Improve your playing continued – Page 4
-
Premium ❘ Feature
Performance anxiety: Fighting stage demons
How often has a potential performance of a lifetime turned into a performance from hell? Are you suffering from from stage fright? Laurinel Owen gives advice overcoming this common affliction, from the December 1996 issue
-
Premium ❘ Feature
Orchestra auditions: Success strategies
Orchestra auditions are the ultimate examination for many college-age players, so is there a blueprint for achievement? Femke Colborne asks pedagogues and orchestra principals how they prepare students for the experience, in this feature from May 2014
-
Premium ❘ Feature
College auditions advice: When you’re ready
Those three little words needn’t chill your spine in the audition room: Joanne Talbot asks the examiners what they’re looking for when you stand in front of them. From September 2000
-
Premium ❘ Feature
Spiccato and sautillé - two important bow strokes which are often confused
Making the bow come off the string is a delicate art. Rok Klopčič looks at various approaches in this investigation from May 2004
-
Premium ❘ Feature
Violin Bow Hold: No holds barred
The position of the fingers on the bow can make all the difference to dynamics and tone production. Rok Klopčič examines the bow holds of leading violinists and pedagogues, in this feature from October 2007
-
Premium ❘ Feature
Beethoven Violin Concerto: The Beethoven Letters
Detlef Hahn and Andrew Manze reveal their differing views on the Beethoven Violin Concerto in an exchange of correspondence about the new Urtext edition. Taken from the March 2010 issue
-
Focus
Masterclass: Jan Vogler on Beethoven Cello Sonata op.69
Cellist Jan Vogler explores the first movement of the first-ever sonata to give equal weight to both piano and cello
-
Premium ❘ Feature
Baroque cello playing: Going for baroque
You don’t need years of study to play Baroque cello with style and panache, argues Daniel Yeadon in this article from June 2000 - just a willingness to think differently
-
Focus
Sentimental work: Jennifer Stumm on Rebecca Clarke’s Viola Sonata
For the American violist, this 1919 work brings back memories of early successes and the inspirational teacher who introduced it to her
-
Focus
How useful are Ševčík exercises for violinists, violists and cellists?
From the archive: Violinist Ivry Gitlis, violist Bruno Giuranna and cellist Christopher Bunting share their views on the influential method
-
Blogs
Improvising on Bach's solo violin works
In this post originally from 2015, violinist Hugo Ticciati discusses the art of improvisation and using Bach as a basis for musical meditation
-
Blogs
5 pieces of advice for playing Bach by violinist Lisa Batiashvili
The artist shares her ideas about performing works of the great Baroque composer
-
Focus
Yehudi Menuhin's marked-up copy of Bach's Solo Violin Sonata no.2
Have a small peek into the workings of Menuhin's interpretation. Taken from The Strad's May 2016 issue.
-
Article
10 tips for improvising on a stringed instrument
Grammy-winning American jazz violinist Zach Brock gives advice for classical string players wanting to explore the world of improvisation
-
Focus
5 tips from Max Grosch for improving jazz rhythm
The jazz musician shares his wisdom on ways to improve our jazz rhythm and internal sense of pulse
-
Video
How to play The Marriage of Figaro on the double bass
Italian bassist Davide Botto gives a tutorial, courtesy of String Virtuoso
-
Article
Double bassist François Rabbath demonstrates his crab technique
In honour of François Rabbath, who turns 90 today, we are republishing content from our archive related to the French-Syrian double bassist
-
Focus
Which shoulder rest to buy, from $25 to $1,100
In recent years manufacturers have come up with new shoulder rest designs and materials, and new dependable models have appeared both at the low end of the market and at the very highest. Femke Colborne talks to the makers with an eye on improvement, and to those who feel they ...
-
Focus
Four 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