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‘We’re all winners’ – an interview with 2026 Queen Elisabeth Cello Competition first laureate, Ettore Pagano
Fresh from his victory in Brussels, the Italian cellist chats with Davina Shum about competition preparation and challenges, making bold repertoire choices, and his unique chance to play on Casals’ cello for four years
Results announced at the 2026 Queen Elisabeth Cello Competition
Italian cellist Ettore Pagano scooped the top prize of €25,000 plus a four-year loan of the 1733 Matteo Gofriller ‘Casals’ cello
Reflections on the Queen Elisabeth Cello Competition with 2022 winner, Hayoung Choi
The cellist chats with Davina Shum and looks back on how her major competition victory informs her career now, as well as what it was like to learn the competition’s imposed work in isolation
Playing Hub
Those notorious liars: thirds and sixths!
Getting the intonation right on your thirds and sixths can be tricky and misleading. Cellist Michael Reynolds shares some strategies to make the process less painful and more in tune
Sally Beamish: how the viola has shaped my musical life
Sally Beamish’s new album House of Wonder features a compilation of viola works combining her own music with six commissions, including from her three children. As she approaches her 70th birthday, she reflects the role the viola has played in her life
‘We’re all winners’ – an interview with 2026 Queen Elisabeth Cello Competition first laureate, Ettore Pagano
Fresh from his victory in Brussels, the Italian cellist chats with Davina Shum about competition preparation and challenges, making bold repertoire choices, and his unique chance to play on Casals’ cello for four years
Homecoming with TwoSet Violin: ‘Sacrilegious Games’ in Australia, NZ and Singapore
From 7 June 2026, musical comedy duo TwoSet Violin will embark on a homecoming tour of Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, bringing their highly successful Sacrilegious Games show from sold out venues in the US, Europe and the UK. Davina Shum caught up with Brett Yang on what to expect
Session Report: the Catalyst Quartet on recording the Chevalier de Saint-Georges quartets
Catalyst Quartet violinist Karla Donehew Perez speaks to Thomas May about the focus required to reconstruct and record all 18 string quartets by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges
Opinion: Period instruments aren’t just specialist tools
Benjamin Shute questions our assumptions about contemporary instrument set‑up and the idea that period instruments are merely specialist equipment
Premium ❘ Feature
Big is beautiful: violoncello da spalla
After decades of relative neglect, the violoncello da spalla is undergoing a resurgence of interest. Daniela Gaidano, who has made several examples, looks into its history and explains its appeal for both players and makers
Premium ❘ Feature
Technique: Working with hypermobile violinists
Drawing from both personal and teaching experience, violinist Usha Kapoor outlines the ways players and teachers can deal with hypermobility
Premium ❘ Feature
Big is beautiful: violoncello da spalla
After decades of relative neglect, the violoncello da spalla is undergoing a resurgence of interest. Daniela Gaidano, who has made several examples, looks into its history and explains its appeal for both players and makers
Premium ❘ Focus
Opinion: Period instruments aren’t just specialist tools
Benjamin Shute questions our assumptions about contemporary instrument set‑up and the idea that period instruments are merely specialist equipment
Premium ❘ Focus
Postcard from New York City: Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
In snowbound New York, Davina Shum gained an inside view of the collaborative ethos within the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
Competitions
Winners announced at the 2026 Concours Musical International de Montréal
Japanese violinist Koshiro Takeuchi wins the CAD70,000 first prize package
Finalists announced for 2026 Michael Hill International Violin Competition
Three violinists progress to the final round, competing for the NZD40,000 cash prize and other opportunities
Three grand finalists announced at the Concours Musical International de Montréal
The three violinists are competing for a first prize package worth CAD70,000
Premium ❘ News
Competitions, Awards and Appointments: June 2026
The latest competition results, appointments and forthcoming contests
Premium ❘ News
Premiere of the Month: Freya Waley-Cohen’s new work for her sister, Tamsin Waley-Cohen
Siblings collaborate in a lullaby-inspired chamber work
Masterclass: Chausson Poème for Violin and Orchestra op.25
Understanding the harmonic framework is key to making sense of Chausson’s fluid, freely structured Poème, says violinist Maria Włoszczowska
Masterclass: Schubert Piano Trio no.2 in E flat major, first movement
David and Edgar Moreau dive into Schubert’s sound world, exploring colour, balance and the expressive detail that shapes their interpretation of this late work
Masterclass: Chausson Poème for Violin and Orchestra op.25
Understanding the harmonic framework is key to making sense of Chausson’s fluid, freely structured Poème, says violinist Maria Włoszczowska
Masterclass: Schubert Piano Trio no.2 in E flat major, first movement
David and Edgar Moreau dive into Schubert’s sound world, exploring colour, balance and the expressive detail that shapes their interpretation of this late work
Masterclass: Bruch Violin Concerto no.1, second movement
Bella Hristova outlines the importance of pacing oneself and creating a hierarchy of intensity in this popular slow movement
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 2026 Concours Musical International de Montréal
Japanese violinist Koshiro Takeuchi wins the CAD70,000 first prize package
Finalists announced for 2026 Michael Hill International Violin Competition
Three violinists progress to the final round, competing for the NZD40,000 cash prize and other opportunities
Three grand finalists announced at the Concours Musical International de Montréal
The three violinists are competing for a first prize package worth CAD70,000
A violinist and three cellists walk into a studio: Emerald Strings rethinks ‘Bolero’
Violinist and leader of Emerald Strings, Gregory Harrington, shares his thoughts behind a unique and viral performance of Ravel’s masterpiece
A violinist and three cellists walk into a studio: Emerald Strings rethinks ‘Bolero’
After hours at Guildhall Art Gallery: Vilde Frang and Lawrence Power perform ‘Capricci’
Merging cello and voice: Nicolas Altstaedt and Anna-Lena Elbert perform ‘Ophelia’s Song’ by Shostakovich
Watch: a video performance from Timothy Ridout’s new album, Alto Appassionato
Woven from Light: a listening guide to a world premiere work for violin and cello
Happy birthday Florence Price! Mount Vernon Virtuosi CelloGang performs String Quartet in G major
Guitar textures on the violin: Tomás Cotik performs Albéniz’s ‘Asturias’
‘Prokofiev in a mosh pit’ – ORBI’s arrangement of Muse’s Unsustainable
‘This piece has everything a violinist can ask for’: Frank Peter Zimmermann on the Elgar Violin Concerto
Video premiere: Édith Piaf’s ‘Hymne à l’amour’ for eight cellos performed by the SCS Cello Ensemble
- Previous
- Next
Big is beautiful: violoncello da spalla
After decades of relative neglect, the violoncello da spalla is undergoing a resurgence of interest. Daniela Gaidano, who has made several examples, looks into its history and explains its appeal for both players and makers
My Space: S.K. Lim’s Singapore workshop
The luthier presents his central workshop
Crafting a violin for Alican Süner: a maker’s story
Violin maker Nurgül Çomak explores craftsmanship, emotion and serendipity through the story of the instrument she built for Alican Süner
‘Where the scent of wood mingles with gunpowder, I crafted a cello’ – An Iranian luthier tells his story
Tehran-based luthier Mohsen Shamloo shares with The Strad a powerful account of how creating a cello has brought hope to life under bombardments
Auction Report June 2026: Room for optimism
Kevin MacDonald discovers a plethora of ‘golden age’ instruments and a fine selection of bows at this season’s London sales
Trade Secrets: Making cochineal-coloured lakes
A guide to creating a rich, warm red pigment for varnish preparation
Big is beautiful: violoncello da spalla
After decades of relative neglect, the violoncello da spalla is undergoing a resurgence of interest. Daniela Gaidano, who has made several examples, looks into its history and explains its appeal for both players and makers
My Space: S.K. Lim’s Singapore workshop
The luthier presents his central workshop
Crafting a violin for Alican Süner: a maker’s story
Violin maker Nurgül Çomak explores craftsmanship, emotion and serendipity through the story of the instrument she built for Alican Süner
‘Where the scent of wood mingles with gunpowder, I crafted a cello’ – An Iranian luthier tells his story
Tehran-based luthier Mohsen Shamloo shares with The Strad a powerful account of how creating a cello has brought hope to life under bombardments
Auction Report June 2026: Room for optimism
Kevin MacDonald discovers a plethora of ‘golden age’ instruments and a fine selection of bows at this season’s London sales
Trade Secrets: Making cochineal-coloured lakes
A guide to creating a rich, warm red pigment for varnish preparation
Concert review: Owls
Bruce Hodges hears the quartet’s performance of at Philadelphia’s American Philosophical Society on 11 March 2026
Concert review: Rosalind Ventris (viola)
Hattie Butterworth visits London’s Wigmore Hall on 8 March 2026 for the performance of Lillian Fuchs, Thea Musgrave, Sally Beamish, Elizabeth Maconchy, Amanda Feery and Imogen Holst
Concert review: Elias Quartet
Hattie Butterworth hears an all-Beethoven recital at London’s Wigmore Hall on 10 March 2026
Bohémo Trio: Reicha
Strong advocacy makes a case for a contemporary of Beethoven
Lawrence Power: Shchedrin
A celebration of the range of an iconoclastic voice
Gabriel Schwabe: Tchaikovsky
A fine cellist presents Tchaikovsky’s original thoughts to striking effect
Book review: The Bromberg Collection of American Violins
Andrew Dipper reads through a comprehensive survey of more than 250 US instrument makers from the past 200 years
Book review: The Rolling Year: Listening to the Seasons with Vivaldi
Anne Inglis reads through Hannah French’s account of the composer’s ever-popular Four Seasons, which covers everything from birdsong to Cremonese violin making
Book review: Harmonising Cultural Leadership in Professional Orchestras
Arts consultant Mark Pemberton reads Samuel Cairnduff’s new publication on leadership in orchestral ensembles
Debate
Opinion: Period instruments aren’t just specialist tools
Benjamin Shute questions our assumptions about contemporary instrument set‑up and the idea that period instruments are merely specialist equipment
Opinion: Finding creativity in scales
Love them or hate them, scales are at the heart of string training. Violinist and teacher Mark Knight examines why, when approached correctly, they are the gateway to a world of expressive freedom
Debate
Opinion: Period instruments aren’t just specialist tools
Benjamin Shute questions our assumptions about contemporary instrument set‑up and the idea that period instruments are merely specialist equipment
Opinion: Finding creativity in scales
Love them or hate them, scales are at the heart of string training. Violinist and teacher Mark Knight examines why, when approached correctly, they are the gateway to a world of expressive freedom
Accessories
Products June 2026: Larsen Strings Sovereign cello strings
A new fast-speaking cello set from Larsen Strings
Products June 2026: Wittner 130th anniversary pyramid metronome
Wittner releases a new, vintage-style, metronome to mark the milestone
Products June 2026: Negri Cases Globetrotter violin case
The new case suspends the instruments for safety
Concert review: Owls
Bruce Hodges hears the quartet’s performance of at Philadelphia’s American Philosophical Society on 11 March 2026
Concert review: Rosalind Ventris (viola)
Hattie Butterworth visits London’s Wigmore Hall on 8 March 2026 for the performance of Lillian Fuchs, Thea Musgrave, Sally Beamish, Elizabeth Maconchy, Amanda Feery and Imogen Holst
Concert review: Elias Quartet
Hattie Butterworth hears an all-Beethoven recital at London’s Wigmore Hall on 10 March 2026
Book review: The Bromberg Collection of American Violins
Andrew Dipper reads through a comprehensive survey of more than 250 US instrument makers from the past 200 years
Book review: The Rolling Year: Listening to the Seasons with Vivaldi
Anne Inglis reads through Hannah French’s account of the composer’s ever-popular Four Seasons, which covers everything from birdsong to Cremonese violin making
Book review: Harmonising Cultural Leadership in Professional Orchestras
Arts consultant Mark Pemberton reads Samuel Cairnduff’s new publication on leadership in orchestral ensembles
Bohémo Trio: Reicha
Strong advocacy makes a case for a contemporary of Beethoven
Lawrence Power: Shchedrin
A celebration of the range of an iconoclastic voice
Gabriel Schwabe: Tchaikovsky
A fine cellist presents Tchaikovsky’s original thoughts to striking effect
Artists
Christian Tetzlaff: ‘Following the score is freedom’
German violinist Christian Tetzlaff has built a career defined by artistic independence. As he celebrates his 60th birthday, he speaks to Richard Bratby about the values that have shaped his musical life
Yehudi Menuhin 110th anniversary: music with friends
To mark the 110th anniversary of Yehudi Menuhin’s birth on 22 April 1916, Tully Potter presents an overview of the great violinist’s numerous chamber music partnerships and their recordings
‘Never just the notes’: the musical and teaching legacy of Igor Ozim
The violinist and pedagogue Igor Ozim died on 23 March 2024. Two years on, Dijana Ihas writes about his legacy to commemorate a teacher whose seven‑decade career shaped generations of musicians through his analytical clarity, uncompromising discipline and deep commitment to musical expression
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