All Focus articles
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FocusMy experience: violinist Maxwell Brown, Perlman Music Program Summer Music School
’There’s a big sense of camaraderie, and because it’s a pretty small programme you really develop connections with everyone,’ says the US violinist
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FocusMy experience: cellist Madeleine Welsh, NCMC: National Chamber Music Course
’It’s quite a big community, but it’s still personal: you don’t feel lost in the masses,’ says the British cellist
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Focus’A distinctive golden aura’: cellist Jamie Walton on the 1642 Nicolò Amati cello
Jamie Walton, the current custodian of the Amati cello, reflects on its sound and projection
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FocusMy experience: violist Rory Africa, Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival
’This festival showed me what a career in music is all about,’ says the South African violist
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Focus‘Never will I part with it as long as I live’: Paganini’s quartet of Strads
Tully Potter takes a closer look at the four Stradivari instruments formerly owned by Paganini, and later played by the Paganini Quartet
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FocusMy experience: double bassist Bailey Amspoker, Pacific Music Festival Orchestra Academy
’Playing for a community that is so passionate and cares so much was so moving and wonderful,’ says the US double bassist
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FocusMy experience: violinist Ana Labazan Brajša, International Music School Upbeat
’I don’t think it’s a difficult decision for people to travel for the masterclass, because it has good teachers, good company, and the seaside in summer!’ says the Croatian violinist
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FocusMy experience: cellist Anthony De Clara, Celloworld Festival
’You can really focus on what’s most meaningful for you – be it solo performance, orchestral playing or pedagogy,’ says the Canadian cellist
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Focus‘The closest thing to the human voice’: violinist Stella Chen on her Strads
Our January 2026 cover star discusses the Stradivari violins she has played throughout her career
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2026: 2019 Octobass
Standing 11 feet 8 inches tall, the instrument was built by luthier Jean-Jacques Pagès and is now played by Eric Chappell of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2026: 1712 ‘Viotti, Hottinger’ Antonio Stradivari violin
’The noble beauty of its tone seems to us to echo the elevated style of Viotti’s compositions’ said the Hills of this violin
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2026: 1767 Nicolò Gagliano cello
Formerly owned by Roger Smith of the Gagliano Trio, this fine example of Gagliano’s work is now played by Thomas Mesa
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Focus‘You can combine all those influences into your own playing’ - Hilary Hahn’s violin heroes
In this throwback to an interview from 1999, Hilary Hahn shares why she finds inspiration in the playing of great violinists including Brodsky, Elman, Milstein, Kriesler, Grumiaux and Heifetz
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2026: 1713 ‘G. Schönau’ Antonio Stradivari violin
This fascinating example of Stradivari’s work is played by Nikki Chooi, the current concertmaster of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2026: 1741 ‘Bohrer, Baumgartner’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violin
Currently played by Kerson Leong, this is an ‘outstanding concert instrument in excellent condition’
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2026: 1699 ‘Dubois’ Antonio Stradivari cello
With a fine red-brown varnish, this cello may have been made with wood from the same tree as the famed ’Cristiani, Stauffer’
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2026: 1773–78 ‘Crafoord’ Guadagnini viola
The back of this viola is made from two pieces of bird’s-eye maple cut on the slab, with a faint figure running more or less horizontally
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2026: 1727 ‘Eugenio di Barbaro’ Stradivari violin
Made during the tail end of the master luthier’s life, this instrument also displays the hands of his sons Omobono and Francesco
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2026: 1785 Guadagnini violin
Played by Émilie Auclair, this is one of the last instruments to be made by Guadagnini, who died a year later
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2026: 1710 ‘Meneses’ Matteo Gofriller cello
With a deep amber-brown varnish, this was for many years the principal performing instrument of cellist Antonio Meneses
