ts

TwoSet Violin ‘ends chapter’ after eleven years

2024-10-14T15:28:00+01:00

The violin comedy duo made the announcement on social media on Monday afternoon

PatriciaKopatchinskaja-CopyrightMarcoBorggreve019

Violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja on the shadow world of Shostakovich

2024-10-14T08:56:00+01:00

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.

f79a1cb0-56b3-489c-a717-555682f32b5b

‘They just didn’t want to listen’: cellist Maja Bogdanović denied boarding by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

2024-10-14T16:09:00+01:00

The cellist was travelling with her family to perform at the Belgrade Music Festival

Playing Hub

1ST COVER CHOICE - photo credit Lisa-Marie Mazzucco

Rachel Barton Pine: ‘What we’re doing today is the history of tomorrow’

2024-10-11T08:50:00+01:00

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

Musical service: String groups in the US military

2024-10-11T08:49:00+01:00

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

Adrian_Sutton_BBC_Philharmonic_Hi_Res_©RobinClewley-6198

Session Report: violinist Fenella Humphreys and composer Adrian Sutton on a new violin concerto

2024-10-11T08:48:00+01:00

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

NEW (8)

How to deal with hypermobility as a string player

2024-10-09T11:34:00+01:00

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

SSO.2024.10.3_Carlin.Ma-9165

Concert review: Star power within the Seattle Symphony

2024-10-08T08:54:00+01:00

US correspondent Thomas May writes about a recent Seattle Symphony programme spotlighting the orchestra’s concertmaster and principal cellist in the Brahms Double Concerto.

Composer Anselm McDonnell Photo Cormac O’Kane

Composer Anselm McDonnell explores microtonal music on the violin

2024-10-07T09:16:00+01:00

Composer Anselm McDonnell writes about curating a concert for multiple violins that pushes the boundaries of traditional tuning and intonation

1ST COVER CHOICE - photo credit Lisa-Marie Mazzucco

Premium ❘ Feature

Rachel Barton Pine: ‘What we’re doing today is the history of tomorrow’

2024-10-11T08:50:00+01:00

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

Premium ❘ Feature

Musical service: String groups in the US military

2024-10-11T08:49:00+01:00

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

AB on left2

Premium ❘ Focus

‘Imagination is one of the most important things in music’ - Alexander Baillie’s life lessons

2024-09-27T08:58:00+01:00

The British cellist on playing fundamentals and developing musicality

ENF24_Bhrian&Finch_001

Premium ❘ Focus

Postcard from Scotland: East Neuk Festival

2024-09-20T08:53:00+01:00

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

NEW (6)

Winners announced at the 2024 Oskar Nedbal International Viola Competition

2024-10-08T10:35:00+01:00

Three violists from South Korea, Japan and the US took the top prizes, comprising cash, a fine viola bow, plus cases and accessories

Laureaci - laureates

Karol Lipiński Violin Competition names winners

2024-10-06T08:03:00+01:00

South Korean violinist Sunjae Ok scooped the top prize of €15,000

Finalists

Finalists announced for the Karol Lipiński Violin Competition

2024-10-03T09:04:00+01:00

Six violinists will progress to the third and final stage of this year’s competition, which will be held on 4 and 5 October

c

Premium ❘ News

Premiere of the Month: Tim Garland’s new violin concerto

2024-10-11T08:46:00+01:00

A violin concerto with improvisation throughout

112

Premium ❘ News

Competitions, Awards and Appointments: November 2024

2024-10-11T08:45:00+01:00

The latest competition results, appointments and forthcoming contests

ACS_0371

The Strad Podcast: How to tailor the Suzuki Method to different students with violinist Meghan Faw

2024-09-19T09:05:00+01:00

The violinist shares her personal experiences with the method as both a student and a teacher

Paul Huang cr Marco Borggreve

The Strad Podcast: How to hold a masterclass with violinist Paul Huang

2024-09-12T08:49:00+01:00

The violinist speaks about his teaching approaches in a unique learning experience, in the third part of our four-part education-themed podcast series

annie-1

The Strad Podcast: How to teach collaborative skills with violinist Annie Fullard of the Cavani Quartet

2024-09-05T09:47:00+01:00

‘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

MT_RAYCHEN_REIN_SHOT3-44

The Strad Podcast: How to practise effectively with violinist Ray Chen

2024-08-29T10:06:00+01:00

The first in our new four-part education themed podcast series features our September 2024 cover star

Competitions

NEW (6)

Winners announced at the 2024 Oskar Nedbal International Viola Competition

2024-10-08T10:35:00+01:00

Three violists from South Korea, Japan and the US took the top prizes, comprising cash, a fine viola bow, plus cases and accessories

Laureaci - laureates

Karol Lipiński Violin Competition names winners

2024-10-06T08:03:00+01:00

South Korean violinist Sunjae Ok scooped the top prize of €15,000

Finalists

Finalists announced for the Karol Lipiński Violin Competition

2024-10-03T09:04:00+01:00

Six violinists will progress to the third and final stage of this year’s competition, which will be held on 4 and 5 October

NEW (15)

New York Philharmonic concertmaster acquires Pierre Simon bow

2024-10-15T10:54:00+01:00

Frank Huang is now the owner of the beautifully decorated ‘Caraman-Chimay’ Pierre Simon bow, thanks to a recent sale by Tarisio

1871 Vuillaume violin

The Strad Calendar 2025: 1871 Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume violin

2024-10-15T08:29:00+01:00By

An exact copy of Stradivari’s ‘Messiah’, it remained in a vault in Paris for more than 70 years

3

The return of a stolen pardessus: a case of provenance and restitution

2024-10-14T08:50:00+01:00

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

other

Stradivari to Degas: The Strad visits the Metropolitan Museum’s string instrument collection

2024-10-11T09:04:00+01:00

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

1700c Tononi violin

The Strad Calendar 2025: c.1700 ‘Bell’ Giovanni Tononi violin

2024-10-08T08:41:00+01:00By

With a reddish-brown varnish over a golden ground, this violin shows the influence of Nicolò Amati

CK inset pic

My Space: Corvus Kwok’s Hong Kong workshop

2024-10-04T06:51:30.79+01:00

The luthier takes us on a tour of his shop in Kowloon, Hong Kong

Roman Simovic

Festival round-up: Edinburgh International Festival 2024

2024-10-11T08:47:30.857+01:00By

David Kettle reports from the Edinburgh International Festival, where string works were much in evidence

Screenshot 2024-09-18 145911

Concert review: Bozzini Quartet

2024-10-11T08:47:19.837+01:00By

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

Sol Gabetta

Festival round-up: BBC Proms 2024

2024-10-11T08:47:00+01:00By

Peter Quantrill takes in some of the string highlights at the Royal Albert Hall from this year’s BBC Proms

Bach Dam Thomson

Henrik Dam Thomsen: Bach

2024-10-04T06:52:15.52+01:00By

No lack of personality in these fine modern-instrument accounts

Bach Menges

Isolde Menges: works by Bach, Beethoven, Handel, Schubert, Vaughan Williams et al

2024-10-04T06:52:10.927+01:00By

A great British violinist is celebrated in fitting style

Beethoven Calidore Qt

Calidore Quartet: Beethoven

2024-10-04T06:52:07.257+01:00By

A second volume of quartets impresses with its drama

Thumb Position

Book review: Thumb Position

2024-09-27T08:47:00+01:00By

Caroline Emery reviews double bass tutor Charlotte Mohrs’s introduction to playing in thumb position, published in English for the first time

Survey of solo works

Book review: A Survey of Solo Works for the Violoncello

2024-09-27T08:45:00+01:00By

Janet Banks reviews cello professor Brian Hodges’ volume on cello repertoire from the 17th century to the present day

The Instrumentalist

Book review: The Instrumentalist

2024-09-27T08:43:00+01:00By

Anne Inglis reviews Harriet Constable’s fictionalised account of the life of violinist Anna Maria della Pietà, protégé of Vivaldi

Debate

GettyImages-1135385484

Opinion: Avoid cheap instruments for beginners

2024-10-04T06:51:41.15+01:00

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

GettyImages-1277426194

Opinion: Avoid overloading students with information

2024-08-05T08:05:00+01:00

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

GettyImages-1135385484

Opinion: Avoid cheap instruments for beginners

2024-10-04T06:51:41.15+01:00

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

  • Thumb Position

    Book review: Thumb Position

    2024-09-27T08:47:00+01:00

    Caroline Emery reviews double bass tutor Charlotte Mohrs’s introduction to playing in thumb position, published in English for the first time

  • Survey of solo works

    Book review: A Survey of Solo Works for the Violoncello

    2024-09-27T08:45:00+01:00

    Janet Banks reviews cello professor Brian Hodges’ volume on cello repertoire from the 17th century to the present day

  • The Instrumentalist

    Book review: The Instrumentalist

    2024-09-27T08:43:00+01:00

    Anne Inglis reviews Harriet Constable’s fictionalised account of the life of violinist Anna Maria della Pietà, protégé of Vivaldi

Artists

Education Resources

  • The_Strad_directories_2023

  • 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.