All Improve your playing articles – Page 6
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FocusLearning a violin as an adult: How do you progress beyond practising for exams?
How can an adult amateur, beginning or relearning an instrument, progress beyond practising for exams? Three tutors examine the various options – as well as suggesting ways to combat shyness
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Arabella Steinbacher's top 5 practice tips
The German violinist shares her personal favourite practice habits
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Article
8 ways for violinists to improve posture
Advice for violinists from The Strad's pages on establishing a relaxed and stable posture for optimal performance, and avoiding strain and injury
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Video
Kim Kashkashian teaches circular bow motion
This video shows part of a master class with violist Kim Kashkashian at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music.
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Focus
Sentimental work: Gautier Capuçon on Schumann
The French cellist finds a whole universe of sound in Schumann’s Adagio and Allegro and the op.73 Fantasiestücke – as well as huge scope for experimentation
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Blogs
Three top tips for improving performances with meditation techniques
Violist Matthew Jones discusses the ways in which meditation and mindfulness can help performers
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Charlie Siem's top 5 practice tips
Ahead of his performance at Cadogan Hall, the violinist shares his knowledge
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From the archive: Technique or tone?
This article from The Strad, September 1954, argues that the trend among students of pursuing mechanical brilliance at the expense of beauty of tone is misguided
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5 views on chamber playing by Borodin Quartet legend Rostislav Dubinsky
The Borodin's founding first violinist, who played with the quartet for 30 years from 1945, was interviewed in The Strad shortly before his death in 1997
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Developing arm, wrist and finger vibrato
Rok Klopčič takes a look at different types of vibrato through the eyes of the great teachers and players - from the June 2003 issue
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6 tips for smooth bow changes
Advice on smooth and inaudible bow changes at the tip and the heel from The Strad's archives
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8 ways to maximise your sound with minimum effort
Advice on how to increase your sound without any extra effort from The Strad Archive
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10 views on the benefits of slow practice
Debate on how best to harness slow practice from The Strad Archive
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10 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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Functional Fingering
An article on ways to move around the fingerboard without upsetting your musical flow by Leo Phillips
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How 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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Premium ❘ Feature
Antonio 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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Focus
Ask 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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Article
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
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Video
Masterclass with Violinist Gábor Takács-Nagy
Violinist Gábor Takács-Nagy coaches Sirena Huang on Prokofiev’s Violin Sonata as part of a masterclass for the Classical Bridge Music Festival.
