All Focus articles – Page 14
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FocusHow do you copy a Kittel?
Nikolai Kittel remains one of the most enigmatic bow makers, so when the assembled talents at this year’s Oberlin workshop set about making copies, they uncovered a host of interesting points, as Robert Ray explains
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FocusHilary Hahn on recording a second instalment of solo Bach – 20 years after the first
The violinist recorded her first disc of Bach when she was a teenager. Now, two decades on, she returns to complete the set. Pauline Harding talks to her about constancy and change, and new meanings given to music through experience and memory
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Focus10 ways to avoid tension in your playing
Advice on how to be flexible and relaxed as a string player from 120 years of The Strad
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FocusPostcard from Yerevan: the Khachaturian International Competition
Cellists from around the world descended on the Armenian capital in June for the Khachaturian International Competition. Tom Stewart reports from its thought-provoking final round
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FocusPiecing together the history of the
'Mara' Stradivari celloIts fate was almost to be consigned to the murky depths of an Uruguayan river but it continues to delight and inspire audiences of the present day. Alessandra Barabaschi delves into the dramatic life of the ‘Mara’ Strad
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FocusThe gift of studying with Josef Gingold
Josef Gingold was as big-hearted a teacher as he was a violinist according to his former student Gwen Thompson-Robinow
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FocusRenaud Capuçon, Leila Josefowicz and Carolin Widmann on 21st-century concertos
The combination of violin and orchestra has in recent years inspired a proliferation of diverse new works. Here three top soloists discuss giving their premieres
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FocusHow do you get into a conservatoire?
Mark Messenger, head of strings at the Royal College of Music, reveals what conservatoire audition panels are looking for
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FocusPostcard from Dresden Music Festival
Jan Vogler’s Dresden Music Festival this year included Cellomania, a celebration of the cello, in which great artists of all generations shared the stage. Tim Homfray reports on a wealth of outstanding performances
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Premium ❘ FeatureAsk the Experts: How to look after your bow
Four bow makers advise on how best to look after a new bow to maintain both its performance and potential resale value
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FocusThe darker side of Heifetz the autocratic teacher
The great violinist was an inspirational teacher but not always kind or reasonable, remembers former student Gwen Thompson-Robinow
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FocusThe Strad Quiz: Know your cellists
Test your knowledge of 20th- and 21st-century cello players with our latest photo quiz
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Premium ❘ FeatureAntonio Pappano: What conductors want from their string sections
A regular, nice, beautiful sound doesn’t interest the music director of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, he told The Strad in this interview from 2008
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FocusWhy are female composers still markedly behind in terms of prominence?
Are quotas the solution, or do public attitudes still need to change, asks Peter Somerford
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FocusAsk the Experts: minimising excessive body movements
We asked four string pedagogues to give their thoughts on eliminating or cutting down on excessive body movements when playing
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FocusLife Lessons: Aldo Parisot
The venerable cello teacher, who celebrates his 100th birthday in September, recently announced his retirement from the Yale School of Music. He shares his insights and looks back at the beginnings of his distinguished career
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FocusNurturing limb-differences in students
The benefits of accommodating and encouraging limb-different string students far outweigh the challenges for teachers, says University of North Texas lecturer Elizabeth Chappell
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FocusMaxim Vengerov: ‘It is no longer good enough to be simply a good violinist’
As one of the world’s most celebrated violinists, Maxim Vengerov has always been a dedicated educator. But, as he tells Charlotte Smith, his own education is a lifelong undertaking
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FocusA step-by-step guide to keeping your bridge healthy
Tuning your instrument will naturally pull your bridge out of position, so you need to overcome your fear of touching it – as well as knowing when professional help is needed, writes Adam Pelzer
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FocusMaking sense of Bartók
The Arcadia Quartet’s violist Traian Boală discusses his experience of recording Bartók’s complete string quartets. Interview by Gavin Dixon