All improvisation articles
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Blogs
How violinists can integrate composition into their practice: Helena Maria Falk
With the release of her debut single ‘To Grandpa’, the violinist hopes more instrumentalists will experiment with composition and improvisation in their playing
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Review
Book review: Violin Fingerboard Mastery: Contemporary Mapping Exercises and Improvisation Studies
Alex Laing reads US violinist Jason Anick’s method for learning how to improvise
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Focus
The Strad Podcast Episode #2: Maja Bugge’s five tips for teaching improvisation
Cellist Maja Bugge shares some helpful ways to incorporate and explore improvisation in lessons
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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
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Blogs
Courage before confidence: the benefits of improvising for classical musicians
Composer Liz Dilnot Johnson describes using lockdown to explore improvising techniques with violinist Lucy Russell
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Premium ❘ Feature
Encouraging independent learning in music lessons
Are scales squeezed out and sightreading neglected? Paul Harris shares some ideas on integrating core skills into your students' lessons
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Review
Book review: Improvisation for Strings
Max Grosch reviews Tim Kliphuis’s new guide to improvisation
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Blogs
5 tips for improvising on strings
Violinist Curtis Stewart of the innovative New York based PUBLIQuartet writes us a checklist for throwing off the shackles of the score and exploring your own creativity
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Blogs
Whatever happened to improvisation in classical music?
'Duelling' violin brothers Vladimir & Anton grew up surrounded by Romani music and use a variety of Romani techniques in their performances - including writing their own variations and cadenzas. Here they discuss the lost art of classical improvisation
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Focus
Should all string players learn how to improvise?
Dutch violinists Martin Norgaard and Tim Kliphuis believe teaching children improvisation and alternative styles of music should be a requirement of string lessons in the 21st century, writes Pauline Harding
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Article
Pioneering jazz cellist Fred Katz dies aged 94
American cellist and composer Fred Katz has died at the age of 94. Classically trained, Katz was credited as the first musician to explore the cello's potential for jazz improvisation. Born in New York in 1919, Katz studied piano and cello as a child, and took lessons with Leif Rosanoff, ...
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Article
New London festival combines improvised music with art, theatre, dance and film
Cellist Ayanna Witter-Johnson (pictured), viola player Max Baillie and all-string group the 12 Ensemble are among the performers at a new ten-day festival in east London next month. The ‘i = u Festival’ will bring together music with dance, art, theatre and film as it explores improvisation ...