All Focus articles – Page 28
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Focus‘Arm weight, contact point and bow speed’ - How to create a full sound with musical intention
Bassist Christine Hoock shares examples of short pieces from double bass repertoire that can help players develop their sound and phrasing through balanced technique
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FocusMasterclass: The Swan by Saint-Saëns
Cellist Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt guides players on how to create the perfect image of a swan gliding through water, in this extract from the December 2021 issue
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FocusA moving tale: Travelling with a double bass
Fitting a double bass on an aeroplane or in the back of a van can present serious difficulties. Gary Karr’s agent Jane Davis shares her the tricks of the trade, in this interview from November 1999
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FocusThe Strad Podcast Episode #23: Pablo Ferrández on Classical cello concertos
’When I’m playing these pieces, I imagine big gestures, a lot of gravity that brings you from one impulse to the next’
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FocusA story’s end: Postcard from Mondsee
Running from 27 August to 6 September, this year’s Musiktage Mondsee was the final edition to be directed by the Auryn Quartet. Laurence Vittes witnessed stylish performances amid stunning Austrian scenery – a fitting farewell to the 40-year-old ensemble
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Focus‘Make it sing’ - Thomas Martin on playing Bottesini
Bass player Thomas Martin shares his thoughts on the music of Bottesini, in this extract from the Winter 2000 issue of the now discontinued magazine, Double Bassist
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2022: G.B. Guadagnini cello 1750
The Guadagnini cello has intense deep reddish-brown varnish to spare
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FocusDouble bass technique: Back muscles, weight, and flexibility in the right hand
How to get the most out of your body when playing the double bass, by Dan Styffe, principal bassist for the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra and professor at the Norwegian Academy of Music
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Focus‘You have to follow what it is you really want to do’ - Abel Selaocoe
South African cellist-singer-composer Abel Selaocoe speaks to Tom Stewart about his unique style of music making
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FocusAprès un Rêve played on Octobass
Fauré’s classic piece performed on an absolute behemoth of a bass - you may need to listen to this wearing headphones…
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FocusDouble bass beginners should play in all left-hand positions
Thomas Martin pinpoints some common technical problems for young bassists and insists that beginners shouldn't be restricted to playing in the lower positions. From the May 2014 issue
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Focus10 points to help you handle performance anxiety
Violinist and performance consultant Berenice Beverley Zammit shares some helpful reminders for those dealing with stage fright, including why you should regard yourself as a superhero
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Focus‘Surrounded by musicians and immersed in music’ - the early life of Giovanni Bottesini
In our December 2021 issue, Stephen Street examines early influences on the virtuoso bass player, composer and conductor
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FocusAlchemy and wood treatment in Cremonese instruments
Wenjie Cai and Hwan-Ching Tai discuss the possible influence of alchemy in Cremonese wood treatment, in this extract from the December 2021 issue
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FocusThe Strad Podcast Episode #22: Chad Hoopes on interdisciplinary teaching and learning
’Every student is different, every lesson is different. You have to teach according to the student’
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FocusThe ideal candidate: Preparing for orchestral auditions
Charles Noble offers tips to violists seeking an orchestral job in this extract from July 1999
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2022: Michele Angelo Bergonzi violin c.1750
Bergonzi used plain maple for the ribs but opted for a beech scroll with widely projected eyes
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FocusClassical oasis: Postcard from Dubai
This summer, Dubai played host to the InClassica International Music Festival and Middle East Classical Music Academy. Charlotte Smith braved soaring temperatures and an array of Covid travel regulations to witness performances by some of the world’s leading string players
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FocusHow to play a chop groove with Casey Driessen
Fiddle player Casey Driessen offers exercises and audio examples on chop grooves to accompany his Technique article in the December 2021 issue
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FocusMy audition journey: Nuno Carapina, Philharmonia Orchestra
The violinist in the Philharmonia Orchestra highlights the importance of being prepared for auditions, including why you should learn the full first movement of your Mozart Concerto
