Featured Stories – Page 8
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BlogsMonk, 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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BlogsBeyond 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
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BlogsPlay that funky folk-Baroque: Adventures in Scottish fiddling
Violinist Keir GoGwilt tells US correspondent Thomas May about The Edinburgh Rollick, his new album with the wildly inventive early music band Ruckus, which explores the legacy of 18th-century Scottish fiddle legend Niel Gow
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Blogs‘The singular beauty from the tone of two solo violas heard together’: exploring works for viola duos
Peter Mallinson examines the history and challenges of writing repertoire for two violas, ahead of the release of the album Two Violas: Regeneration, celebrating the longevity, versatility and modernity of the viola duo as an ensemble
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BlogsWhat Dame Ethel Smyth and Rebecca Clarke can teach us this International Women’s Day
Violinist Sofia Yatsyuk examines the extraordinary achievements of the two composers ahead of an album release of violin and piano works, coinciding with International Women’s Day
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Premium ❘ FeatureCellist Zara Nelsova: A sound from a dream
The Canadian-born cellist Zara Nelsova was a fierce advocate for the repertoire she loved and for four decades an inspirational teacher at the Juilliard School. Oskar Falta explores her life and remarkable career, and hears from some of the musicians who studied with her
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Premium ❘ Focus‘You have to feel you’re worthy of standing on stage’ - Julia Fischer’s life lessons
The German violinist on her influences and navigating today’s challenges
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Blogs‘Always a surprise in her writing’: Rediscovering French composer Fernande Decruck
Conductor Matthew Aubin speaks with US correspondent Thomas May about his ongoing revival of the 20th-century French composer Fernande Decruck.
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BlogsWhy we play Tchaikovsky on gut strings and period bows: Dudok Quartet Amsterdam
The sound of Tchaikovsky is not often associated with unwound gut and period bows - but perhaps that perspective should change. Cellist of Dudok Quartet Amsterdam David Faber makes the quartet’s case for performing Tchaikovsky’s rich music on a specific set-up
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Premium ❘ FeatureSession Report: Violinist Liya Petrova on recording Korngold and Strauss
Bulgarian violinist Liya Petrova tells Emma Baker about how her new album pairing Korngold’s Violin Concerto with Richard Strauss’s Violin Sonata came into being, and about striving for a sense of spontaneity
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Premium ❘ FocusOpinion: Embracing diversity in string teaching
Having made the difficult journey from an unbending conservatoire education to a fulfilling career playing and teaching non-classical styles, French violinist Scott Tixier says it’s essential to embrace diversity in music education
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Premium ❘ ArticleAnalysis March 2025: How string music education is continuing in Ukraine
As the Russia–Ukraine war continues, how are string music educators managing to continue their efforts to train the next generation of musicians?
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BlogsOld meets new: why I commission new pieces for baroque instruments
Violinist Ada Witczyk shares how the unique sonic qualities of baroque instruments lend themselves well to new works, as a new recording showcasing the fruits of the Růžičková Composition Competition is released on 28 February
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Blogs‘The twilight zone where all paths remain open’: Violinist Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen on the latest project from Dreamers’ Circus
The violinist Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen speaks with US correspondent Thomas May about his passion for folk music as his trio Dreamers’ Circus undertake a tour showcasing its new album, Handed On
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BlogsThe Athletic Musician: how to use sports strategies in your practice and performance
Music and sports have more in common than one may initially think. Matteo Costanzi, a musician and former elite athlete, shares how musicians can implement sports approaches to optimise their playing and progress
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Premium ❘ FeatureViolinist James Ehnes: A journey with Bach
Canadian violinist James Ehnes combines his virtuosity and musical intelligence as he takes a deep dive into the Bach violin concertos – both extant and reconstructed. He speaks to Thomas May about this latest chapter in his multifaceted career
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Premium ❘ FeatureOut of the shadows: violin pedagogue D.C. Dounis
The Greek-born violinist and mandolinist D.C. Dounis was one of the most influential pedagogues of the 20th century, but his life and works still remain shrouded in mystery. Clifford Hall investigates why
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Premium ❘ FocusPostcard from Hanover: Joseph Joachim Violin Competition
At the 2024 edition of the Joseph Joachim Violin Competition, Charlotte Gardner was treated to a masterclass in how a music contest can give its candidates a wholly positive experience
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BlogsHow the Bolero provides a loving tribute to Dana Zemtsov’s cultural heritage
Having spent the first seven years of her life in Mexico City, the violist shares how the song genre evokes the theme of love on a new album of Latin American favourites
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BlogsFlying Blind: A conductor’s guide to taking an audition, part three
You’ve reached the final round of an orchestral audition, now what? Following his first two articles on approaching auditions, conductor Leonard Slatkin guides players on what comes next
