All Features articles – Page 3
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An unforgotten talent: 100 years of violinist Leonid Kogan
The matchless Soviet violinist Leonid Kogan was born 100 years ago on 14 November 1924. To mark the centenary, Tully Potter examines the life of ‘the greatest violinist’ he’s ever heard in concert
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In the zone: a one-person double bass repair method
For luthiers working alone, double bass repair can be a difficult task to take on. US bass maker Nick Lloyd presents his ‘Zone method’ for re-gluing a bass top using just one pair of hands
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Like father, like daughter: the Giorgis family of violin makers
New research in the Turin archives has uncovered fascinating insights into the life of the violin maker Nicola Giorgis. Claudio Amighetti reveals why Giorgis’s daughter Francesca Maria took over his workshop upon his death in 1745
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Rachel Barton Pine: ‘What we’re doing today is the history of tomorrow’
As she turns 50, the American violinist Rachel Barton Pine speaks to Ariane Todes about her unwavering enthusiasm for discovering, and communicating, the artistic integrity in everything she does
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Musical service: String groups in the US military
Rita Fernandes hears from musicians in the United States Air Force, Army and Marine Corps and travels to Washington DC to discover the little-known world of string playing in the US military
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Session Report: violinist Fenella Humphreys and composer Adrian Sutton on a new violin concerto
Being diagnosed with an incurable cancer spurred on War Horse composer Adrian Sutton to write a new violin concerto for Fenella Humphreys. Michael White hears from both composer and soloist about recording the work
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The DIY approach: Self-taught string playing
Can you teach yourself the violin? Violinist, teacher and author Celia Cobb believed it to be impossible – until a new book made her re-evaluate some of her assumptions
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The Strad Calendar 2025: Canada’s crème de la crème
The Strad Calendar 2025 celebrates the work of the Canada Council for the Arts, which has been matching players with fine instruments for 40 years. Christian Lloyd takes a look at the collection’s highlights
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Session Report: Cellist Matthew Barley on recording Light Stories
Cellist Matthew Barley’s album Light Stories was inspired by a life-changing incident he experienced as a teenager. He tells Charlotte Gardner how he put together its deeply personal narrative and recorded it in his home studio
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50 years of the Takács Quartet
As the Takács Quartet celebrates its 50th birthday, its members talk to Pauline Harding about the ensemble’s legacy, the intangible ‘fifth spirit’ that has shaped its character even as its players have changed over the decades, and the importance of teaching and other projects and challenges
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From the land of a hundred violins: Amedeo Simonazzi
The luthier Amedeo Simonazzi was born into a region with a strong native musical tradition – which is almost forgotten today. Stefano Pio reveals how his surroundings influenced his career
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Régis Pasquier: the complete violinist
Now nearing his ninth decade, the great French violinist Régis Pasquier has enjoyed a dazzlingly varied 65-year career taking in everything from core repertoire to contemporary music to jazz. He shares some of his memories over tea in Paris with Jessica Duchen
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Centre of attention: centring and alignment
Inspired by the work of the Cremonese masters, David Folland explains his method for finding the centre line of an old instrument
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A unique pairing: the ‘Paderewski, Wendling’ violin
In the first of a two-part article, Balthazar Soulier examines an extraordinary violin that displays the hallmarks of both Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ and Domenico Montagnana
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Mother tongues: Global Suzuki Method
How can the Suzuki Method be relevant in places where children might never have heard of Twinkle? Peter Somerford speaks to teachers who have adapted their approach to cultures with their own strong musical traditions, or with differing expectations of parental involvement
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Session Report: Emily Sun on recording the Korngold and Kats-Chernin violin concertos
Australian violinist Emily Sun speaks to Jessica Duchen about channelling the golden-age tenor Caruso in her recording of Korngold’s filmic Violin Concerto, which she has paired with Elena Kats-Chernin’s own movie-inspired new work
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Violinist Ray Chen: Making the connection
Global violinist Ray Chen’s mission is to connect people through music. He speaks to Amanda Holloway about his work both on and off the concert platform – through his Tonic practice app, his social media presence and his new album
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Shaping a century of music: Curtis Institute centenary
As it celebrates its 100th anniversary this autumn, the Philadelphia-based Curtis Institute retains its unique status as a centre not only for high-level training but for the education of the whole artist. Thomas May discovers the revered conservatoire’s rigorous standards and personalised approach
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Scandinavian Cello School: The road to Vienna
From rural Denmark to Vienna’s Musikverein, Rita Fernandes discovers the Scandinavian Cello School’s distinctive educational ethos while on tour with its cello octet
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100 years of cellist Christopher Bunting: ‘The truth of one’s nature has the last word’
British cellist Christopher Bunting brought an unwavering authenticity to his art as a performer, and as a renowned pedagogue he had the drive and generosity to help others achieve the same in their own playing. On the centenary of his birth, his daughter, violinist and teacher Philippa Bunting, considers his ...