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The Year 1905: Edward Elgar and his Introduction and Allegro, op.47 for solo string quartet and strings
Obituary: luthier Gene Horner (1933 - 2025)
Lysander Piano Trio appoints new cellist
Australian Chamber Orchestra announces 2025 Emerging Artists
Recovering paradise: Alisa Weilerstein on Richard Blackford’s new climate change concerto
Why I write my own cadenzas: violinist Lir Vaginsky
The violinist shares how writing her own cadenzas for her recording of Mozart concertos resulted in a deeper connection with both the composer and audiences
Recovering paradise: Alisa Weilerstein on Richard Blackford’s new climate change concerto
The American cellist speaks with US correspondent Thomas May about a new work she is premiering this season that hits especially close to home: Richard Blackford’s The Recovery of Paradise concerto for cello, which takes its name from the wildfires that devastated Southern California in 2018.
’There’s a moment where I feel like I need to relearn a piece’ - Julia Fischer on how to keep fresh on tour
In advance of her tour with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Vasily Petrenko, the German violinist speaks to The Strad about what she is most looking forward to, how to sustain a month-long tour, plus what she gets up to outside of performances
Playing Hub
Recovering paradise: Alisa Weilerstein on Richard Blackford’s new climate change concerto
The American cellist speaks with US correspondent Thomas May about a new work she is premiering this season that hits especially close to home: Richard Blackford’s The Recovery of Paradise concerto for cello, which takes its name from the wildfires that devastated Southern California in 2018.
Why I write my own cadenzas: violinist Lir Vaginsky
The violinist shares how writing her own cadenzas for her recording of Mozart concertos resulted in a deeper connection with both the composer and audiences
How we reflected Turkey’s musical richness in 24 one-minute pieces for solo violin during the pandemic
Cellist Mehmet Gökhan Bağcı interviews Turkish violinist Önder Baloglu, who sheds light on the pandemic-induced project Unvoiced Diaries, comprising short, Instagram-friendly compositions, plus its significance in the broader context of Turkish classical music
Dinner with Kreisler: the Kreisler 150th anniversary
To mark the 150th anniversary of the Austrian virtuoso violinist’s birth on 2 February 1875, long-time fan Ariane Todes imagines a dinner-party conversation with her hero, based on documentary evidence and accounts by his contemporaries
Session Report: Timothy Ridout on recording a new solo album
As violist Timothy Ridout makes his first foray into recording alone, he and his producer Andrew Keener tell Davina Shum about the process of setting down music by Bach, Britten, Shaw and Telemann
Opinion: Making the most out of chamber music coaching
Playing chamber music well is the most valuable, and demanding, lesson for both string students and their teachers, says cellist David Finckel. He shares his own wealth of experience for making the most of coaching sessions
Premium ❘ Feature
Dinner with Kreisler: the Kreisler 150th anniversary
To mark the 150th anniversary of the Austrian virtuoso violinist’s birth on 2 February 1875, long-time fan Ariane Todes imagines a dinner-party conversation with her hero, based on documentary evidence and accounts by his contemporaries
Premium ❘ Feature
Session Report: Timothy Ridout on recording a new solo album
As violist Timothy Ridout makes his first foray into recording alone, he and his producer Andrew Keener tell Davina Shum about the process of setting down music by Bach, Britten, Shaw and Telemann
Premium ❘ Feature
Dinner with Kreisler: the Kreisler 150th anniversary
To mark the 150th anniversary of the Austrian virtuoso violinist’s birth on 2 February 1875, long-time fan Ariane Todes imagines a dinner-party conversation with her hero, based on documentary evidence and accounts by his contemporaries
Premium ❘ Focus
‘See each concert as the most important one in your life’ - Daniel Hope’s life lessons
The violinist on his many influences and what is at the heart of a musician’s career
Premium ❘ Focus
Sentimental Work: Anne Gastinel on Dutilleux’s 3 Strophes sur le nom de Paul Sacher
The French cellist was captivated by Dutilleux’s 3 Strophes sur le nom de Paul Sacher from the first hearing; and it also provided an opportunity to meet the composer
Competitions
![[2] Dmytro Udovychenko pc Thomas Leonard](https://dnan0fzjxntrj.cloudfront.net/Pictures/460x307/7/6/9/37769_2dmytroudovychenkopcthomasleonard_137421.jpg)
Odesa International Violin Competition announces new location
It will be the first edition of the competition since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in 2022
Results announced for the 2025 Tertis and Aronowitz International Viola Competitions
Violists Sam Rosenthal and Xunyu Zhou receive the £5,000 first prizes
2025 Sphinx Competition winners announced
A total of six string players from both the junior and senior divisions have won more than $100,000 in prizes in the 2025 competition’s final rounds over the weekend
Premium ❘ News
Premiere of the Month: Michelle Barzel Ross’s new quartet for the Juilliard Quartet
A new quartet remembers violist Roger Tapping
Premium ❘ News
Premiere of the Month: Donghoon Shin’s new viola concerto for Amihai Grosz
D flat major forms the basis of a new viola concerto
Masterclass: Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, first movement
Although this concerto is a well-known staple of the repertoire, violinists can still find opportunities to explore refreshing interpretations in this movement, says Paul Huang
Masterclass: Schubert ‘Death and the Maiden’ String Quartet, second movement
Violist of the Kuss Quartet William Coleman emphasises the importance of creating a narrative arc in this movement, which encompasses a journey of emotional ambivalence
Masterclass: Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, first movement
Although this concerto is a well-known staple of the repertoire, violinists can still find opportunities to explore refreshing interpretations in this movement, says Paul Huang
Masterclass: Schubert ‘Death and the Maiden’ String Quartet, second movement
Violist of the Kuss Quartet William Coleman emphasises the importance of creating a narrative arc in this movement, which encompasses a journey of emotional ambivalence
Masterclass: Saint-Saëns Havanaise op.83
Violinist Max Baillie gives smart and efficient practice tips to showcase a piece for violin and orchestra that juxtaposes lyricism with virtuosic passagework
The Strad Podcast: How to tailor the Suzuki Method to different students with violinist Meghan Faw
The violinist shares her personal experiences with the method as both a student and a teacher
The Strad Podcast: How to hold a masterclass with violinist Paul Huang
The violinist speaks about his teaching approaches in a unique learning experience, in the third part of our four-part education-themed podcast series
The Strad Podcast: How to teach collaborative skills with violinist Annie Fullard of the Cavani Quartet
‘We should live in a chamber music world’ - the violinist speaks about the importance of collaboration inside and outside of the practice room, in the second episode of our four-part education-themed podcast series
The Strad Podcast: How to practise effectively with violinist Ray Chen
The first in our new four-part education themed podcast series features our September 2024 cover star
The Strad Podcast: How to tailor the Suzuki Method to different students with violinist Meghan Faw
The violinist shares her personal experiences with the method as both a student and a teacher
The Strad Podcast: How to hold a masterclass with violinist Paul Huang
The violinist speaks about his teaching approaches in a unique learning experience, in the third part of our four-part education-themed podcast series
The Strad Podcast: How to teach collaborative skills with violinist Annie Fullard of the Cavani Quartet
‘We should live in a chamber music world’ - the violinist speaks about the importance of collaboration inside and outside of the practice room, in the second episode of our four-part education-themed podcast series
Competitions
Odesa International Violin Competition announces new location
It will be the first edition of the competition since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in 2022
Results announced for the 2025 Tertis and Aronowitz International Viola Competitions
Violists Sam Rosenthal and Xunyu Zhou receive the £5,000 first prizes
2025 Sphinx Competition winners announced
A total of six string players from both the junior and senior divisions have won more than $100,000 in prizes in the 2025 competition’s final rounds over the weekend
‘No Escape’: violinist Christine Bernsted performs music by Lera Auerbach
The work features on the Danish violinist’s new album Speak, Memory, out on 24 January 2025
‘No Escape’: violinist Christine Bernsted performs music by Lera Auerbach
Gabriel Schwabe and Nicholas Rimmer perform Beethoven’s Cello Sonata no.5
Violin and dance combine in new video, ‘Doppelgänger Dances’
Watch: a 1981 Leonid Kogan Paganini performance with restored audio and video
Tommy Mesa performs Saint-Saëns: Cello Concerto No. 1
Watch: Philharmonia Orchestra musicians play a festive string quintet
Watch: New violin-playing robot specialises in Indian music
Verdi’s La Forza del Destino for double bass and piano
![Bach_fuga_Artwork[DIGITAL]](https://dnan0fzjxntrj.cloudfront.net/Pictures/270x180/0/7/0/37070_bach_fuga_artworkdigital_132645_crop.jpg)
Bach’s Fugue from Violin Sonata no.2… played on double bass!
Trailer: New Netflix documentary celebrates the NY Phil’s first full-time female musician
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‘Master of the violin, artist of the soul’: Władysław Baczyński
Władysław Baczyński overcame a life of tragedy to become one of Poland’s most highly regarded 20th-century violin makers. Grzegorz Kaproń tells his story
Obituary: British violin maker Peter Voigt
The Sussex-based luthier enjoyed a 67-year career restoring stringed instruments and was also a keen amateur motor racer
‘An artist’s eye and an intuitive gift for communication’: tributes to violin maker George Stoppani
Colleagues Sam Zygmuntowicz, Colin Gough and Jim Woodhouse share their memories of the well-regarded British luthier and acoustician, who died on 25 December 2024
Making Matters: Strategies to fix wolf notes
Eliminating a wolf note can be the bane of every luthier’s life. Linda Lespets passes on four methods that can help to solve the problem
My Space: Dínçay Gülenç’s Istanbul workshop
The luthier takes us on a tour of his Turkish workshop
Trade Secrets: A new approach to bracing flat-back instruments
This system of ‘responsive bracing’ allows for the natural movement of the wood
‘Master of the violin, artist of the soul’: Władysław Baczyński
Władysław Baczyński overcame a life of tragedy to become one of Poland’s most highly regarded 20th-century violin makers. Grzegorz Kaproń tells his story
Obituary: British violin maker Peter Voigt
The Sussex-based luthier enjoyed a 67-year career restoring stringed instruments and was also a keen amateur motor racer
‘An artist’s eye and an intuitive gift for communication’: tributes to violin maker George Stoppani
Colleagues Sam Zygmuntowicz, Colin Gough and Jim Woodhouse share their memories of the well-regarded British luthier and acoustician, who died on 25 December 2024
Making Matters: Strategies to fix wolf notes
Eliminating a wolf note can be the bane of every luthier’s life. Linda Lespets passes on four methods that can help to solve the problem
My Space: Dínçay Gülenç’s Istanbul workshop
The luthier takes us on a tour of his Turkish workshop
Trade Secrets: A new approach to bracing flat-back instruments
This system of ‘responsive bracing’ allows for the natural movement of the wood
Concert review: Maxim Vengerov (violin) Lawrence Power (viola) Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Leah Hollingsworth attends an all-Mozart programme with the violinist and violist on 7 November 2024 in the Isaac Stern Auditorium at New York’s Carnegie Hall
Concert review: Midori (violin) and Seattle Symphony/Anja Bihlmaier
US correspondent Thomas May reviews Midori’s performance of the Brahms concerto with the Seattle Symphony under guest conductor Anja Bihlmaier on 23 January 2025.
Concert review: La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler (violin)
Tim Homfray visits London’s Wigmore Hall on 18 November 2024 for the performance of Brescianello, Gregori, Gnocchi, Vivaldi, Valentini, Facco and Durante
Albert Sammons: Elgar
Essential listening for the perfect pairing of composer and artist
Gould Piano Trio: Marschner
Chamber music from a figure best remembered for his operas
Ning Feng: Prokofiev, Shostakovich
Virtuosity is a given in a pair of superbly characterised concertos
Book review: Lessons in Gratitude: A Memoir on Race, The Arts and Mental Health
Lauren Wesley-Smith reviews the memoir of Sphinx Organization founder Aaron P. Dworkin
Book review: Mexican Folk Fiddle Tunes
David Lasserson reviews the latest in Schott Music’s series on world music styles, compiled by Julia Chardavoine, Diego Brossollet Hernández and César Iván Juárez-Joyner
Book review: Make Great Music with Ease! The Secret to Smarter Practice, Confident Performance, and Living a Happier Life
Mathew Lee reviews Jennifer Roig-Francolí’s book based on her ‘Art of Freedom Method’, with a healthy dose of Alexander technique
Debate
Opinion: Making the most out of chamber music coaching
Playing chamber music well is the most valuable, and demanding, lesson for both string students and their teachers, says cellist David Finckel. He shares his own wealth of experience for making the most of coaching sessions
Opinion: AI vs live performance?
Even with the proliferation of technology such as generative AI in the music industry, violist Toby Deller believes there will always be a strong human need to experience live performance
Debate
Opinion: Making the most out of chamber music coaching
Playing chamber music well is the most valuable, and demanding, lesson for both string students and their teachers, says cellist David Finckel. He shares his own wealth of experience for making the most of coaching sessions
Opinion: AI vs live performance?
Even with the proliferation of technology such as generative AI in the music industry, violist Toby Deller believes there will always be a strong human need to experience live performance
Accessories
Products February 2025: Turlunda cello endpin
A new endpin designed to bring out the sounds of different materials
Products February 2025: Mach One Wide violin shoulder rest
The Mach One rest is now available in a wider size
Products February 2025: Kremer Pigmente intense red madder lake pigment
A new colour is available in the company’s extensive madder lake pigment range
Concert review: Maxim Vengerov (violin) Lawrence Power (viola) Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Leah Hollingsworth attends an all-Mozart programme with the violinist and violist on 7 November 2024 in the Isaac Stern Auditorium at New York’s Carnegie Hall
Concert review: Midori (violin) and Seattle Symphony/Anja Bihlmaier
US correspondent Thomas May reviews Midori’s performance of the Brahms concerto with the Seattle Symphony under guest conductor Anja Bihlmaier on 23 January 2025.
Concert review: La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler (violin)
Tim Homfray visits London’s Wigmore Hall on 18 November 2024 for the performance of Brescianello, Gregori, Gnocchi, Vivaldi, Valentini, Facco and Durante
Book review: Lessons in Gratitude: A Memoir on Race, The Arts and Mental Health
Lauren Wesley-Smith reviews the memoir of Sphinx Organization founder Aaron P. Dworkin
Book review: Mexican Folk Fiddle Tunes
David Lasserson reviews the latest in Schott Music’s series on world music styles, compiled by Julia Chardavoine, Diego Brossollet Hernández and César Iván Juárez-Joyner
Book review: Make Great Music with Ease! The Secret to Smarter Practice, Confident Performance, and Living a Happier Life
Mathew Lee reviews Jennifer Roig-Francolí’s book based on her ‘Art of Freedom Method’, with a healthy dose of Alexander technique
Albert Sammons: Elgar
Essential listening for the perfect pairing of composer and artist
Gould Piano Trio: Marschner
Chamber music from a figure best remembered for his operas
Ning Feng: Prokofiev, Shostakovich
Virtuosity is a given in a pair of superbly characterised concertos
Artists
Music for our time: violinist Paul Huang on his new album ‘Mirrors’
The violinist speaks to The Strad about a musical journey that he hopes inspires listeners to ponder the past, present and future
Violinist Ning Feng: Truth and substance
There is seemingly nothing the Chinese-born, Berlin‑based violinist Ning Feng can’t do, from dazzling Paganini interpretations to Bach to 20th‑century concertos. He talks to Michael White about his influences, his future plans and his desire to pass on his musical wisdom to the next generation
‘Not bad’ meant ‘Very, very good!’: what was Leonid Kogan like as a violin teacher?
The distinguished French violinist and quartet leader Isabelle Flory studied with Leonid Kogan at the Moscow Conservatoire for three years. She shares her memories of his teaching methods
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