003, shared memories of his teacher with Evelyn Chadwick in December 1994
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Focus7 tips on adjustments to get the best out of your instrument
The finest Stradivari in the world will sound poor if it is badly set up. Here are some points to consider sourced from our archive
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Premium ❘ FeatureBlue Sky Teaching: Using creative approaches to refine students’ technique
In our June 2019 issue, Judith Kogan spoke with three string teachers, all based in North America and whose unique ideas are achieving significant results
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FocusAnne Akiko Meyers on playing the ‘Vieuxtemps’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’
The US violinist, who has been loaned in perpetuity what is currently the world’s most expensive instrument, discusses its tone quality and projection
