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Blogs
Until Between: a musical exploration of home, identity and language
Violinist Marie Schreer introduces a multi-disciplinary programme that examines themes of belonging, identity and mother tongue
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Blogs
‘The jury members should answer to their own convictions’ - Tabea Zimmermann on presiding over the 2025 Concours de Genève viola jury
The German violist spoke to The Strad about her approach to presiding over a jury, what she looks for in contestants, and her views on competitions
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Blogs
The instrument of kings: the cello’s timeless dialogue with power and grace
Vahur Luhtsalu examines how the cello has aligned itself with royalty throughout history to the present day
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From screen to strings: concert works by screen composers
Rita Fernandes presents a curated list of string works by ten composers best known for their screen work, as well as interviews with composers and players
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Analysis April 2025: Changes for German freelance tutors
As music schools in Germany react to a government decision on freelance tutors, what are the ramifications for budgets, students and teaching bodies?
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Opinion: The importance of repetition in teaching
In the practice of teaching, the value and beauty of repetition must always be encouraged, says violinist and pioneering Suzuki pedagogue Helen Brunner
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Blogs
Fiddles and folkore: Kronos Quartet transforms itself into a Hardanger band
Kronos Quartet violinist Gabriela Díaz speaks with The Strad’s US correspondent Thomas May about Elja, the ensemble’s new Hardanger fiddle collaboration with Benedicte Maurseth and Kristine Tjøgersen, which premieres at Carnegie Hall this week.
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Blogs
Andrea Casarrubios on her Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, ‘MIRAGE’
The Spanish-American musician speaks about the upcoming premiere of her cello concerto, MIRAGE, a work that encapsulates her duality as cellist and composer, along with her cultural identity
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Violinist Arabella Steinbacher: angels and demons
Pauline Harding hears from the German violinist about her cathartic journey into the darkest depths and brightest heights of Lentz’s Violin Concerto, its pairing with Beethoven on her latest recording and the impact of motherhood on music making
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Postcard from Germany: Heidelberg String Quartet Festival
Carlos María Solare joined the loyal audience at Heidelberg’s String Quartet Festival, which celebrated both its 20th anniversary and the upcoming 90th birthday of composer Helmut Lachenmann
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Blogs
Performance practice: the missing step in every musician’s practice routine
Cellist and researcher Joanna Latała shares why it’s important not only to practise, but to practise performing - and how implementing this in your routine can help you gain confidence on stage
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Blogs
Marathon at Wigmore: The Jack Quartet has world-burning energy to spare
Jack Quartet violinist Austin Wulliman and violist John Pickford Richards speak with US correspondent Thomas May about their upcoming marathon at Wigmore Hall, where the ensemble will perform three signature programmes all on the same day
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Blogs
How we transcribed Bach’s Goldberg Variations for flute, violin, viola da gamba and basso continuo
The early music group Nevermind outlines the challenges and its immersive process to transcribe Bach’s mighty opus for its instrumentation
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Violinist James Ehnes: an exclusive profile from The Strad’s archive, November 2007
Charismatic, honest, self-critical, and with an amazingly relaxed approach to performing, the Canadian virtuoso charms Michael Quinn in this archive interview from The Strad’s November 2007 issue
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Sentimental Work: Fabio Biondi on Berlioz’s Roméo et Juliette
Discovering Berlioz’s Roméo et Juliette was a pivotal moment in the Italian violinist–conductor’s path to understanding the world of 19th-century Romanticism
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‘They never seemed quite to forgive each other’ - From the archive: March 1915
The somewhat irascible Belgian cellist Ernest de Munck, who passed away on 19 January 1915, is remembered by his student Dora Petherick
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Blogs
Owls takes flight with debut album ‘Rare Birds’
One of the two cellists comprising the ‘inverted quartet’ Owls, Gabriel Cabezas speaks with US correspondent Thomas May about the ensemble’s debut album, Rare Birds.
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Blogs
Aisha Syed Castro: Four pieces from the African diaspora for violin
Ahead of a performance at Wigmore Hall, the violinist examines her musical and personal connections to four pieces by significant composers
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Blogs
Monk, Bach and Beyond: The ETHEL Quartet with Ron Carter at Carnegie Hall
In advance of ETHEL Quartet’s Carnegie Hall debut, cellist Dorothy Lawson speaks with US correspondent Thomas May about their collaboration with the programme’s featured guest artist, legendary jazz bassist Ron Carter.
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Blogs
Beyond the violin: how the Echo Collective creates soundscapes on stringed instruments
The Echo Collective explores the sonic possibilities of stringed instruments on its new album Mirror Image, using extended techniques and technology