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‘A great sense of melody and freshness’: Sol Gabetta on her new recording of Saint-Saëns and Lalo
Six composers, one instrument, incredible variety: ‘for cello, by cellists’
118 years since Pablo de Sarasate’s death: exploring the great violinist’s true impact
New video: ensemble132 performs Clara Schumann
The Aviv Quartet signs with MKI Artists
Eleven-year-old violinist wins 2026 George Enescu International Competition
US violinist Jayden King has become the youngest winner in the competition’s history
Watch: Yo-Yo Ma performs Bach during 9/11 ceremony in New York
The cellist performed during the reading of the names of those who died at Ground Zero on 11 September 2001
Airlines break Darlington Quartet’s 200-year-old cello
The quartet was travelling from Australia to the UK via Qantas Airlines and British Airways
Playing Hub
New video: ensemble132 performs Clara Schumann
The musicians present the first of Schumann’s Three Romances, which will be included in the collective’s upcoming album
The intersection of two rivers: the violin in China
How did a European instrument become part of China’s musical identity? Violinist Xin Jin charts more than three centuries of the violin’s development in Chinese culture, from its arrival with Western missionaries to the flourishing repertoire of today
Session Report: Violinist Noah Bendix-Balgley on recording his Fidl-Fantazye klezmer concerto
Noah Bendix-Balgley, first concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic, speaks to Harry White about recording his self-penned klezmer concerto Fidl-Fantazye live on the Philharmonie stage
Opinion: Playing with accompanists early on
Piano accompaniment is too often treated as an afterthought in teaching. Violinist Sendi Vartanovi argues that string students learn more effectively when collaboration begins from day one
Explorations of identity: what does the music of Mendelssohn and Grieg mean to Opus13?
The Strad catches up with Opus13 following two years of competition success and accolades, as the ensemble prepares to release its debut album of works reflective of its collective identity
Schumann’s Violin Concerto and the violinists who decided its fate
Violinist and music historian Stacy Jarvis considers the case of Schumann’s neglected Violin Concerto, and what happens when the people protecting a composer’s legacy make subjective decisions about the value of a particular work
Premium ❘ Feature
The intersection of two rivers: the violin in China
How did a European instrument become part of China’s musical identity? Violinist Xin Jin charts more than three centuries of the violin’s development in Chinese culture, from its arrival with Western missionaries to the flourishing repertoire of today
Premium ❘ Feature
Session Report: Violinist Noah Bendix-Balgley on recording his Fidl-Fantazye klezmer concerto
Noah Bendix-Balgley, first concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic, speaks to Harry White about recording his self-penned klezmer concerto Fidl-Fantazye live on the Philharmonie stage
Premium ❘ Feature
The intersection of two rivers: the violin in China
How did a European instrument become part of China’s musical identity? Violinist Xin Jin charts more than three centuries of the violin’s development in Chinese culture, from its arrival with Western missionaries to the flourishing repertoire of today
Premium ❘ Focus
‘Your first instrument is your body’ - Matthew Jones’s life lessons
The Welsh violist and violinist and head of chamber music at Guildhall School of Music & Drama on his teaching approach and unconventional journey
Premium ❘ Focus
Opinion: How community teaching can inspire all teachers
Nabile Galván outlines how community-based teaching can inform all educators, no matter where they teach
Competitions
Winners announced for the 2026 UCT Strings Competition
South African cellist Nicola McLachlan receives the senior division first prize of ZAR 40,000 (£1,800)
Eleven-year-old violinist wins 2026 George Enescu International Competition
US violinist Jayden King has become the youngest winner in the competition’s history
String quartet winners announced for 2026 ARD International Music Competition
The Viatores Quartet wins the €30,000 first prize
Premium ❘ News
Premiere of the Month: William Marsey’s new string quartet
Anglican chant inspires a new string quartet
Premium ❘ News
Competitions, Awards and Appointments: October 2026
The latest competition results, appointments and forthcoming contests
Masterclass: Schumann Fairy-tale Pictures op.113, third and fourth movements
Patrick Yim explores two movements of juxtaposing characters that test a viola player’s versatility and technical skill
Masterclass: Haydn Piano Trio in C major, Hob.XV:27, first movement
Violinist Elene Meipariani of Trio E.T.A. highlights the importance of finding a unified sound that brings life to this sprightly movement
Masterclass: Schumann Fairy-tale Pictures op.113, third and fourth movements
Patrick Yim explores two movements of juxtaposing characters that test a viola player’s versatility and technical skill
Masterclass: Haydn Piano Trio in C major, Hob.XV:27, first movement
Violinist Elene Meipariani of Trio E.T.A. highlights the importance of finding a unified sound that brings life to this sprightly movement
Masterclass: Grieg Violin Sonata no.3 in C minor, op.45, first movement
Esther Yoo guides violinists through a movement of turbulence and tenderness in a work that requires complete technical command
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 for the 2026 UCT Strings Competition
South African cellist Nicola McLachlan receives the senior division first prize of ZAR 40,000 (£1,800)
Eleven-year-old violinist wins 2026 George Enescu International Competition
US violinist Jayden King has become the youngest winner in the competition’s history
String quartet winners announced for 2026 ARD International Music Competition
The Viatores Quartet wins the €30,000 first prize
New video: ensemble132 performs Clara Schumann
The musicians present the first of Schumann’s Three Romances, which will be included in the collective’s upcoming album
New video: ensemble132 performs Clara Schumann
‘Extraordinary depth and humanity’: 17-year-old cellist Daniel Dorn performs solo Bach
Watch: Yo-Yo Ma performs Bach during 9/11 ceremony in New York
12 Ensemble performs Arvo Pärt’s ‘Fratres’
Trailer drops for ‘A Song for the Snow Lion’ film, featuring Yo-Yo Ma
New video: Ilya Kaler and Rasa Vitkauskaite perform Florence Price’s ‘Adoration’
Signum Quartet performs Vítězslava Kaprálová
Spring Cadenzas: violinist Midori performs a Covid-commissioned concerto by Derek Bermel
Tuned to Perfection: the life and legacy of violinist Alberto Lysy
Video premiere: Bella Hristova performs David Serkin Ludwig’s Violin Concerto no.2 ‘Paganiniana’
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The Strad Calendar 2027: Norway’s pride and joy
The Strad Calendar 2027 features eleven Stradivari instruments, all taken from the collection of the Anders Sveaas Charitable Foundation. Christian Lloyd examines the treasures
An overlooked wonder: Pietro Barbieri
Despite having made only a handful of instruments in his career, Pietro Barbieri proved to be one of Mantua’s most accomplished luthiers. Philip Kass and Andrea Zanrè look into his life and examine an instrument from 1826
My Space: Daniel King and Joe Roach’s Cardiff workshop
The two luthiers present their workshop in the Welsh capital
In the midst of transition: the French transitional period – part two
In the second of two articles on the French transitional period, Florent Boyer examines the development of the violin in Paris between 1790 and 1830 – and how Nicolas Lupot’s influence proved to be seismic
Making Matters: Achieving a glow from within
The varnish of many Cremonese makers seems to glow from within – but how did they achieve this without knowledge of optics? Tamás Guminár investigates – and argues that one secret ingredient may be kaolin
Trade Secrets: Carving a Gofriller-style scroll
Alessandro Peiretti shares a method on making a personal interpretation of the Venetian scroll model
The Strad Calendar 2027: Norway’s pride and joy
The Strad Calendar 2027 features eleven Stradivari instruments, all taken from the collection of the Anders Sveaas Charitable Foundation. Christian Lloyd examines the treasures
An overlooked wonder: Pietro Barbieri
Despite having made only a handful of instruments in his career, Pietro Barbieri proved to be one of Mantua’s most accomplished luthiers. Philip Kass and Andrea Zanrè look into his life and examine an instrument from 1826
My Space: Daniel King and Joe Roach’s Cardiff workshop
The two luthiers present their workshop in the Welsh capital
In the midst of transition: the French transitional period – part two
In the second of two articles on the French transitional period, Florent Boyer examines the development of the violin in Paris between 1790 and 1830 – and how Nicolas Lupot’s influence proved to be seismic
Making Matters: Achieving a glow from within
The varnish of many Cremonese makers seems to glow from within – but how did they achieve this without knowledge of optics? Tamás Guminár investigates – and argues that one secret ingredient may be kaolin
Trade Secrets: Carving a Gofriller-style scroll
Alessandro Peiretti shares a method on making a personal interpretation of the Venetian scroll model
Concert review: Timothy Ridout (viola) Britten Sinfonia/Thomas Larcher
Edward Bhesania attends London’s Wigmore Hall on 7 July 2026 for the recital of Britten, Pärt, John Adams, Hindemith and Bach
Concert review: Pinchas Zukerman (violin, viola) Zurich Chamber Orchestra/Daniel Hope (violin)
Carlos María Solare visits the Festspielhaus in Baden-Baden, Germany, for the concert of Haydn and Mozart on 12 July 2026
The Strad Recommends: Alexandra Preucil, Antoine Tamestit: Bartók
Field recordings add new insight into a Hungarian polymath
The Strad Recommends: Boris Brovtsyn: Bloch
A moving portrait of a Swiss master at his most intimate
The Strad Recommends: Théotime Langlois de Swarte: Le Violon de Rameau
Two early-music stars from different generations prove compelling
Book review: Bows and Arrows: The Autobiography
Tully Potter reviews the autobiography of Julian Lloyd Webber, from the British cellist’s early years growing up in South Kensington to his time as principal of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire – and beyond
Book review: Monograph of the Antonio Stradivari Violin c.1667 ‘Back’, ‘Josefowitz’
Philip Brown reads the exhaustive study, published by Jost Thöne Verlag, bringing together the scholarship of violin experts with high-resolution photos, CT scans and analysis under different kinds of light
Book review: Getting in Gear: Fundamental warm-ups for string orchestra
Celia Cobb reviews a new series of warm-up patterns designed to help students at intermediate string-orchestra level to prepare themselves for rehearsal
Debate
Opinion: Playing with accompanists early on
Piano accompaniment is too often treated as an afterthought in teaching. Violinist Sendi Vartanovi argues that string students learn more effectively when collaboration begins from day one
Opinion: How community teaching can inspire all teachers
Nabile Galván outlines how community-based teaching can inform all educators, no matter where they teach
Debate
Opinion: Playing with accompanists early on
Piano accompaniment is too often treated as an afterthought in teaching. Violinist Sendi Vartanovi argues that string students learn more effectively when collaboration begins from day one
Opinion: How community teaching can inspire all teachers
Nabile Galván outlines how community-based teaching can inform all educators, no matter where they teach
Concert review: Timothy Ridout (viola) Britten Sinfonia/Thomas Larcher
Edward Bhesania attends London’s Wigmore Hall on 7 July 2026 for the recital of Britten, Pärt, John Adams, Hindemith and Bach
Concert review: Pinchas Zukerman (violin, viola) Zurich Chamber Orchestra/Daniel Hope (violin)
Carlos María Solare visits the Festspielhaus in Baden-Baden, Germany, for the concert of Haydn and Mozart on 12 July 2026
Book review: Bows and Arrows: The Autobiography
Tully Potter reviews the autobiography of Julian Lloyd Webber, from the British cellist’s early years growing up in South Kensington to his time as principal of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire – and beyond
Book review: Monograph of the Antonio Stradivari Violin c.1667 ‘Back’, ‘Josefowitz’
Philip Brown reads the exhaustive study, published by Jost Thöne Verlag, bringing together the scholarship of violin experts with high-resolution photos, CT scans and analysis under different kinds of light
Book review: Getting in Gear: Fundamental warm-ups for string orchestra
Celia Cobb reviews a new series of warm-up patterns designed to help students at intermediate string-orchestra level to prepare themselves for rehearsal
The Strad Recommends: Alexandra Preucil, Antoine Tamestit: Bartók
Field recordings add new insight into a Hungarian polymath
The Strad Recommends: Boris Brovtsyn: Bloch
A moving portrait of a Swiss master at his most intimate
The Strad Recommends: Théotime Langlois de Swarte: Le Violon de Rameau
Two early-music stars from different generations prove compelling
Artists
‘Love what you do’: Antje Weithaas
Violinist Antje Weithaas talks to Pauline Harding about her varied career in teaching, performance and, most recently, conducting, which is carrying her in new and exciting directions as she approaches her 60th birthday
Juilliard Quartet at 80: lines of inquiry
As the Juilliard Quartet celebrates its 80th anniversary, its members speak to Thomas May about teaching, rehearsal‑room disagreement, new commissions and the essential questions that keep the ensemble’s tradition alive
Brett Dean: the music from within
Australian composer and violist Brett Dean has long drawn on his experience from playing inside the orchestra to shape his own music. He tells Jessica Duchen about how his writing and playing continue to inform each other
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