All Focus articles – Page 25
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Focus‘Building my confidence and developing as a well-rounded musician’: Manchester Collective’s Winter Residency for string players
Read first-hand experiences from three participants and a mentor of the inaugural player development residency, held in rural Wales in January 2022
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FocusHybrid model: Postcard from Trondheim
The 2021 Princess Astrid International Music Competition worked around the continuing pandemic restrictions with online preliminary rounds followed by a live final on 18 November. Tim Homfray travelled north to witness some compelling performances
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FocusHow to achieve smooth bow changes at the frog
Former Juilliard School cello professor Bonnie Hampton answers advises readers on how to encourage smooth bow changes in their students. From 2011.
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FocusThe Strad Podcast Episode #32: Rachel Barton Pine and Billy Childs on a new violin concerto
’If our violin concertos were only written by violinists, we’d get things that were very idiomatic, but perhaps never transcending that. It broadens our perspective’
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FocusStar-studded string line-up for Benedetti Foundation’s half term sessions
Running from 12 to 18 February 2022, the new short virtual sessions will focus on the physicality and psychology of string playing
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FocusVideo premiere: Beethoven Violin Sonata no.10 with a rare 19th-century piano
Violinist Daniel Kurganov and pianist Constantine Finehouse perform Beethoven, followed by expert analysis on the rare piano
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Focus6 ways to improve your string crossing
Tips for even and seamless string crossing from The Strad’s archive
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FocusIn Focus: A vihuela de arco
Pablo Soriano explores this mysterious vihuela de arco found in Spain
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FocusJohn Williams at 90: Anne-Sophie Mutter’s ‘respect for this gigantic musician’
In honour of John Williams’s 90th birthday today, here’s an extract from April 2020, where violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter spoke to Charlotte Smith about her new recording collaboration with the renowned film composer
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FocusSentimental Work: Philippe Graffin
For the Elgar Violin Concerto, the French violinist has taken advice from Yehudi Menuhin, Josef Gingold and Roger Norrington – as well as the composer’s original manuscript
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Focus‘Don’t expect perfection – seek improvement’: Anne Akiko Meyers answers your questions
Anne Akiko Meyers shares her expertise on violin techniques, learning methods and music education, as well as insights from the unpredictable world of performance
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FocusViolin contestants announced for 2022 Carl Nielsen Competition
24 international violinists will have the chance to compete for the top prize package worth €25,000
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FocusMy experience: Megan Yip at the Thy Chamber Music Festival
US cellist Megan Yip shares memories from the Thy Chamber Music Festival in Denmark
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FocusThe Strad Podcast Episode #31: Nils Mönkemeyer on Mozart Sinfonia Concertante
The violist speaks about the spontaneity and openness of performing a work that is part solo and part chamber music, as well as what he really thinks about playing the viola part scordatura
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FocusMy experience: Samuel Vargas at the Schwob School of Music
Venezualan violinist Samuel Vargas outlines his experience at the Columbus State University Schwob School of Music in Georgia, US
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FocusMy experience: Willard Carter at the Gstaad Menuhin Festival and Academy
British cellist Willard Carter recounts his time at the Gstaad Menuhin Festival in Switzerland
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FocusThe Strad Podcast Episode #30: Sean Lee on performing Paganini Caprices
’It’s sort of like going to the gym: you show up, you do your workout, you recover and you come back a bit stronger’
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FocusMy experience: Anna Agafia at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel
Danish violinist Anna Agafia describes her experience as an artist in residence at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Waterloo, Belgium
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FocusWilma Smith: Life Lessons
The Antipodean violinist on how chamber music and seizing opportunities made for a varied career in the New Zealand String Quartet and as concertmaster of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
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FocusMasterclass: Maxim Vengerov on Mozart Sinfonia Concertante K364
This masterwork is often treated as a party piece, but there is much more to it than that. Understanding harmony, history and opera is vital in performing it, says Maxim Vengerov, in this article from February 2007
