In the October 2023 issue, violinist Sergej Krylov explains why he chose Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto no.1 as his Sentimental Work: ’From the first note of the piece I was completely in love, and when I started performing it a few years later, it made me feel like I was flying.’ He also spoke about his memories of working on the piece with Mstislav Rostropovich, shortly before the latter’s death in 2007. 

Here, Sergej Krylov performs the first movement (Nocturne) in a live performance on 12 January 2014, with the Ural Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Dmitry Liss.

Best of Technique

In The Best of Technique you’ll discover the top playing tips of the world’s leading string players and teachers. It’s packed full of exercises for students, plus examples from the standard repertoire to show you how to integrate the technique into your playing.

Masterclass

The Strad’s Masterclass series brings together the finest string players with some of the greatest string works ever written. Always one of our most popular sections, Masterclass has been an invaluable aid to aspiring soloists, chamber musicians and string teachers since the 1990s.

Calendars

American collector David L. Fulton amassed one of the 20th century’s finest collections of stringed instruments. This year’s calendar pays tribute to some of these priceless treasures, including Yehudi Menuhin’s celebrated ‘Lord Wilton’ Guarneri, the Carlo Bergonzi once played by Fritz Kreisler, and four instruments by Antonio Stradivari.