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Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation awards two €75,000 Ensemble Prizes for 2025
Two string quartets join Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in a new residency
Long-standing violinist and cellist resign from New Zealand String Quartet, following misconduct investigation
Benedetti Foundation director Laura Gardiner steps down
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Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation awards two €75,000 Ensemble Prizes for 2025
Two string quartets join Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in a new residency
Long-standing violinist and cellist resign from New Zealand String Quartet, following misconduct investigation
9 things cellists need to consider when taking an orchestral audition
Long-standing violinist and cellist resign from New Zealand String Quartet, following misconduct investigation
9 things cellists need to consider when taking an orchestral audition
Giving voice: how three Levantine female singers inspired composer Bushra El-Turk
Benedetti Foundation director Laura Gardiner steps down
IMS Prussia Cove co-founder Hilary Tunstall-Behrens dies aged 97
Nietzschean virtuosity: Rainer Eudeikis plays Salonen’s Cello Concerto in San Francisco
US correspondent Thomas May speaks with Rainer Eudeikis, San Francisco Symphony’s principal cellist, about the unusual challenges of performing the Cello Concerto by the orchestra’s music director.
‘They just didn’t want to listen’: cellist Maja Bogdanović denied boarding by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
The cellist was travelling with her family to perform at the Belgrade Music Festival
TwoSet Violin ‘ends chapter’ after eleven years
The violin comedy duo made the announcement on social media on Monday afternoon
Playing Hub
Violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja on the shadow world of Shostakovich
US correspondent Thomas May speaks with Patricia Kopatchinskaja about playing Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1 on her current tour with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Edward Gardner, which culminates in her long-overdue Carnegie Hall debut.
Rachel Barton Pine: ‘What we’re doing today is the history of tomorrow’
As she turns 50, the American violinist Rachel Barton Pine speaks to Ariane Todes about her unwavering enthusiasm for discovering, and communicating, the artistic integrity in everything she does
![[1] Army Strings White House pc Staff Sgt. Brittany Primavera](https://dnan0fzjxntrj.cloudfront.net/Pictures/100x67/1/6/2/36162_1armystringswhitehousepcstaffsgt.brittanyprimavera_858924_crop.jpg)
Musical service: String groups in the US military
Rita Fernandes hears from musicians in the United States Air Force, Army and Marine Corps and travels to Washington DC to discover the little-known world of string playing in the US military
Session Report: violinist Fenella Humphreys and composer Adrian Sutton on a new violin concerto
Being diagnosed with an incurable cancer spurred on War Horse composer Adrian Sutton to write a new violin concerto for Fenella Humphreys. Michael White hears from both composer and soloist about recording the work
How to deal with hypermobility as a string player
Although superhuman flexibility may initially seem like a gift, it also presents itself with challenges and injury. Adam Hockman interviews violinist Francesca dePasquale on how string players can approach hypermobility in their playing and treatment
Concert review: Star power within the Seattle Symphony
US correspondent Thomas May writes about a recent Seattle Symphony programme spotlighting the orchestra’s concertmaster and principal cellist in the Brahms Double Concerto.
Premium ❘ Feature
Rachel Barton Pine: ‘What we’re doing today is the history of tomorrow’
As she turns 50, the American violinist Rachel Barton Pine speaks to Ariane Todes about her unwavering enthusiasm for discovering, and communicating, the artistic integrity in everything she does
![[1] Army Strings White House pc Staff Sgt. Brittany Primavera](https://dnan0fzjxntrj.cloudfront.net/Pictures/460x307/1/6/2/36162_1armystringswhitehousepcstaffsgt.brittanyprimavera_858924_crop.jpg)
Premium ❘ Feature
Musical service: String groups in the US military
Rita Fernandes hears from musicians in the United States Air Force, Army and Marine Corps and travels to Washington DC to discover the little-known world of string playing in the US military
Premium ❘ Feature
Rachel Barton Pine: ‘What we’re doing today is the history of tomorrow’
As she turns 50, the American violinist Rachel Barton Pine speaks to Ariane Todes about her unwavering enthusiasm for discovering, and communicating, the artistic integrity in everything she does
Premium ❘ Focus
‘Imagination is one of the most important things in music’ - Alexander Baillie’s life lessons
The British cellist on playing fundamentals and developing musicality
Premium ❘ Focus
Postcard from Scotland: East Neuk Festival
Simon Thompson visits the picturesque East Neuk of Fife in Scotland, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of a festival that attracts some of the best chamber musicians in Europe
Competitions
Winners announced at the 2024 Oskar Nedbal International Viola Competition
Three violists from South Korea, Japan and the US took the top prizes, comprising cash, a fine viola bow, plus cases and accessories
Karol Lipiński Violin Competition names winners
South Korean violinist Sunjae Ok scooped the top prize of €15,000
Finalists announced for the Karol Lipiński Violin Competition
Six violinists will progress to the third and final stage of this year’s competition, which will be held on 4 and 5 October
Premium ❘ News
Premiere of the Month: Tim Garland’s new violin concerto
A violin concerto with improvisation throughout
Premium ❘ News
Competitions, Awards and Appointments: November 2024
The latest competition results, appointments and forthcoming contests
Masterclass: Schubert Arpeggione Sonata on viola, first movement
Yuri Zhislin illustrates the importance of colour and harmony in a work renowned for its lyricism and technicality
Masterclass: Mendelssohn String Quartet in F minor, first movement
Second violinist of the Aris Quartet Noémi Zipperling examines Mendelssohn’s emotionally charged movement, considered to be a requiem for his sister and, ultimately, himself
Masterclass: Schubert Arpeggione Sonata on viola, first movement
Yuri Zhislin illustrates the importance of colour and harmony in a work renowned for its lyricism and technicality
Masterclass: Mendelssohn String Quartet in F minor, first movement
Second violinist of the Aris Quartet Noémi Zipperling examines Mendelssohn’s emotionally charged movement, considered to be a requiem for his sister and, ultimately, himself
Masterclass: Debussy Cello Sonata, second and third movements
Cellist Thomas Demenga reflects on the importance of restraint next to the extremes of expressive detail to be brought out in this masterpiece
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
Winners announced at the 2024 Oskar Nedbal International Viola Competition
Three violists from South Korea, Japan and the US took the top prizes, comprising cash, a fine viola bow, plus cases and accessories
Karol Lipiński Violin Competition names winners
South Korean violinist Sunjae Ok scooped the top prize of €15,000
Finalists announced for the Karol Lipiński Violin Competition
Six violinists will progress to the third and final stage of this year’s competition, which will be held on 4 and 5 October
Vivere Quartet performs Hannah Havrylet’s ‘Expressions’
The work is included in the ensemble’s new album, Prayer for Ukraine
Vivere Quartet performs Hannah Havrylet’s ‘Expressions’
Davina Clarke plays Bach Sonata No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1016
Two violins are better than one: Candida Thompson, Simone Lamsma and Amsterdam Sinfonietta perform Bach
‘Rare instruments, greed and brutal murder’: New documentary about the murders of a luthier and his daughter
Grieg Cello Sonata… on double bass!
Video: 15 Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violins in less than 4 minutes
Video: First violin performance in space
Violinist Emily Sun performs John Williams’s Theme from Schindler’s List
Michael Rieber plays Franck Sonata on double bass
Sheku Kanneh-Mason in the spotlight at the Lucerne Festival
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New York Philharmonic concertmaster acquires Pierre Simon bow
Frank Huang is now the owner of the beautifully decorated ‘Caraman-Chimay’ Pierre Simon bow, thanks to a recent sale by Tarisio
The Strad Calendar 2025: 1871 Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume violin
An exact copy of Stradivari’s ‘Messiah’, it remained in a vault in Paris for more than 70 years
The return of a stolen pardessus: a case of provenance and restitution
In 2022, Annalisa Pappano bought a six-string pardessus from a reputable dealer that turned out to be stolen from a Belgian museum. She shares her turbulent story, in an aim to raise awareness of issues related to stolen instruments and the potential pitfalls for musicians
Stradivari to Degas: The Strad visits the Metropolitan Museum’s string instrument collection
The Strad’s staff writer Rita Fernandes discovers the Met’s string instrument collection in its many forms! Check out her photos of the extensive collection and learn more about some of the instruments below
The Strad Calendar 2025: c.1700 ‘Bell’ Giovanni Tononi violin
With a reddish-brown varnish over a golden ground, this violin shows the influence of Nicolò Amati
My Space: Corvus Kwok’s Hong Kong workshop
The luthier takes us on a tour of his shop in Kowloon, Hong Kong
New York Philharmonic concertmaster acquires Pierre Simon bow
Frank Huang is now the owner of the beautifully decorated ‘Caraman-Chimay’ Pierre Simon bow, thanks to a recent sale by Tarisio
The Strad Calendar 2025: 1871 Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume violin
An exact copy of Stradivari’s ‘Messiah’, it remained in a vault in Paris for more than 70 years
The return of a stolen pardessus: a case of provenance and restitution
In 2022, Annalisa Pappano bought a six-string pardessus from a reputable dealer that turned out to be stolen from a Belgian museum. She shares her turbulent story, in an aim to raise awareness of issues related to stolen instruments and the potential pitfalls for musicians
Stradivari to Degas: The Strad visits the Metropolitan Museum’s string instrument collection
The Strad’s staff writer Rita Fernandes discovers the Met’s string instrument collection in its many forms! Check out her photos of the extensive collection and learn more about some of the instruments below
The Strad Calendar 2025: c.1700 ‘Bell’ Giovanni Tononi violin
With a reddish-brown varnish over a golden ground, this violin shows the influence of Nicolò Amati
My Space: Corvus Kwok’s Hong Kong workshop
The luthier takes us on a tour of his shop in Kowloon, Hong Kong
Concert review: Lark, Roman and Meyer Trio
Thomas May attends their concert of Bach and music by Meyer himself at the University of Washington’s Meany Center for the Arts in Seattle on 16 October 2024
Festival round-up: Edinburgh International Festival 2024
David Kettle reports from the Edinburgh International Festival, where string works were much in evidence
Concert review: Bozzini Quartet
Bruce Hodges takes in the performance of Bekah Simms, Klaus Lang, James Tenney at Jürg Frey at Mary Flagler Cary Hall in New York’s Dimenna Center on 16 and 17 August 2024
Henrik Dam Thomsen: Bach
No lack of personality in these fine modern-instrument accounts
Isolde Menges: works by Bach, Beethoven, Handel, Schubert, Vaughan Williams et al
A great British violinist is celebrated in fitting style
Calidore Quartet: Beethoven
A second volume of quartets impresses with its drama
Book review: Thumb Position
Caroline Emery reviews double bass tutor Charlotte Mohrs’s introduction to playing in thumb position, published in English for the first time
Book review: A Survey of Solo Works for the Violoncello
Janet Banks reviews cello professor Brian Hodges’ volume on cello repertoire from the 17th century to the present day
Book review: The Instrumentalist
Anne Inglis reviews Harriet Constable’s fictionalised account of the life of violinist Anna Maria della Pietà, protégé of Vivaldi
Debate
Opinion: Avoid cheap instruments for beginners
Cellist and teacher Naomi Yandell urges parents not to buy their children cheap stringed instruments online – it’s a false economy and only leads to disappointment and waste
Opinion: Avoid overloading students with information
Double bassist Alex Ferkey believes that young string players are often derailed by information overload, and should trust more in unconscious processes when trying to perfect their technique
Debate
Opinion: Avoid cheap instruments for beginners
Cellist and teacher Naomi Yandell urges parents not to buy their children cheap stringed instruments online – it’s a false economy and only leads to disappointment and waste
Accessories
Products November 2024: Gewa Space Bag colours
New colours are now available for the company’s backpack range
Products November 2024: Leatherwood Concerto rosin
A new rosin tailored to solo playing
Products November 2024: Pirastro Luna KorfkerRest for viola
Violists can now enjoy Pirastro’s newest shoulder rest model
Concert review: Lark, Roman and Meyer Trio
Thomas May attends their concert of Bach and music by Meyer himself at the University of Washington’s Meany Center for the Arts in Seattle on 16 October 2024
Festival round-up: Edinburgh International Festival 2024
David Kettle reports from the Edinburgh International Festival, where string works were much in evidence
Concert review: Bozzini Quartet
Bruce Hodges takes in the performance of Bekah Simms, Klaus Lang, James Tenney at Jürg Frey at Mary Flagler Cary Hall in New York’s Dimenna Center on 16 and 17 August 2024
Book review: Thumb Position
Caroline Emery reviews double bass tutor Charlotte Mohrs’s introduction to playing in thumb position, published in English for the first time
Book review: A Survey of Solo Works for the Violoncello
Janet Banks reviews cello professor Brian Hodges’ volume on cello repertoire from the 17th century to the present day
Book review: The Instrumentalist
Anne Inglis reviews Harriet Constable’s fictionalised account of the life of violinist Anna Maria della Pietà, protégé of Vivaldi
Henrik Dam Thomsen: Bach
No lack of personality in these fine modern-instrument accounts
Isolde Menges: works by Bach, Beethoven, Handel, Schubert, Vaughan Williams et al
A great British violinist is celebrated in fitting style
Calidore Quartet: Beethoven
A second volume of quartets impresses with its drama
Artists
Julia Hagen makes her Vienna Philharmonic debut at the Lucerne Festival
US correspondent Thomas May interviews cellist Julia Hagen, winner of the 2024 UBS Young Artist Award, on the eve of her breakthrough debut with the Vienna Philharmonic at the Lucerne Festival
Great string players of the past: violinist Ivry Gitlis on George Enescu
Ivry Gitlis’s lessons with George Enescu focused purely on the music. From October 2013
Augustin Hadelich on his new album, ‘American Road Trip’
The violinist answers The Strad’s questions on America’s cornucopia of musical styles, evident in his upcoming album comprising works by composers ranging from Bernstein to Adams, to Coleridge-Taylor and Beach
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