All Focus articles – Page 5
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FocusWhat can musicians learn from working with dancers?
Pauline Harding attends workshops, talks to early music specialists and pioneering modern players, and discovers a whole new approach to interpreting classical music
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Focus‘Is $16 million for a violin too much to pay? Not these days’
In the 1998 movie The Red Violin, a great violin maker named Nicolo Bussotti, based on the real-life luthier Antonio Stradivari, supposedly mixes the blood of his deceased beloved wife into the varnish of what is to be his most precious creation. The violin’s journey, from its creation in Cremona ...
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FocusLife Lessons: François Rabbath
The French-Syrian double bassist, who turns 90 today, considers his unique technical journey, the inspiration he drew from crustaceans, and the benefits of playing a waiting game
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FocusThe Art of Leadership: Steven Staryk
The well-travelled concertmaster discusses his time leading British, Dutch, US and Canadian orchestras as he talks to Julian Haylock
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FeatureLeadership and diplomacy: how to be a good orchestral concertmaster
A piece from our archive in which former concertmaster John Georgiadis, who died on Tuesday, tells Julian Haylock his memories of the London Symphony Orchestra
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NewsViolinist Ivry Gitlis talks to The Strad
In the August 2012 issue, the veteran virtuoso gave a wide-ranging interview to Ariane Todes, on topics from teaching and managers to emotion, conflict and playing with his friend Jascha Heifetz
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FocusKim Kashkashian's top 5 tips on combating stage fright
The Armenian-American violist used to get ‘terribly nervous’ when performing as a teenager. Here she shares her tips on preparing psychologically for a concert
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FocusFour alternative methods to make sure your practice efforts survive the pressures of performance
A violist with a background in neuroscience, Molly Gebrian shares some alternative practice methods informed by studies on how our brain processes learning
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ArticleNine steps to mastering violin vibrato
Dr Rebecca McLeod, associate professor of music education at the University of North Carolina, gives a guide to achieving a good vibrato - from establishing a relaxed position to mastering a smooth, even motion
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Focus7 ways to harness mental practice for musicians
Tips for using mental imaging to boost your musical practice regime from The Strad’s archive
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FeatureHow are string soloists coping with the coronavirus lock down?
As social distancing causes unprecedented disruption to concert schedules around the world, several soloists share their coping strategies and plans for the future.
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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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Premium ❘ FeatureSession Report: Violinist Johan Dalene makes his recording debut
For his debut album as an exclusive BIS artist, Johan Dalene – teenage winner of last year’s Carl Nielsen International Competition – has not shied away from ambitious and much-loved repertoire. He and producer Jens U. Braun recall the recording process
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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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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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ArticleLife Lessons: Christian Poltéra
Having the space to breathe is important in more ways than one, says the Swiss cellist
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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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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
