• Wei Yu

    New cello appointment at Cleveland Institute of Music

    2024-03-26T10:24:00+00:00

    Principal cellist of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Wei Yu will join the faculty in autumn 2025

  • Untitled design (5)

    Cello bridge design: X marks the spot

    2024-03-26T09:32:00+00:00

    For many years the design of the cello bridge has remained constant – but could it be improved? Sebastian Gonzalez presents the results of a comparison between the standard French bridge and a newly designed model, while Gaian Amorim tracks the development of the bridge

  • Igor_Ozim_playing_the_violin_(April_2013)

    Obituary: Igor Ozim

    2024-03-25T15:38:00+00:00

    The Slovenian violinist and pedagogue, who taught many acclaimed violinists including Patricia Kopatchinskaja, was 92

Playing Hub

Elli Choi Mozart

Postcard from Beijing: Global Music Education League competition

2024-03-25T08:10:00+00:00

The first violin edition of the Global Music Education League competition took place in Beijing following a four-year delay due to the pandemic. Emma Baker travelled to China to hear the finals

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Violinist Joshua Bell: ‘Everybody’s playing like their life depends upon it’

2024-03-21T09:31:00+00:00

Violinist Joshua Bell chats with Pauline Harding about transcending the pyrotechnics of Paganini, the inspiring ethos of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, and celebrations to mark the centenary of the orchestra’s founder, Neville Marriner

Tilde Døssing Tornbjerg2

'Your own voice must be in charge': Creating an improvised violin concerto

2024-03-20T11:31:18.667+00:00

Can a new work encourage young, classically trained string players to lose their fear of improvisation and find their individual voice? Violinist Christina Åstrand and composer Signe Lykke explain the concept to Andrew Mellor

carducci-22

Session Report: the Carducci Quartet on recording Shostakovich

2024-03-20T11:31:00.87+00:00

As the Carducci Quartet releases its third Shostakovich disc, Tom Stewart hears from the group’s violist and cellist about the extreme contrasts between the two featured pieces – the ninth and fifteenth string quartets

00 BP playing, colour, (c) Klaus Rudolph

The life and legacy of cellist Boris Pergamenschikow

2024-03-20T11:30:54.16+00:00

Russian cellist Boris Pergamenschikow enjoyed an influential career both teaching and playing in Europe after leaving the Soviet Union, before his untimely death twenty years ago. Oskar Falta examines his legacy and hears from some of his former students

Maud 1919 Bushnell 4 600 dpi

‘She plays like a man’ - From the archive: April 1904

2024-03-20T11:28:19.123+00:00

New York correspondent Thomas C. Dawson reports on a performance by Maud Powell and solves a mystery regarding the violins of virtuoso Ede Reményi (1828–98)

Untitled design (5)

Premium ❘ Feature

Cello bridge design: X marks the spot

2024-03-26T09:32:00+00:00

For many years the design of the cello bridge has remained constant – but could it be improved? Sebastian Gonzalez presents the results of a comparison between the standard French bridge and a newly designed model, while Gaian Amorim tracks the development of the bridge

20231012AcademyofStMartinintheFields-94

Premium ❘ Feature

Violinist Joshua Bell: ‘Everybody’s playing like their life depends upon it’

2024-03-21T09:31:00+00:00

Violinist Joshua Bell chats with Pauline Harding about transcending the pyrotechnics of Paganini, the inspiring ethos of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, and celebrations to mark the centenary of the orchestra’s founder, Neville Marriner

Untitled design (5)

Premium ❘ Feature

Cello bridge design: X marks the spot

2024-03-26T09:32:00+00:00

For many years the design of the cello bridge has remained constant – but could it be improved? Sebastian Gonzalez presents the results of a comparison between the standard French bridge and a newly designed model, while Gaian Amorim tracks the development of the bridge

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Premium ❘ Focus

Sentimental Work: Elena Urioste on Mel Bonis’s Violin Sonata

2024-03-20T11:24:28.723+00:00

The Violin Sonata by French composer Mel Bonis was a revelation for the US-born violinist, revealing both a new sound world and innovative techniques in music writing

Tai pc Gaby Merz

Premium ❘ Focus

‘So don’t sit around and think – go and find your audience!’ - Tai Murray’s life lessons

2024-03-20T11:24:00+00:00

The US violinist on finding your voice and the transition from student to professional

Competitions

[1] Soyoung Yoon pc Julia Wesel

Winners announced for the inaugural Tokyo Classic Violin Competition

2024-03-26T14:48:00+00:00

The first prize of €20,000 was awarded to South Korean violinist Soyoung Yoon

ASO Schadt

Cellist Gaeun Kim wins 2024 Schadt String Competition

2024-03-22T09:39:00+00:00

Kim scooped first prize of $12,000 plus future concert engagements

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Violinist wins the 2024 Ars Classica International Competition

2024-03-20T15:07:00+00:00

First prizewinner violinist Anna Im receives a recording opportunity to the of value of €30,000

Daniel pc Derek Buck

Premium ❘ News

Premiere of the Month: Daniel Perttu on his new cello concerto

2024-03-20T11:23:02.43+00:00

Dvořák’s Cello Concerto is the inspiration behind a new piece in the genre

3 Liam Byrne © Clemens Hansson

Premium ❘ News

Competitions, Awards and Appointments: April 2024

2024-03-20T11:22:56.957+00:00

The latest competition results, appointments and forthcoming contests

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The Strad Podcast #114: exploring resources and finding your teaching style with cellist Guy Johnston

2024-03-28T09:53:00+00:00

The cellist speaks about how resources left by renowned ‘cello gods,’ as well as fostering a community of sharing has informed his teaching methods throughout his career

thumbnail_Philippe Graffin -borggreve 28 bw

The Strad Podcast #113: Uncovering Ysaÿe’s lost works with violinist Philippe Graffin

2024-03-14T09:59:00+00:00

The violinist speaks about his efforts to bring Ysaÿe’s Poème concertant into the limelight

Performing at Spoleto USA - Bill Struhs bw

The Strad Podcast #112: making musical choices with violist and composer Jessica Meyer

2024-03-07T09:30:00+00:00

Believing the word ’improvisation’ to be a scary word for many classical musicians, Jessica calls for a simpler approach that will help musicians interpret both their own and others’ music

Michael Rieber _Kontrabass - Jewgeni Roppel HR-26 bw

The Strad Podcast #111: juggling orchestral and solo playing with double bassist Michael Rieber

2024-02-29T09:35:00+00:00

How do you find the time to release a solo album while holding a principal position in one of Europe’s top orchestras? The double bassist shares his strategies for effective practice and preparation

Competitons

[1] Soyoung Yoon pc Julia Wesel

Winners announced for the inaugural Tokyo Classic Violin Competition

2024-03-26T14:48:00+00:00

The first prize of €20,000 was awarded to South Korean violinist Soyoung Yoon

ASO Schadt

Cellist Gaeun Kim wins 2024 Schadt String Competition

2024-03-22T09:39:00+00:00

Kim scooped first prize of $12,000 plus future concert engagements

301894796_735602027511731_3176563907284763217_n

Violinist wins the 2024 Ars Classica International Competition

2024-03-20T15:07:00+00:00

First prizewinner violinist Anna Im receives a recording opportunity to the of value of €30,000

More from Lutherie

Untitled design (5)

Cello bridge design: X marks the spot

2024-03-26T09:32:00+00:00

For many years the design of the cello bridge has remained constant – but could it be improved? Sebastian Gonzalez presents the results of a comparison between the standard French bridge and a newly designed model, while Gaian Amorim tracks the development of the bridge

back high res2 for strad

Photo gallery: ‘The Painted Violin’ by Roger Hansell

2024-03-22T09:38:00+00:00

The decorated violin is now in the hands of baroque violinist Lucy Russell

Joseph Marquès violin 1759 f holes

In Focus: A 1759 violin by Joseph Marquès

2024-03-20T11:31:14.953+00:00

Jordi Pinto examines the Spanish maker’s mid-century instrument

Untitled design (6)

Bow maker Richard Otto Gläsel: Parisian splendour

2024-03-20T11:31:07.017+00:00

Having perfected his skills in the French capital, German bow maker Richard Otto Gläsel was much inspired by the work of his Gallic forebears, from Voirin to Vigneron. Gennady Filimonov tells his story and examines several of his finest works

Viuluverstas-7003

My Space: Elina Kaljunen’s Helsinki workshop

2024-03-20T11:30:23.863+00:00

The maker takes us on a tour of her Finnish workshop

Bow frog and brand

Making Matters: How to identify an expert bow maker

2024-03-20T11:30:18.893+00:00

The ability to identify the maker of a bow is a rare talent that requires a keen eye and a wealth of knowledge. Jacques Poullot gives some pointers as to how to acquire such expertise

Goosby

Concert review: Randall Goosby (violin) Jameel Martin (viola/narrator) Eddie Pogossian (cello) Zhu Wang (piano)

2024-03-28T09:31:00+00:00By

Edward Bhesania listens to the performance of at London’s Purcell Room on 14 January 2024

Goldmund

Concert review: Goldmund Quartet

2024-03-27T09:31:00+00:00By

Bruce Hodges hears the performance of Schulhoff, Schumann and Haydn at Philadelphia’s Perelman Theater on 16 January 2024

hilary hahn

Concert review: Hilary Hahn (violin) New York Philharmonic/Jakub Hrůša

2024-03-26T09:31:00+00:00By

Leah Hollingsworth travels to New York’s David Geffen Hall on 12 January 2024 for the performance of Coleridge-Taylor, Bach and Bartók

Beethoven Lener Qt

Léner Quartet: Beethoven

2024-03-28T09:30:00+00:00By

Fiery late Beethoven from this crack Hungarian ensemble

Bach Kaakinen

Sirkka-Liisa Kaakinen-Pilch: Bach

2024-03-27T09:30:00+00:00By

Impeccable if emotionally restrained readings of masterly sonatas

Bach Kavakos

Leonidas Kavakos: Bach

2024-03-26T09:30:00+00:00By

A violin superstar brings perhaps too much personality to the Baroque

Collaborations

Book review: Collaborations: Reflections on 50 Years of Working with Composers

2024-03-20T11:21:30.33+00:00By

Pwyll ap Siôn reads the memoirs of Irvine Arditti, new music specialist and founder of the eponymous quartet

Violin Makers in Naples

Book review: Violin Makers in Naples from the 17th Century

2024-03-20T11:21:26.123+00:00By

Christian Lloyd reads Ernesto de Angelis’s treatise on Neapolitan lutherie, now translated into English for the first time

Wee Violin

Book review: Wee Violin: World Music Preparatory to Twinkle

2024-03-20T11:21:19.04+00:00By

Celia Cobb reads Crystal Boyack’s introductory work for very young students of the violin

Debate

GettyImages-959525850

Opinion: Criticism in teaching

2024-02-19T08:05:00+00:00

Cellist and teacher Naomi Yandell explores the fine line between nagging and getting a point across by reminder and reinforcement, and suggests that a less verbal approach can often yield good results

GettyImages-1075999884

Opinion: Adjusting instrument necks for teenage players’ growing hands

2024-01-15T08:05:00+00:00

Bow maker Bernd Müsing believes that widening violin and viola necks could help young players, especially teenage boys, who find that there is no longer enough space between the strings for their growing fingertips

Debate

GettyImages-959525850

Opinion: Criticism in teaching

2024-02-19T08:05:00+00:00

Cellist and teacher Naomi Yandell explores the fine line between nagging and getting a point across by reminder and reinforcement, and suggests that a less verbal approach can often yield good results

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  • The Strad Directory is the essential resource for the string music world, with over 2,300 listings providing information on string businesses across North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.

    Whether you are a string player searching for a new instrument or a business owner looking to reach your target audience, the Strad Directory remains the most comprehensive and user-friendly resource for the string music world.