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In the May 2023 issue, violist Paul Laraia discusses this staple of the viola repertoire: ’This piece is one of the few original works in the Romantic idiom for viola and so it is a treasured part of our repertoire, despite its relative brevity. With its simple phrase structure and accompaniment, I imagine the viola playing the part of a troubadour while the rolled chords in the piano can almost sound like a lute. To me, this piece is an incredible exercise in simplicity, with all the complexity necessary to convey that.’

In this video, Paul Laraia performs the Elegy on his Hiroshi Iizuka viola, built in the ‘viola d’amore’ style, and using a Belgian bow by Pierre Guillaume. 

Read: Masterclass: Paul Laraia on Glazunov Elegy in G minor for viola and piano op.44

Watch: Maxim Vengerov Masterclass with Menuhin Competition violinists

Watch: Hilary Hahn gives a mini-masterclass on Chausson’s Poème

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Best of Technique

In The Best of Technique you’ll discover the top playing tips of the world’s leading string players and teachers. It’s packed full of exercises for students, plus examples from the standard repertoire to show you how to integrate the technique into your playing.

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Masterclass

The Strad’s Masterclass series brings together the finest string players with some of the greatest string works ever written. Always one of our most popular sections, Masterclass has been an invaluable aid to aspiring soloists, chamber musicians and string teachers since the 1990s.

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Calendars

This year’s calendar celebrates the top instruments played by members of the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony, Australian String Quartet and some of the country’s greatest soloists.

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