Featured Stories – Page 5
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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
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Premium ❘ Focus‘Make mistakes to find your own musical path’ - Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt’s life lessons
The German cellist and pedagogue recalls his own mentors and reflects on the necessity of taking chances
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Premium ❘ Feature‘Ysaÿe’s pictures are tone paintings’ - From the archive: February 1905
US correspondent Edith L. Winn describes a stateside performance by Eugène Ysaÿe in prose so effusive that even the virtuoso would blush
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BlogsPositive self-talk: a key to boosting musicians’ confidence
Cellist and researcher Joanna Latała shares methods for how to enhance your performance with affirming language, plus what musicians can learn from top athletes and sports psychology
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BlogsHelping young musicians find their sound: Music Instrument Fund of Ireland celebrates 30 years in 2025
Gwendolyn Masin examines why violinist, educator and conductor Ronald Masin decided to spend a lifetime providing opportunities for the next generations of string players in Ireland
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NewsPizzicato Pizzazz: Rediscovering Bolognini’s legend in a musical gem that echoes home
Violinist Tomás Cotik shines a light on forgotten composer and cellist Ennio Bolognini through rediscovery and exploration of the work Serenata del Gaucho, which contains demanding and virtuosic pizzicato from the performer
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BlogsFlashback: remembering David Finckel’s ‘Cello Talks’
From 2009 to 2011, David Finckel recorded 100 video tutorials while on the road as cellist of the Emerson Quartet. Now, 14 years and a global pandemic later, he recalls his motivation to immortalise his knowledge via an extensive catalogue
