All Focus articles – Page 48
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Focus7 tips for carving a scroll
How to perfect the head of your instrument from 125 years of the Strad
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FocusHilary Hahn marks 30 years since her debut solo recital aged ten
‘I built up to it for months, and I’ll never forget it,’ says the American violinist
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FocusMichel Collichon, enigma among French viol makers
Just a handful of instruments by Michel Collichon have survived to the present day – but they demonstrate the skill and techniques of a master innovator. With a tenth example recently identified, Shem Mackey explains the appeal of the 17th-century viol maker to modern-day luthiers
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FocusViolinist Yehudi Menuhin's first appearance in The Strad, aged 10
We republish a snippet introducing the prodigy to Strad readers in 1926
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FocusI know that I know nothing: Tomás Cotik concludes his series on Bach
Ahead of his 2020 album release of Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas, the violinist concludes his blog series, in which he discusses the contradictions between the opposing trends and traditions in Bach interpretation, and his personal solutions to them.
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FocusWhat do violinists Sarah Chang and Hilary Hahn keep in their instrument cases?
Ever wondered what players keep in their instrument cases, apart from their Strads? We talk to some well-known performers to discover the secrets they hold
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FocusJerry Horner on talent and practice
In February last year, former Fine Arts Quartet violist Jerry Horner died at the age of 83. Here, his past student James Dickenson shares part of his philosophy of learning, drawing on interviews with Margaret Clements, his widow
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FocusHow important is happiness for effective practising?
Adopting a positive mindset helps to prime you for learning, writes musician and performance psychology expert Christine Carter
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Focus5 ways to improve playing in thirds
Tips for hand position, bow distribution and intonation from The Strad Archive
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FocusExploring the secrets of Stradivari's workshop
The workshop where Stradivari made the instruments of his golden period was demolished in 1938. Andrew Dipper uncovers the clues that give an insight into the great master's working environment
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FocusKaunzner in Korea: a nation of winners
In recent years, string players from South Korea have made headlines as the winners of numerous international competitions. German violinist–composer Viktoria Elisabeth Kaunzner speaks to South Korean colleagues and draws on her own teaching experience in the country to examine the phenomenon
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Focus7 ways to become a more confident instrumental teacher
In their 2012 book 'From the Stage to the Studio', Cornelia Watkins and Laurie Scott give practical advice to help young musicians become more confident in teaching
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FocusDouble bassist Christine Hoock on sound and phrase
The professor of double bass at Mozarteum University Salzburg and president of the International Sperger Society for Double Bass shares her wisdom in this month’s Technique article
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Focus5 tips for viola players, by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra's Manchin Zhang
Manchin Zhang shares her wisdom on various aspects of playing the viola, from vibrato to body balance
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FocusHow I interpret Bach: Tomás Cotik on Treatises Sources, Numerology and the Doctrine of Affections
Ahead of his 2020 album release of Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas, the violinist continues his blog series, in which he discusses the contradictions between the opposing trends and traditions in Bach interpretation, and his personal solutions to them
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FocusHow I interpret Bach: Tomás Cotik on The Pieces in Context, The Title and Editions
Ahead of his 2020 album release of Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas, the violinist continues his blog series, in which he discusses the contradictions between the opposing trends and traditions in Bach interpretation, and his personal solutions to them
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FocusAre contemporary violin makers limiting their potential to develop new ideas?
A key aim of the VSA/Oberlin Workshop ‘Obie 1’ project was to create a good original violin design that was not directly derived or copied from a previous instrument
