All Davina-Shum articles
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BlogsWhat can string players learn from tennis players?
Strength of mentality, discipline, adaptability and an understanding of the basics are all skills that cross between the fields of tennis and string playing, writes cellist and tennis enthusiast Davina Shum
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BlogsThe best seat in the house is a bean bag: 48 hours at the Edinburgh International Festival
Online editor Davina Shum reports back from four sessions in Edinburgh, where artists displayed their superpowers to bring people together and offer much-needed musical nourishment
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BlogsCats, bees and a swarm of flying ants: what do you do when your performance is disrupted by animals?
Online editor and cellist Davina Shum ponders show-stealing felines, as well as stressful incidents of insects getting a little too involved on stage
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Premium ❘ FocusOpinion: why don’t string players practice pizzicato?
Perfecting bowing is a lifelong quest for string players – but what about pizzicato? Cellist Davina Shum advocates setting aside some dedicated practice time to this neglected technique
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NewsWe played Google’s new ‘bird-tuoso’ cello AI game - here’s what we think
Online editor and real-life cellist Davina Shum shares her and The Strad team’s thoughts on ’Viola the Bird’, Google’s newest music-meets-tech game
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BlogsPopper studies: celebrating the small victories
The enjoyability and longevity of Popper studies lie in the small gains that gradually accumulate to a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, writes cellist and online editor Davina Shum
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BlogsMusicians have the best weddings with the best music: online editor Davina Shum
The cellist reflects on some of her most memorable musical moments at weddings past, ahead of attending and playing at her friends’ wedding this week
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BlogsVibrato: three reminders from our online editor Davina Shum
Don’t overdo it and avoid slipping into auto-pilot mode, writes the cellist
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BlogsHow I completed a 118-show run (without losing my mind)
The Strad’s online editor and cellist Davina Shum has just completed a three-month run of My Neighbour Totoro at the Barbican Theatre. Here she shares her strategies for how she kept the repeated performances fresh and spontaneous without forsaking her sanity
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Premium ❘ FocusOpinion: Playing by numbers
In theory, it is possible for a student to gain their ABRSM Grade 8 having only learnt 24 pieces in their life. Davina Shum argues that such a quantified approach to learning is no way to become a rounded musician
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BlogsFake it ’til you make it: The art of orchestral faking
Cellist and online editor Davina Shum has spent countless hours in orchestra choosing what to play and what to pretend to play. Here she illustrates the necessary skill that can only be described as molto fake-issimo
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BlogsPositive audition preparation outcomes – even when you don’t get the job
While the process may be daunting, repetitive and sometimes demoralising, there is huge value to be found in preparing for auditions. Online editor and cellist Davina Shum examines five positive things to take away from preparing for orchestral auditions
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Focus‘The bride entered the room, her eyes flashing daggers at the groom’ - The Strad’s top wedding disaster stories
The Strad’s editorial staff and writers share their memorable stories of wedding gigs that didn’t quite go to plan
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BlogsScaling the walls: what musicians can learn from bouldering
Cellist and online editor Davina Shum examines the parallels between rock climbing and music-making and how an approach in one discipline can inform the other