Teacher profiles
‘A teacher should be most aware of a student’s health, both mental and physical’ - bassist Mary Condliffe
The Cardiff-based double bass pedagogue explains why her students’ health is her biggest concern, in this interview from April 2012
The final five bars of the Prelude from Bach’s Cello Suite in D minor
Mats Lidström, the Leo Stern Professor of Cello at London’s Royal Academy of Music, examines the curious and sudden omission of rhythm and flow in the final five bars of Bach’s Prelude in D minor for solo cello, in this extract from the January 2022 issue
Should Scale Systems Come With A Health Warning?
Violinist Hector Scott examines how players can use scales to exercise curiosity and exploration of musical expressivity, as opposed to excessive, grinding, repetitive practice
The Strad Podcast Episode #26: Alun Thomas on Alexander Technique
’We need to find a way of getting out of our own way, to stop the things that we don’t need’
Masterclass: Jennifer Koh on ‘Méditation’ from Souvenir d’un lieu cher
The violinist offers practical tips on the first piece of Tchaikovsky’s set of three short works, including audio and sheet music
Masterclass: Schumann’s Adagio and Allegro op.70
Cellist Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt discusses how to produce a true legato and varied tone colours appropriate to this tempestuous work. From February 2016
Double bass beginners should play in all left-hand positions
Thomas Martin pinpoints some common technical problems for young bassists and insists that beginners shouldn't be restricted to playing in the lower positions. From the May 2014 issue
The Strad Podcast Episode #22: Chad Hoopes on interdisciplinary teaching and learning
’Every student is different, every lesson is different. You have to teach according to the student’
‘Don’t write it down. Remember it!’ - Inside Jascha Heifetz’s teaching studio
Heifetz’s former personal accompanist Ayke Agus recalls the violinist’s incentives and methods for getting the best from his students, in this extract by Enrico Alvares
How to prepare for an orchestral audition
First violinist in the San Francisco Symphony Catherine van Hoesen offers her advice on orchestral auditions, regarding preparation, musicality, feedback and nerves, in this extract from 2014
An obituary for cellist John Gwilt
The distinguished cellist died last month aged 91. Dawn Gwilt shares the life story of her late husband, former co-director of the International Cello Centre with Jane Cowan and teacher of Steven Isserlis
Chad Hoopes: ‘I want to pass along the knowledge and the influences that I have had’
The US-violinist shares his approaches to teaching the next generation of musicians in his new role as professor of practice in violin at the Meadows School of the Arts
Technique: Working on open strings
Exercises to help you build up a strong, reliable right hand, with a consistently beautiful sound
‘Joyfully, with a lot of spirit’ - Julia Fischer on Beethoven’s Violin Concerto
Violinist Julia Fischer shares her thoughts on the third movement of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, in this extract from the October 2021 issue
Trills and embellishments: exercises from Wilhelmj and Brown’s A Modern School for Violin
Violist Misha Galaganov recommends exercises from August Wilhelmj and James Brown’s out-of-print A Modern School for Violin, to accompany his Technique article in the October 2021 issue
Returning to playing after a break: top string teachers share their tips
For those who have picked up their instruments after a hiatus and thought, ‘What on earth is this?!’ - five string teachers from around the UK share exercises for both hands, posture, listening and performance
3 simple trill exercises for players and teachers
Professor of viola and chair of strings at Texas Christian University Misha Galaganov offers technical advice on how to play and teach trills
Ask the Teacher - Mark Bjork
The Suzuki teacher trainer and violin pedagogue advises students on how to keep the attention of a class, and emphasises the importance of repetition
Shinichi Suzuki’s international acclaim
Casals, Galamian and Menuhin are just a few great string players who have expressed their admiration for the violin pedagogue, as illustrated by William Starr
Bringing the Suzuki Method to the UK
In the 1960s and 70s, the Suzuki Method was already making waves around the world. Caroline Heslop writes about Helen Brunner’s challenge to bring the teaching method to the UK, in this extract from September 2000.