Discover more episodes of The Strad Podcast here

Cambridge-based cellist, teacher, music consultant, author and editor Naomi Yandell has written extensively on aspects of string teaching, including Trinity sightreading books, Take your bow and Top Banana: 20 performance pieces with attitude for young string players with Celia Cobb and numerous Opinion pieces for The Strad, including her latest article in the April 2022 issue.

She chats to fellow cellist and teacher Davina Shum about beginner bow-hold strategies – a concept that many teachers profess to have a rather hit-and-miss success rate with students. Naomi highlights the importance of ‘feel’, using relatable analogies, tailoring one’s method to the student, as well as advocating the use of short bows for children.

Check out some of Naomi’s previous Opinion pieces on string teaching in the box below.

Read: Opinion: Reset, refresh, restore - re-examining students’ goals and priorities

Read: Opinion: The long and short of it - teaching with short bows

Read: Sightreading is a skill that should be taught early 

Read: Opinion: A light touch - teaching harmonics to beginners

Read: Opinion: Make ’em laugh - humour in teaching

Listen to more episodes of The Strad Podcast here

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