All Focus articles – Page 8
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FocusHow should string teachers deal with naturally unmusical children?
It may be sad to say, but some pupils have no gift for playing at all, says Royal Northern College of Music senior lecturer in education, Philippa Bunting
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6 ways to improve your string crossing
Tips for even and seamless string crossing from The Strad’s archive
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How 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
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11 stretching exercises for musicians
Do you feel tired and stiff after performing? Pilates instructor John Black explains how some simple stretching exercises can make all the difference
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Boris Kuschnir: Educating and forging talent
The Austrian violinist gave the below lecture on 8 December 2019 at the first meeting of the Shanghai Conservatoire of Music’s Advisory Council for International Artists
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The harmonious string quartet - a balance of four personality types
No one said that living in a quartet was easy - but the most successful groups develop a unique identity that survives vitriolic relationships and even personnel changes, writes Paul Robertson
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A method for viola-playing, according to Karen Tuttle
Violists, particularly in the US, regard Karen Tuttle as a pioneer of pedagogy. As this month marks the 100th anniversary of her birth, Carlos María Solare outlines some of her ideas on playing the viola
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8 tips for second violinists
Views on second violin playing from experienced orchestral and chamber performers
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7 tips for carving a scroll
How to perfect the head of your instrument from 125 years of the Strad
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Hilary 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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6 tips for improved coordination
Guidance from The Strad’s archive for greater synchronisation between left-hand fingers and bow
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Michel 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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Violinist 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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I 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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What 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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Jerry 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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How to make scales enjoyable
Encouraging students to practise scales needn't be an uphill struggle, says Paul Harris - in fact, it can even be fun!
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How 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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5 ways to improve playing in thirds
Tips for hand position, bow distribution and intonation from The Strad Archive
