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Improve your playing in the Playing Hub
Technique: Singing with the bow
Valentina Scheldhofen Ciardelli on broadening your expressive range on the double bass
Technique: 19th-century cello technique
Edith Salzmann takes a fresh look at techniques from the era
Technique: Going from the violin to viola
Petr Holman gives tips on switching instrument, particularly focusing on the right hand
Premium ❘ Feature
Technique: Singing with the bow
Valentina Scheldhofen Ciardelli on broadening your expressive range on the double bass
Premium ❘ Feature
Technique: 19th-century cello technique
Edith Salzmann takes a fresh look at techniques from the era
Premium ❘ Feature
Technique: Going from the violin to viola
Petr Holman gives tips on switching instrument, particularly focusing on the right hand
Why you should stop and think before you play
Violinist and Suzuki pedagogue Helen Brunner advocates for a thoughtful, step-by-step approach to practice
Why you should stop and think before you play
Violinist and Suzuki pedagogue Helen Brunner advocates for a thoughtful, step-by-step approach to practice
Opinion: why don’t string players practice pizzicato?
Perfecting bowing is a lifelong quest for string players – but what about pizzicato? Cellist Davina Shum advocates setting aside some dedicated practice time to this neglected technique
Opinion: why don’t string players practice pizzicato?
Perfecting bowing is a lifelong quest for string players – but what about pizzicato? Cellist Davina Shum advocates setting aside some dedicated practice time to this neglected technique
Why practice doesn’t prepare musicians for performance
Violinist and educator Maggie Watson explores why performance feels so different from the practice room, revealing how perception, the nervous system and psychological skills shape what really happens under pressure, and how musicians can train for the stage as deliberately as they train their technique
Why practice doesn’t prepare musicians for performance
Violinist and educator Maggie Watson explores why performance feels so different from the practice room, revealing how perception, the nervous system and psychological skills shape what really happens under pressure, and how musicians can train for the stage as deliberately as they train their technique
Stress is our friend, not our foe: how to manage stress to perform at your best
Cellist and researcher Joanna Latała encourages positively reframing the feeling of stress, and offers strategies on how to transform it into a force for growth and success
Positive self-talk: a key to boosting musicians’ confidence
Cellist and researcher Joanna Latała shares methods for how to enhance your performance with affirming language, plus what musicians can learn from top athletes and sports psychology
Vibrato: three reminders from our online editor Davina Shum
Don’t overdo it and avoid slipping into auto-pilot mode, writes the cellist
Vibrato: three reminders from our online editor Davina Shum
Don’t overdo it and avoid slipping into auto-pilot mode, writes the cellist
The Art of Vibrato: Techniques and Tips for Violinists
Donna Maurer offers six tips to help violinists master the technique of vibrato
Should vibrato exercises be practised separately from the repertoire?
Teacher Talk: your string teaching questions answered by our panel of experts. From 2011
Interpreting Dvořák vs. Mozart — a technical perspective for violinists
Grace Park provides a mini masterclass on how violinists can bring to life to the stylistic and musical qualities of the two seemingly opposite composers
Those notorious liars: thirds and sixths!
Getting the intonation right on your thirds and sixths can be tricky and misleading. Cellist Michael Reynolds shares some strategies to make the process less painful and more in tune
Those notorious liars: thirds and sixths!
Getting the intonation right on your thirds and sixths can be tricky and misleading. Cellist Michael Reynolds shares some strategies to make the process less painful and more in tune
What in-tarnation? Exploring expressive intonation with cellist Michael Reynolds
Cellist Michael Reynolds shares the importance of expressive intonation, as well as practical intonation tips that should prevent your string quartet from disbanding!
Numbness of the fingers in violinists: what causes it and how can you fix it?
J.L.H. Thomas delves into a physical exploration of what causes numbness, as well as exercises to help strengthen muscles to alleviate its symptoms
Numbness of the fingers in violinists: what causes it and how can you fix it?
J.L.H. Thomas delves into a physical exploration of what causes numbness, as well as exercises to help strengthen muscles to alleviate its symptoms
Setting up the left hand: a guide for beginner violinists
Rachael Ridge gives some helpful pointers and a step-by-step guide delving into the nitty-gritty of left-hand set-up
Cornerstones for violinists: the Australian violinist and teacher Alice Waten on left-hand set-up
The Australian violin pedagogue Alice Waten (1947-2022) shared advice on achieving fluidity and expressivity in the left hand in an interview with Joy Lee from early 2022
Blogs‘Take the risk’: Alexander Hersh on building a visual world around new music
Ahead of the release of a full performance video on 14 October, cellist Alexander Hersh explains how a series of narrative promotional films and a surreal music video aim to spark curiosity about Paul Novak’s variations with sand in the gears and help the new work reach a wider audience.
BlogsLet them be heard: The Ragazze Quartet on elevating women’s stories
The ensemble speaks to The Strad about its recording of five world-premiere recordings by a diverse group of female composers and librettists
BlogsThe joy of being the second violist in the Mozart Viola Quintets
What happens when Mozart adds an extra viola to the already ideal format of the string quartet? Hsin-Yun Huang illustrates how the second violist can enjoy myriad roles in these works as a musical chameleon
Blogs
‘Take the risk’: Alexander Hersh on building a visual world around new music
Ahead of the release of a full performance video on 14 October, cellist Alexander Hersh explains how a series of narrative promotional films and a surreal music video aim to spark curiosity about Paul Novak’s variations with sand in the gears and help the new work reach a wider audience.
Blogs
Let them be heard: The Ragazze Quartet on elevating women’s stories
The ensemble speaks to The Strad about its recording of five world-premiere recordings by a diverse group of female composers and librettists
Blogs
The joy of being the second violist in the Mozart Viola Quintets
What happens when Mozart adds an extra viola to the already ideal format of the string quartet? Hsin-Yun Huang illustrates how the second violist can enjoy myriad roles in these works as a musical chameleon
Masterclass: Schumann Fairy-tale Pictures op.113, third and fourth movements
Patrick Yim explores two movements of juxtaposing characters that test a viola player’s versatility and technical skill
Masterclass: Haydn Piano Trio in C major, Hob.XV:27, first movement
Violinist Elene Meipariani of Trio E.T.A. highlights the importance of finding a unified sound that brings life to this sprightly movement
Masterclass: Schumann Fairy-tale Pictures op.113, third and fourth movements
Patrick Yim explores two movements of juxtaposing characters that test a viola player’s versatility and technical skill
Masterclass: Haydn Piano Trio in C major, Hob.XV:27, first movement
Violinist Elene Meipariani of Trio E.T.A. highlights the importance of finding a unified sound that brings life to this sprightly movement
Masterclass: Grieg Violin Sonata no.3 in C minor, op.45, first movement
Esther Yoo guides violinists through a movement of turbulence and tenderness in a work that requires complete technical command
More from the Playing Hub
6 tips for improved coordination
Guidance from The Strad’s archive for greater synchronisation between left-hand fingers and bow
Numbness of the fingers in violinists: what causes it and how can you fix it?
J.L.H. Thomas delves into a physical exploration of what causes numbness, as well as exercises to help strengthen muscles to alleviate its symptoms
Opinion: why don’t string players practice pizzicato?
Perfecting bowing is a lifelong quest for string players – but what about pizzicato? Cellist Davina Shum advocates setting aside some dedicated practice time to this neglected technique
Cornerstones for violinists: the Australian violinist and teacher Alice Waten on left-hand set-up
The Australian violin pedagogue Alice Waten (1947-2022) shared advice on achieving fluidity and expressivity in the left hand in an interview with Joy Lee from early 2022
Masterclass: Schumann Fairy-tale Pictures op.113, third and fourth movements
Patrick Yim explores two movements of juxtaposing characters that test a viola player’s versatility and technical skill
Masterclass: Haydn Piano Trio in C major, Hob.XV:27, first movement
Violinist Elene Meipariani of Trio E.T.A. highlights the importance of finding a unified sound that brings life to this sprightly movement
Masterclass: Grieg Violin Sonata no.3 in C minor, op.45, first movement
Esther Yoo guides violinists through a movement of turbulence and tenderness in a work that requires complete technical command
Masterclass: Mozart Violin Sonata no.32 in B flat major, first movement
In a movement that evokes all the delightful quirks of a Mozart opera, it’s important to maintain a dialogue between violin and piano, says violinist Arnaud Sussmann
Masterclass: Schumann Fairy-tale Pictures op.113, third and fourth movements
Patrick Yim explores two movements of juxtaposing characters that test a viola player’s versatility and technical skill
Masterclass: Haydn Piano Trio in C major, Hob.XV:27, first movement
Violinist Elene Meipariani of Trio E.T.A. highlights the importance of finding a unified sound that brings life to this sprightly movement
Masterclass: Grieg Violin Sonata no.3 in C minor, op.45, first movement
Esther Yoo guides violinists through a movement of turbulence and tenderness in a work that requires complete technical command
Masterclass: Mozart Violin Sonata no.32 in B flat major, first movement
In a movement that evokes all the delightful quirks of a Mozart opera, it’s important to maintain a dialogue between violin and piano, says violinist Arnaud Sussmann
Soojin Han: finding something new in Vivaldi’s ever-renewing Seasons
Ahead of a recording release of Vivaldi and Piazzolla’s Seasons, the violinist reflects on nature, memory and collaboration and why true originality comes not from trying to be different, but from seeing familiar music through the prism of personal experience.
‘A great sense of melody and freshness’: Sol Gabetta on her new recording of Saint-Saëns and Lalo
The cellist speaks about the contrasting cello concertos by Saint-Saëns and Lalo, as well as recording the works with period instrument ensemble, Les Siecles
Six composers, one instrument, incredible variety: ‘for cello, by cellists’
Ben Michaels examines the scores behind three newly commissioned works that appear on his new album for cello, by cellists, uncovering how distinctive musical voices can transform a single cello into an astonishing range of sound worlds
118 years since Pablo de Sarasate’s death: exploring the great violinist’s true impact
The legendary violinist died on 20 September 1908. Dr. Nicole Crespo O’Donoghue examines Sarasate’s performing life, including the wide range of repertoire he presented to audiences throughout his career
Soojin Han: finding something new in Vivaldi’s ever-renewing Seasons
Ahead of a recording release of Vivaldi and Piazzolla’s Seasons, the violinist reflects on nature, memory and collaboration and why true originality comes not from trying to be different, but from seeing familiar music through the prism of personal experience.
‘A great sense of melody and freshness’: Sol Gabetta on her new recording of Saint-Saëns and Lalo
The cellist speaks about the contrasting cello concertos by Saint-Saëns and Lalo, as well as recording the works with period instrument ensemble, Les Siecles
Six composers, one instrument, incredible variety: ‘for cello, by cellists’
Ben Michaels examines the scores behind three newly commissioned works that appear on his new album for cello, by cellists, uncovering how distinctive musical voices can transform a single cello into an astonishing range of sound worlds
118 years since Pablo de Sarasate’s death: exploring the great violinist’s true impact
The legendary violinist died on 20 September 1908. Dr. Nicole Crespo O’Donoghue examines Sarasate’s performing life, including the wide range of repertoire he presented to audiences throughout his career
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