Featured Stories – Page 138
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Focus7 ways to play perfect chords
Advice on unforced and resonant chord playing from The Strad's archives
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Article'You cannot practise impatiently,' says violinist Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman: 'Have an agenda and be patient. You cannot practise impatiently. I would rather practise with my head for two hours than mindlessly for eight!' Violinist Itzhak Perlman gives good, general advice for effective practice and for dealing with performance nerves. Read: Never practise for more ...
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FocusHow to use the back muscles while playing, by cellist Hillel Zori
The senior faculty member at the Buchmann–Mehta School of Music, Tel Aviv University, Israel gives tips for maximising power and control with minimum effort
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ArticleViolinist Vadim Repin performs Schubert and Prokofiev in 1992
Violinist Vadim Repin performs Schubert's Violin Sonata and Prokofiev's First Violin Sonata with pianist Alexander Markovich in Moscow in 1992 at the age of 21. Read: 6 pieces of advice for performers by violinist Vadim Repin Watch: Vadim Repin plays seven Stradivarius and Guarneri violins
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DebateListening to recordings can be an unhelpful way to learn well-known repertoire
The pervasiveness of YouTube has prevented many students from developing an individual voice, argues the Royal College of Music’s Mark Messenger
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ArticleViolinist Ray Chen on practising for performance
Ray Chen: 'When practising you must be sure that you are focused on every moment of performance. It's normal to think, 'Why did my practice go out the window?' after a performance, but it's because you didn't practise for that situation.' Violinist Ray Chen speaks about practising ...
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ArticleCellist Alisa Weilerstein on taking a piece from the practice room to the stage
Alisa Weilerstein: 'When getting ready to play in public I find it's so helpful to play for my friends and for people who know me really well, because it's actually more difficult to play for them than it is to play for an audience full of strangers' ...
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FocusThe wisest thing anyone ever told me: violinist Julian Rachlin
The violinist shares an important lesson taught to him by cellist Mstislav Rostropovich
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FocusLeila Josefowicz on performing 21st-century violin concertos
When playing a new concerto 'you have to take on its personality completely in order to make it convincing', says the violinist
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Blogs5 things you need to succeed as a musician
Northwestern University viola professor Helen Callus describes the combination of skills necessary to succeed as a musician - talent being just one in a mixture of abilities
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ArticleVadim Gluzman rehearses Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto with Orchestre de Paris
Vadim Gluzman rehearses Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto with Orchestre de Paris conducted by Juraj ValÄuha for a concert taking place on 14 December 2016.Watch: Maxim Vengerov rehearses Sibelius Violin Concerto with Orchestre de ParisWatch: Violinist Viktoria Mullova performs Prokofiev’s Second Concerto
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Focus7 ways to improve your trills
Tips from The Strad’s archive for improving trill speed and clarity, and for varying ornamental style according to musical period
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ArticleViolinist Nathan Milstein performs Beethoven's Kreutzer Sonata aged 82
Violinist Nathan Milstein performs Beethoven's 'Kreutzer' Sonata in his last public recital at the age of 82 with pianist Georges Pludermacher in Stockholm, Sweden in July 1986. Filmed by Christopher Nupen and recently released on YouTube by Allegro Films, the video also includes footage of Milstein backstage ...
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ArticleDaniel Hope performs Elgar's Violin Concerto 2016
Daniel Hope performs Edward Elgar's Violin Concerto with the Konzerthaus Orchester Berlin conducted by Iván Fischer on 22 April 2016.Read: 6 pieces of advice for performers by violinist Daniel HopeRead: Yehudi Menuhin always let the student find their own voice, says violinist Daniel Hope
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Blogs'Your principal practice should be confined to the use of the bow,' says violinist Aaron Rosand
The American maestro discusses the art of the bow and the importance of a relaxed right hand to produce a good sound
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Focus9 opinions on performance and career by cellist Yo-Yo Ma
The cellist revealed his thoughts and ideas on performing, practice, technique and musicianship to David Blum in The Strad’s January 1988 issue
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ArticleYo-Yo Ma performs Schumann's Cello Concerto
Yo-Yo Ma performs Schumann's Cello Concerto with the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Manfred Honeck at the Baden-Baden Festspielhaus on 20 March 2016. Read: 9 opinions on performance and career by cellist Yo-Yo Ma Watch: Pierre Fournier performs Schumann’s Cello Concerto
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FocusScales and exercises are essential for all string players
Not all players regard exercises as important, but without a sound technical basis you cannot achieve your expressive potential, writes the cellist
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ArticleMaxim Vengerov rehearses Sibelius Violin Concerto with Orchestre de Paris
Maxim Vengerov rehearses the original 1904 version of Sibelius's Violin Concerto with the Orchestre de Paris conducted by Christoph Eschenbach for concerts taking place on 5 and 6 October 2016.Watch: Maxim Vengerov gives a masterclass on Sibelius’s Violin Concerto and speaks about the importance of emphasising the theme ...
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Focus6 ways to control bow pressure
How to use bow pressure to produce a fine, even tone, to vary texture and dynamics and to produce smooth bow changes from The Strad archive
