All Improve your playing articles – Page 3
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FocusLessons in Time Travel - Violinists on Baroque Performance
What impact can voyages into period performance have on modern-instrument playing? Four soloists reveal the fruits of their Baroque explorations to Ariane Todes
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Premium ❘ Feature
Masterclass: Bach Cello Suite no.5, Prélude, by Jean-Guihen Queyras
Practical tips to help you master the challenges of this most fundamental of repertoire
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Focus
8 ways to improve Baroque performance
Tips from The Strad’s archive on the use of vibrato, bow strokes and rhythmic hierarchy
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Focus
10 playing tips by violist Lionel Tertis
The famous English viola player and Royal Academy of Music professor gave performing tips to student Sydney Errington in the 1930s
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Blogs
Tomás Cotik: How I interpret Bach
Ahead of his 2020 album release of Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas, the violinist presents a new 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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Focus
Spiccato and sautillé - two important bow strokes which are often confused
Spiccato and sautillé are the two most important off-the-string bowings, but they are often confused. One of the reasons might be their relation to speed.
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Video
James Ehnes on the essence of mindful practice
In this podcast, James Ehnes talks about what the essence of mindful instrumental practice is: having a clear goal, work efficiently, listen intently, and connecting with others.
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Feature
Professor Ševčík addresses Strad readers
The Czech violinist and influential teacher passes on words of wisdom to readers of The Strad in February 1912
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Video
Prepare with Nicky: Part 1 - who is Elgar
In the first of Nicola Benedetti’s ‘Prepare with Nicky’ series, the violinist is focusing on Edward Elgar. Benedetti says: ‘Elgar is certainly one of the most beloved British composers and we felt it fitting to play a piece of music by him with our Advanced Orchestra at The Benedetti ...
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Premium ❘ Feature
How to develop fourth finger strength
String students often suffer from weakness in the little finger, but this can be overcome, writes James Winram in the Strad's July 1913 issue
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Focus
Ariadne Daskalakis’s top 5 practice tips
To tie in with the release of her Schubert disc, the violinist talks about the importance of maintaining consistency and a sense of effortless joy in your practice
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Premium ❘ Feature
Violinist David Juritz on overcoming a painful shoulder injury
The London-based instrumentalist was helped by physiotherapy and Pilates
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Feature
How breaking a thumb saved cellist Colin Carr's career
The international cello soloist and chamber musician describes how a cycling accident forced him to rethink the way he played
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Focus
8 ways to vary your vibrato
Tips from The Strad’s archive for varying vibrato speed, width, pressure and direction to produce an infinite range of colour contrasts
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Article
David Oistrakh performs Debussy's The Girl with the Flaxen Hair
On the great violinist's birthday today, we share this video of him performing a transcription of Debussy's La fille aux cheveux de lin (The Girl with the Flaxen Hair) with pianist Frida Bauer in 1972, displaying his lauded warmth of tone. Read The Strad's guide to David ...
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Premium ❘ Feature
7 techniques to combat stage fright
How often has a potential performance of a lifetime turned into a performance from hell? Are you suffering from stage fright? Laurinel Owen gives advice on overcoming this common affliction
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Premium ❘ Feature
Perfect 5ths
British violinist Rodney Friend has spent many years formulating his method for achieving a relaxed left-hand position. Here, he shares his voyage of discovery with Charlotte Smith
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Feature
7 mental techniques to boost your practice
Effective practice without the frustration and drudgery? Piet Koornhot looks at ways to direct your imagination.
