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EXPLORE PREMIUM THIS WEEK

Nemanja Radulović: music in the moment

2026-02-20T09:27:00+00:00

Charismatic Serbian violinist Nemanja Radulović chats to Charlotte Gardner about the importance of artistic freedom and musical friendships, and recording his latest album of music by Prokofiev

Making history: Pressenda double bass

2026-02-20T09:22:00+00:00

Until now, it was believed that the Turin-based luthier Giovanni Francesco Pressenda had never made a double bass. Tsutomu Miyasaka reveals how an instrument was recently identified that rewrote the story

Technique: thoughts on up- and down-bow staccato

2026-02-13T10:22:00+00:00

Miclen LaiPang shares tips on the often-notorious technique

Making Matters: an expert team varnishes a copy of the ‘Farina’ Montagnana cello

2026-02-13T10:20:00+00:00

Mark Schnurr looks back at the process of varnishing a copy of the 1730 ‘Farina’ Montagnana cello at the 2024 Oberlin Violin Making Workshop

In Focus: An 1822 violin by Georges Chanot I

2026-02-13T10:19:00+00:00

Jonathan Marolle examines the French maker’s early instrument

March 2026

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Nemanja Radulović: music in the moment

2026-02-20T09:27:00+00:00

Charismatic Serbian violinist Nemanja Radulović chats to Charlotte Gardner about the importance of artistic freedom and musical friendships, and recording his latest album of music by Prokofiev

Making history: Pressenda double bass

2026-02-20T09:22:00+00:00

Featured People

Stella Chen: a bright future
The American violinist chats with Rebecca Franks about her philosophy of playing and teaching, studying at Harvard, her experience of winning the Queen Elisabeth Competition and her new album, which marks a fresh chapter in her career
The greatest storyteller: Itzhak Perlman at 80
As he turns 80, the legendary violinist Itzhak Perlman speaks to Ariane Todes about everything from his stellar career to his teaching ethos, and his approach to social media stardom
Alisa Weilerstein: fragments of the future
The US cellist Alisa Weilerstein talks to Peter Quantrill about reinventing the solo recital for a multimedia age, and working with living composers to renew the concerto repertoire

Stella Chen: a bright future

The American violinist chats with Rebecca Franks about her philosophy of playing and teaching, studying at Harvard, her experience of winning the Queen Elisabeth Competition and her new album, which marks a fresh chapter in her career

The greatest storyteller: Itzhak Perlman at 80

As he turns 80, the legendary violinist Itzhak Perlman speaks to Ariane Todes about everything from his stellar career to his teaching ethos, and his approach to social media stardom

Alisa Weilerstein: fragments of the future

The US cellist Alisa Weilerstein talks to Peter Quantrill about reinventing the solo recital for a multimedia age, and working with living composers to renew the concerto repertoire

Learn From The Experts

Masterclass: Hoffmeister Viola Concerto in D major, first movement

Knowledge of the Classical style, technical proficiency and musical creativity are keys to making this movement successful beyond audition preparation, says violist Louise Lansdown

Long Reads

From sword to bow: Marczi Zöldy

The young Hungarian soldier who became known as virtuoso violinist Marczi Zöldy at the turn of the 20th century was skilled in many areas, not least as a musician and a fencer. Grzegorz Kaproń tells his eventful, colourful life story

Amaryllis Fleming: A life less ordinary

To mark a hundred years since the birth of Amaryllis Fleming in December 1925, Oskar Falta takes a look at the British cellist’s colourful life and influential career, and hears from one of her pupils – Raphael Wallfisch

Sofia Gubaidulina: a musical offering

Gavin Dixon examines the spiritual, visionary string works of the Russian–Tatar composer Sofia Gubaidulina, who died earlier this year

Remembering Ida Haendel: Grande dame of the violin

Following Ida Haendel’s death at the age of 96 in July 2020, Tully Potter surveys the career of an exceptional performer and a remarkable woman. From September 2020

Pierre Rode: The Rode less travelled

He is best remembered for his didactic 24 Caprices, but there’s much more to Pierre Rode. For the French virtuoso’s 250th anniversary, Charlotte Gardner reveals a colourful life story and hears from the German violinist Friedemann Eichhorn, who has revived and recorded all of Rode’s 13 violin concertos

Lutherie

From sword to bow: Marczi Zöldy

Masterclass: Hoffmeister Viola Concerto in D major, first movement

Knowledge of the Classical style, technical proficiency and musical creativity are keys to making this movement successful beyond audition preparation, says violist Louise Lansdown

Masterclass: Beethoven Violin Sonata no.10, op.96, first movement

Simplicity is the challenge in this peaceful, pastoral movement, creating an image of Beethoven at one with nature, says violinist Lena Neudauer

Technique: Double bass spiccato

Gaelen McCormick offers tips on teaching the technique on double bass

Masterclass: Brahms Violin Concerto, second movement

The feeling of rhetoric and a stream of consciousness must be represented when approaching this movement, says violinist Liza Ferschtman

Technique: Quartet playing from the violist’s perspective

Alan George examines the techniques of chamber music playing from the violist’s seat

Long Reads

From sword to bow: Marczi Zöldy

Amaryllis Fleming: A life less ordinary

Sofia Gubaidulina: a musical offering

Gavin Dixon examines the spiritual, visionary string works of the Russian–Tatar composer Sofia Gubaidulina, who died earlier this year

Remembering Ida Haendel: Grande dame of the violin

Following Ida Haendel’s death at the age of 96 in July 2020, Tully Potter surveys the career of an exceptional performer and a remarkable woman. From September 2020

Pierre Rode: The Rode less travelled

All-female string quartets after the First World War

In the second and final part of his survey, Tully Potter reveals the extent of the explosion of all-female quartets that occurred after the First World War in the UK, Europe, the US and the Soviet Union, as well as notable mixed ones

Lutherie

Violin maker Otto Schünemann: A Romantic visionary
Although Otto Schünemann’s violins were praised by everyone from Vuillaume to Sarasate, his name is barely recognised today. Clifford Hall tells the story of this idealistic luthier who strove to bring the glories of the Cremonese masters to 19th-century Germany
In Focus: A c.1800 violin by Joseph Panormo
Andrew Fairfax on the UK-based Italian maker’s turn-of-the-century instrument
The Strad Calendar 2024: The Fulton collection
The Strad Calendar 2024 pays tribute to one of the 20th century’s finest stringed instrument collections, put together in just a couple of decades by American violin collector David L. Fulton. Christian Lloyd examines the treasures

Zosimo Bergonzi: Family fortunes

Zosimo Bergonzi, son of Carlo, was for a time the only luthier active in Cremona . Michel Samson tracks his career through his known works

Great Instruments

The Strad Calendar 2026: Treasures of Canada

The Strad Calendar for 2026 shines the spotlight on twelve instruments owned by Canimex, one of Canada’s leading supporters of the arts. Christian Lloyd surveys the riches

The Strad Calendar 2025: Canada’s crème de la crème
The Strad Calendar 2025 celebrates the work of the Canada Council for the Arts, which has been matching players with fine instruments for 40 years. Christian Lloyd takes a look at the collection’s highlights
A unique pairing: the ‘Paderewski, Wendling’ violin
In the first of a two-part article, Balthazar Soulier examines an extraordinary violin that displays the hallmarks of both Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ and Domenico Montagnana
The Fulton collection: Magnificent obsession
For decades, top soloists would visit the home of David Fulton to sample the treasures of his legendary collection. Now dispersed, the instruments have been brought together again in book form. The collector shares some of the highlights with Christian Lloyd

Great Instruments

The Strad Calendar 2026: Treasures of Canada

The Strad Calendar for 2026 shines the spotlight on twelve instruments owned by Canimex, one of Canada’s leading supporters of the arts. Christian Lloyd surveys the riches