Trailer: New Netflix documentary celebrates the NY Phil’s first full-time female musician

On 4 December Netflix will release a 35-minute documentary about double bassist Orin O’Brien’s trailblazing career. O’Brien was hired by Leonard Bernstein in 1966 to join the New York Philharmonic, becoming the first full-time female member of the orchestra. The bassist, now 87 years old, is recently retired and features in the documentary in interviews. The film is directed by Molly O’Brien, Orin O’Brien’s niece. 

The documentary has seen festival success in the lead up to the premiere including official selections at the New York CineFest, RiverRun International Film Festival, American Documentary and Animation Film Festival, Aspen Film’s Shortsfest, Vail Film Festival and more. It won Best Documentary Short at the Minneapolis St Paul International Film Festival.

The film will stream worldwide on Netflix on 4 December. 

Playing

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.

Teaching

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.

Calendars

The Canada Council of the Arts’ Musical Instrument Bank is 40 years old in 2025. This year’s calendar celebrates some its treasures, including four instruments by Antonio Stradivari and priceless works by Montagnana, Gagliano, Pressenda and David Tecchler.