Playing Hub

Alice Waten cr Dan White

Cornerstones for violinists: the Australian violinist and teacher Alice Waten (1947-2022)

2023-12-01T10:39:00+00:00By Joy Lee

Joy Lee remembers the violin pedagogue and examines the principles and methodology behind her famed teaching

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Telemann’s Viol Fantaisies on the viola

2023-11-30T08:05:00+00:00

When a long-lost set of Telemann bass viol fantaisies was found in a private collection a few years ago, Mikhail ‘Misha’ Galaganov set about arranging them for the viola. Here he explores the history of the works and reveals some of the challenges he encountered in his quest

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Dragonflies, monsoons and the Somali Jet inspire a new violin concerto for Johan Dalene

2023-11-29T10:23:00+00:00

Swedish composer Tebogo Monnakgotla speaks to The Strad about how she went about writing her new concerto, which depicts the migration system of dragonflies across the Indian Ocean

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The violin finals of the 2023 Long-Thibaud Competition: what we heard in the audience

2023-11-29T10:13:00+00:00

Artist and writer Jonathon Brown attended the finals of the Long-Thibaud International Competition in Paris in November 2023 as a member of the press jury. He gives his impression of the five finalists’ varied and individual performances

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Inheriting others’ pupils: a fresh start

2023-11-28T09:01:00+00:00

Taking on other people’s ex-pupils can be a tricky business – especially when they come with ingrained unhealthy habits. Focusing on upper strings, Alun Thomas outlines what may need to be addressed to make progress

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Life Lessons: Violinist Hilary Hahn

2023-11-27T13:46:00+00:00

Adrenalin can be helpful, says the American violinist, but you should never forget the true reasons for performance

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Premium ❘ Feature

Session Report: violist Hiyoli Togawa on recording her new album, Children!

2023-12-06T09:17:00+00:00

Violist Hiyoli Togawa speaks to Carlos María Solare about her latest recording, Children!, which mixes new music with Bach and is based around the themes of childhood memories and family love

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Premium ❘ Feature

My Space: Gianmaria Stelzer’s Zurich workshop

2023-12-05T09:02:00+00:00

Take a peek into this workshop located in the Swiss city’s cultural quarter

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Premium ❘ Feature

Session Report: violist Hiyoli Togawa on recording her new album, Children!

2023-12-06T09:17:00+00:00

Violist Hiyoli Togawa speaks to Carlos María Solare about her latest recording, Children!, which mixes new music with Bach and is based around the themes of childhood memories and family love

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Premium ❘ Focus

Postcard from Switzerland: Verbier Festival

2023-11-20T08:05:00+00:00

Charlotte Gardner headed to the Swiss Alps for the Verbier Festival’s 30th-anniversary season where she was doubly dazzled by the combination of star players and the quality of the music-making

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Premium ❘ Focus

Sentimental Work: Ilya Gringolts on Dvořák’s Romance in F minor

2023-11-15T09:37:45.23+00:00

The Romance in F minor for violin and orchestra was the first piece by Dvořák that the Russian-born violinist ever played – and a passport into the composer’s unique harmonic sound world

Competitions

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Vilém Vlček wins the 4th International Krzysztof Penderecki Cello Competition

2023-12-05T11:04:00+00:00

First prize of PLN 80,000 (£16,000) was awarded to Czech cellist Vilém Vlček, along with the prize for the best concerto performance

Karolina Podorska

Winners announced at the Karol Lipiński International Violin Competition

2023-12-05T09:50:00+00:00

Polish violinists dominated the top three places in the violin competition held in Wrocław

Trio Basilea

Trio Basilea wins Swiss Chamber Music Competition

2023-11-28T09:17:00+00:00

The piano trio received CHF5,000 at the national competition for up-and-coming string ensembles

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Premium ❘ News

Premiere of the month: Ailbhe McDonagh on her new string quartet

2023-12-04T10:24:00+00:00

Irish folklore comes to life in a new quartet, which will be premiere on 6 December

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Premium ❘ News

Competitions, Awards and Appointments: December 2023

2023-11-15T09:37:12.92+00:00

This month’s competition results, appointments and forthcoming contests

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The Strad Podcast #104: Brescia vs Cremona with luthier Linda Lespets

2023-11-30T09:44:00+00:00

What was life like for instrument makers in Brescia? What was the making style like? Why hasn’t Brescia retained the same reputation as Cremona? Linda spotlights the home of Da Salò, Maggini and Rogeri

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The Strad Podcast #103: adult learner mindset with violinist Rachael Ridge

2023-11-16T10:04:00+00:00

Embracing gradual growth and progress, curiosity and a willingness to make mistakes is crucial for adults learning a musical instrument, says the violinist

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The Strad Podcast #102: teaching students to teach themselves with cellist Laurence Lesser

2023-11-09T09:40:00+00:00

In celebration of his 85th birthday and 50 years at the New England Conservatory, Laurence speaks about his teaching approaches, including valuable ’a-ha’ moments from throughout his career

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The Strad Podcast #101: inside the Zemtsov viola dynasty with Dana and Mikhail Zemtsov

2023-11-02T09:33:00+00:00

What’s it like being in a family where everyone plays the viola? The father and daughter duo share all

Competitons

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Vilém Vlček wins the 4th International Krzysztof Penderecki Cello Competition

2023-12-05T11:04:00+00:00

First prize of PLN 80,000 (£16,000) was awarded to Czech cellist Vilém Vlček, along with the prize for the best concerto performance

Karolina Podorska

Winners announced at the Karol Lipiński International Violin Competition

2023-12-05T09:50:00+00:00

Polish violinists dominated the top three places in the violin competition held in Wrocław

Trio Basilea

Trio Basilea wins Swiss Chamber Music Competition

2023-11-28T09:17:00+00:00

The piano trio received CHF5,000 at the national competition for up-and-coming string ensembles

More from Lutherie

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Dextra Musica presents an instrument Advent calendar

2023-12-05T10:51:00+00:00

The Christmas calendar features instruments from the foundation’s extensive collection

Lord Wilton violin

The Strad Calendar 2024: 1742 ‘Lord Wilton’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violin

2023-12-05T09:19:00+00:00By

Best known as Yehudi Menuhin’s instrument for much of his career, the violin is still in an excellent state of preservation

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My Space: Gianmaria Stelzer’s Zurich workshop

2023-12-05T09:02:00+00:00

Take a peek into this workshop located in the Swiss city’s cultural quarter

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‘Music must be played, life must go on’: an update from Ukrainian violin maker Orest Putsentela

2023-12-01T12:25:00+00:00

Educational outreach, Ukrainian-themed violin making and international musical communication are just some of the ways the luthier is promoting peace and connection during difficult times

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Making Matters: Using local materials for violin making

2023-12-01T08:05:00+00:00

Dutch luthier Geerten Verberkmoes details the process of making a violin using local materials from his home town of Bergen op Zoom, between October 2022 and May 2023

Fig.2 Status Animarum di San Matteo for 1655

Lost Guarneri documents resurface after nearly a century

2023-11-28T15:59:00+00:00By Florian Leonhard

Florian Leonhard shares some insights from recent investigations of a freshly re-discovered volume of archives, which mainly focus on the presence of Andrea Guarneri (1623-1698) and his sons

yoyoma

Concert review: Yo-Yo Ma (cello) New York Philharmonic/Jaap van Zweden, Philadelphia Orchestra/Yannick Nézet-Séguin

2023-11-28T09:00:00+00:00By Leah Hollingsworth, Bruce Hodges

Leah Hollingsworth and Bruce Hodges review two concerts by the superstar cellist within the space of two days

Danish Quartet

Concert review: Danish Quartet, Jeremy Denk (piano)

2023-11-27T09:35:00+00:00By Edward Bhesania

Edward Bhesania hears the performance of Ligeti, Mozart and Schumann at London’s Wigmore Hall on 15 September 2023

chouchane

Concert review: Chouchane Siranossian (violin) Leonardo García Alarcón (harpsichord) Balázs Máté (cello)

2023-11-24T09:30:00+00:00By

Tim Homfray hears the performance of Bach, Farina, Walther, Locatelli, Naregatsi and Schmelzer at London’s Wigmore Hall on 18 September 2023

Transfigured

Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective: Transfigured

2023-12-06T09:15:00+00:00By

A typically thoughtful programme from a rising chamber ensemble

Almost Unseen

Aisling O’Dea, Clea Friend: Almost Unseen

2023-12-05T09:01:00+00:00By David Kettle

A meeting of minds in Scotland’s capital city

Strauss Harvey Nagl (1)

Anne Harvey-Nagl: Respighi, Strauss

2023-12-04T08:05:00+00:00By

Assured accounts of two demanding sonatas are let down by the acoustic

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Book review: Tourte

2023-12-05T09:00:00+00:00By

Philip Kass reviews the long-awaited volume on the most important bow maker who ever lived

Maud Powell

Book review: Maud Powell: Pioneer American Violinist

2023-11-27T09:35:00+00:00By Tully Potter

Tully Potter reviews the second edition of this landmark biography of the legendary US violinist

Two Violins

Book review: Two Violins, One Viola, a Cello and Me

2023-11-14T09:30:00+00:00

Anne Inglis reviews the memoir of classical music agent Sonia Simmenauer, and her encounters with string quartets over the years

Debate

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Opinion: How improvisation can help with perfectionism

2023-11-27T09:38:00+00:00

Having discovered a love of improvisation during the pandemic, cellist Simone Seales believes that the practice can free classically trained musicians from a typically unhealthy fear of imperfection

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Opinion: The benefits of rest for students

2023-11-06T11:00:00+00:00

Cellist and teacher Naomi Yandell is often pleasantly surprised at how much progress can be made by students during a break from lessons

Debate

GettyImages-181427533

Opinion: How improvisation can help with perfectionism

2023-11-27T09:38:00+00:00

Having discovered a love of improvisation during the pandemic, cellist Simone Seales believes that the practice can free classically trained musicians from a typically unhealthy fear of imperfection

GettyImages-1132514953

Opinion: The benefits of rest for students

2023-11-06T11:00:00+00:00

Cellist and teacher Naomi Yandell is often pleasantly surprised at how much progress can be made by students during a break from lessons

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