All Premium ❘ Feature articles – Page 7
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Making Matters: The simplest machine
The humble wedge is a stalwart of the luthier’s workshop. Joseph Campanella Cleary examines some of the myriad ways they improve the quality of life for craftspeople
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Masterclass: Nils Mönkemeyer on Stamitz First Viola Concerto
The German violist looks at how to tackle the challenges in the first movement of this important audition piece with style, panache and calm
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Technique: Sautillé
Tips to help you master a bow stroke vital for making a good impression at any orchestral audition
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From the Archive: November 1929
Marie Hall, seen here with her 1709 Stradivari, speaks exclusively to The Strad following a successful tour of South Africa
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What to play when trying out a new stringed instrument
Buying a new instrument is as much about rigorous auditioning as it is about falling in love...
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Harnessing breathing to improve your string playing
Breathing naturally is one of the first principles of Alexander teaching - and it's a must for anyone who suffers from stage fright, says Joseph Sanders
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Ask the Experts: choosing a new violin tailpiece
A violinist asks what he should consider when choosing a new tailpiece – from the material used to the weight and shape
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When does a violin copy become a forgery?
There's a fine line between copying an instrument and forging a masterpiece. Alan Coggins offers a humorous perspective on the perils luthiers face when interpreting past masters
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Survival tips for touring musicians
International tours bring a wealth of opportunities for discovering new cultures and audiences – along with less pleasant experiences such as jet lag and homesickness. Sarah Mnatzaganian asks string players for their travel tips
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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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Turning Over a New Leaf
Since her professional debut almost 30 years ago, Sarah Chang has maintained a glittering solo performing and recording career. But, as she tells Charlotte Smith, her more recent desire to take on ‘passion projects’ has led to fulfilling chamber and contemporary collaborations
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Bright Young Things
The New York String Orchestra Seminar, one of America’s first orchestral training programmes for young musicians, celebrated its 50th anniversary in December 2018. Bruce Hodges attended rehearsals and concerts of the landmark season, and looks ahead to the ensemble’s December 2019 edition
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First Class: European bow makers in America
Despite achieving a high level of quality, the American bow makers of the early 20th century have languished in obscurity – until now. Raphael Gold explores the lives of Frank Kovanda, Ernst Lohberg and Anders Halvarson, who all learnt their craft in the Chicago workshop of William Lewis ...
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Defining a Nation
For many classical enthusiasts Brazilian music can be summed up in the folk-inspired compositions of Villa-Lobos. Naxos’s multivolume series The Music of Brazil is set to broaden awareness, beginning with several 19th- and 20th-century composers whose string and orchestral works at once mirrored and defied their country’s colonial history, writes ...
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Views on the Bridge
In the second of two articles on set-up, Joseph Curtin investigates the acoustical role of the violin bridge and the interconnected relationships between mass, frequency and resonance
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Frederick Riddle: modest master of the viola
The great British viola player was undeservedly overshadowed by Lionel Tertis and William Primrose, writes Tully Potter
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Leadership and diplomacy: how to be a good orchestral concertmaster
Former concertmaster John Georgiadis tells Julian Haylock his memories of the London Symphony Orchestra
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6 pieces of advice for music teachers by cellist Anna Shuttleworth
The former Royal College of Music and Leeds University pedagogue explains why it's important to encourage students to relax
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Ask the Experts: how to encourage students to trust their ears
A reader asks what can be done to help young students who rely on learning finger placement rather than trusting their ears. Three teachers give their views
