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‘We wanted to get closer to Bartók’s inspiration’: Alexandra Preucil on the Starker Duo’s new album
‘Dance, when you’re perfectly free’: NYO performs Anna Clyne’s DANCE
BBC Symphony Orchestra announces the death of its double bassist, Elen Pan
Royal Northern College of Music announces 2026–27 chamber music residencies
Violinist and teacher Dona Lee Croft dies
BBC Symphony Orchestra announces the death of its double bassist, Elen Pan
The double bassist died on 20 June 2026 and was a member of the BBC Symphony Orchestra since 2020
Obituary: violinist Stephen Picard (1960–2026)
The Spanish-born violinist, who taught for three decades at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin, was 65 years old
Why did the violin stop thinking? The Renaissance, Japanese aesthetics and the search for sound
Why do we value beauty, and where does it come from? Violin maker Yoshiharu Ito traces a path from Stradivari to Japanese concepts of shadow and impermanence in search of what the violin is still capable of becoming
Playing Hub
Bravo James! Ehnes and NY Phil impress at rainy Vail
Davina Shum reports back from the opening concert of the New York Philharmonic’s residency at Bravo! Vail, which took place against the backdrop of the dramatic Colorado climate
‘We wanted to get closer to Bartók’s inspiration’: Alexandra Preucil on the Starker Duo’s new album
The violinist discusses recording Bartók’s 44 Duos with Antoine Tamestit, reshaping the pieces for violin and viola, and drawing on the composer’s own field recordings to look beyond the printed score.
‘Dance, when you’re perfectly free’: NYO performs Anna Clyne’s DANCE
The orchestra plays with cello soloist Danushka Edirisinghe under the baton of Constança Simas
Why recovery makes you a better musician: what musicians can learn being away from their instruments
In the second of a two-part series, cellist and researcher Joanna Latała illustrates the value of recovery for musicians, as well as what they can learn beyond the practice room
‘Tchaikovsky’s harmonies in a Berlin nightclub’: classical string improv at the Edinburgh Fringe
Ahead of a Fringe Preview show, violinist Rita Fernandes breaks down how her classical training and the sonic possibilities of string instruments inform the comedy improv show she’s bringing to the 2026 Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Kavakos and Pace take a bow in Santa Fe
Richard Linnett reports back from the opening concert of the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, which offered works by Beethoven, Stravinsky, Mozart and Franck
Premium ❘ Feature
Brett Dean: the music from within
Australian composer and violist Brett Dean has long drawn on his experience from playing inside the orchestra to shape his own music. He tells Jessica Duchen about how his writing and playing continue to inform each other
Premium ❘ Feature
In Focus: A 1776 mute violin by Nicolò Gagliano
Nazrin Rashidova and Peter Beare take a look at the unique instrument
Premium ❘ Feature
Brett Dean: the music from within
Australian composer and violist Brett Dean has long drawn on his experience from playing inside the orchestra to shape his own music. He tells Jessica Duchen about how his writing and playing continue to inform each other
![[hasnt been used much] G Hoffman - photo William Beaucardet - a](https://dnan0fzjxntrj.cloudfront.net/Pictures/460x307/0/2/9/44029_hasntbeenusedmuchghoffmanphotowilliambeaucardeta_116713_crop.jpg)
Premium ❘ Focus
‘Create a philosophy about what you do as a musician’ - Gary Hoffman’s life lessons
The US–Canadian cellist on Janós Starker and his other formative influences, and on finding authenticity
Premium ❘ Focus
Sentimental Work: Liya Petrova on the Walton Violin Concerto
William Walton’s Violin Concerto is a firm favourite in the Bulgarian violinist’s repertoire – even though she had only two weeks to learn it
Competitions
Semi-finalists announced for the 2026 Oskar Nedbal International Viola Competition
16 violists have been selected to participate in the competition’s live rounds in Prague from 29 October to 1 November 2026
Winners announced for the 2026 Ysaÿe International Music Competition
US violinist Christina Nam wins €5,000 as well a concert engagement and the loan of a fine violin
Ten-year-old violinist wins 2026 Il Piccolo Violino Magico competition
Japanese violinist Mana Yanai receives a scholarship worth €7,000 and a Fabio Piagentini violin
Premium ❘ News
Competitions, Awards and Appointments: August 2026
The latest competition results, appointments and forthcoming contests
Premium ❘ News
Premiere of the Month: Baldwin Giang’s new work for the Jack Quartet
A new string quartet full of rhythms and grooves
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: 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: Chausson Poème for Violin and Orchestra op.25
Understanding the harmonic framework is key to making sense of Chausson’s fluid, freely structured Poème, says violinist Maria Włoszczowska
The Strad Podcast: How to tailor the Suzuki Method to different students with violinist Meghan Faw
The violinist shares her personal experiences with the method as both a student and a teacher
The Strad Podcast: How to hold a masterclass with violinist Paul Huang
The violinist speaks about his teaching approaches in a unique learning experience, in the third part of our four-part education-themed podcast series
The Strad Podcast: How to teach collaborative skills with violinist Annie Fullard of the Cavani Quartet
‘We should live in a chamber music world’ - the violinist speaks about the importance of collaboration inside and outside of the practice room, in the second episode of our four-part education-themed podcast series
The Strad Podcast: How to practise effectively with violinist Ray Chen
The first in our new four-part education themed podcast series features our September 2024 cover star
The Strad Podcast: How to tailor the Suzuki Method to different students with violinist Meghan Faw
The violinist shares her personal experiences with the method as both a student and a teacher
The Strad Podcast: How to hold a masterclass with violinist Paul Huang
The violinist speaks about his teaching approaches in a unique learning experience, in the third part of our four-part education-themed podcast series
The Strad Podcast: How to teach collaborative skills with violinist Annie Fullard of the Cavani Quartet
‘We should live in a chamber music world’ - the violinist speaks about the importance of collaboration inside and outside of the practice room, in the second episode of our four-part education-themed podcast series
Competitions
Semi-finalists announced for the 2026 Oskar Nedbal International Viola Competition
16 violists have been selected to participate in the competition’s live rounds in Prague from 29 October to 1 November 2026
Winners announced for the 2026 Ysaÿe International Music Competition
US violinist Christina Nam wins €5,000 as well a concert engagement and the loan of a fine violin
Ten-year-old violinist wins 2026 Il Piccolo Violino Magico competition
Japanese violinist Mana Yanai receives a scholarship worth €7,000 and a Fabio Piagentini violin
‘Dance, when you’re perfectly free’: NYO performs Anna Clyne’s DANCE
The orchestra plays with cello soloist Danushka Edirisinghe under the baton of Constança Simas
‘Dance, when you’re perfectly free’: NYO performs Anna Clyne’s DANCE
‘Literally the hardest thing I’ve ever had to learn to do’: Pedro Pascal to play cellist in upcoming film
Combining virtuosity with opera: violinist Hannah Cho honours Vienna with Carmen Fantasie Brillante
Yo‑Yo Ma joins Kakuma refugee collective Exile Key for ‘Yelele Mama’
Teaser trailer drops for Singaporean animated film ‘The Violinist’
From prison to performance: new film spotlights violinist Christian Howes’s artistic transformation
A violinist and three cellists walk into a studio: Emerald Strings rethinks ‘Bolero’
After hours at Guildhall Art Gallery: Vilde Frang and Lawrence Power perform ‘Capricci’
Merging cello and voice: Nicolas Altstaedt and Anna-Lena Elbert perform ‘Ophelia’s Song’ by Shostakovich
Watch: a video performance from Timothy Ridout’s new album, Alto Appassionato
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In Focus: A 1776 mute violin by Nicolò Gagliano
Nazrin Rashidova and Peter Beare take a look at the unique instrument
Obituary: British luthier Colin Irving (1945–2025)
The instrument maker, who began as an engineer in the 1950s, became best known for his cellos
Changing of the guard: French transitional period – part one
The ‘transitional period’ in French lutherie usually refers to the period of change from the Baroque bow to the Tourte model. In the first of two articles, Florent Boyer illustrates how violin making also underwent a seismic shift through the 18th century and into the 19th
Why did the violin stop thinking? The Renaissance, Japanese aesthetics and the search for sound
Why do we value beauty, and where does it come from? Violin maker Yoshiharu Ito traces a path from Stradivari to Japanese concepts of shadow and impermanence in search of what the violin is still capable of becoming
Frank Kovanda: bow man to the stars
Frank Kovanda is acknowledged as one of America’s finest 20th-century bow makers. Gennady Filimonov tells his story and examines some examples of his work
My Space: Charlo Xuereb’s Marsaskala workshop
The luthier presents his Maltese shop
In Focus: A 1776 mute violin by Nicolò Gagliano
Nazrin Rashidova and Peter Beare take a look at the unique instrument
Obituary: British luthier Colin Irving (1945–2025)
The instrument maker, who began as an engineer in the 1950s, became best known for his cellos
Changing of the guard: French transitional period – part one
The ‘transitional period’ in French lutherie usually refers to the period of change from the Baroque bow to the Tourte model. In the first of two articles, Florent Boyer illustrates how violin making also underwent a seismic shift through the 18th century and into the 19th
Why did the violin stop thinking? The Renaissance, Japanese aesthetics and the search for sound
Why do we value beauty, and where does it come from? Violin maker Yoshiharu Ito traces a path from Stradivari to Japanese concepts of shadow and impermanence in search of what the violin is still capable of becoming
Frank Kovanda: bow man to the stars
Frank Kovanda is acknowledged as one of America’s finest 20th-century bow makers. Gennady Filimonov tells his story and examines some examples of his work
My Space: Charlo Xuereb’s Marsaskala workshop
The luthier presents his Maltese shop
Concert review: Leila Josefowicz (violin) Philadelphia Orchestra/Matthias Pintscher
Bruce Hodges hears the performance of John Williams, Copland and Matthias Pintscher himself, at Philadelphia’s Marian Anderson Hall on 1 May 2026
Concert review: Mark Steinberg (violin) Jonathan Biss (piano)
Bruce Hodges visits Philadelphia’s Perelman Theater on 7 May 2026 for the recital of Mozart violin sonatas
Concert review: Joseph Conyers (double bass) Philadelphia Orchestra/Naomi Woo
Bruce Hodges listens to the performance of Tan Dun, Caroline Shaw and Mozart, Hindemith and Bartók at Philadelphia’s Marian Anderson Hall on 9 May 2026
The Strad Recommends: Trio E.T.A.: un///known
A recently formed group celebrates youthful promise
The Strad Recommends: Caroline Nicolas: Pièces en Solitude
A memorable debut presents a bright new gamba star
The Strad Recommends: Kuss Quartet: Mozart
Mozart quintets are reframed to great effect
Book review: The Cello Who Loved Me
Janet Banks reads amateur US cellist George Sorensen’s account of taking up the instrument in his later years, and becoming good enough to play the Beatles’ Here Comes the Sun
Book review: Violin Culture in Britain 1870–1930: Music-making, Society, and the Popularity of Stringed Instruments
Robin Stowell reads Christina Bashford’s investigation into the explosion in the popularity of playing violin-family instruments in late Victorian and early 20th-century Britain
Book review: Music and Silence: The Passion and Protest of Pablo Casals
Pauline Harding and her daughter read a picture-book biography of the great 20th-century cellist, focusing on his lengthy slient protest against the Franco regime
Debate
Opinion: Period instruments aren’t just specialist tools
Benjamin Shute questions our assumptions about contemporary instrument set‑up and the idea that period instruments are merely specialist equipment
Opinion: Finding creativity in scales
Love them or hate them, scales are at the heart of string training. Violinist and teacher Mark Knight examines why, when approached correctly, they are the gateway to a world of expressive freedom
Debate
Opinion: Period instruments aren’t just specialist tools
Benjamin Shute questions our assumptions about contemporary instrument set‑up and the idea that period instruments are merely specialist equipment
Accessories
Products July 2026: Modacity practice app
A new app that acts as a practice companion for musicians
Products July 2026: Fiedler Sonowood double bass endpin
The endpin mirrors the properties of ebony
Products July 2026: BAM Bonbon case for ¾- and half-sized violins
The company has released a smaller version of its colourful range
Concert review: Leila Josefowicz (violin) Philadelphia Orchestra/Matthias Pintscher
Bruce Hodges hears the performance of John Williams, Copland and Matthias Pintscher himself, at Philadelphia’s Marian Anderson Hall on 1 May 2026
Concert review: Mark Steinberg (violin) Jonathan Biss (piano)
Bruce Hodges visits Philadelphia’s Perelman Theater on 7 May 2026 for the recital of Mozart violin sonatas
Concert review: Joseph Conyers (double bass) Philadelphia Orchestra/Naomi Woo
Bruce Hodges listens to the performance of Tan Dun, Caroline Shaw and Mozart, Hindemith and Bartók at Philadelphia’s Marian Anderson Hall on 9 May 2026
Book review: The Cello Who Loved Me
Janet Banks reads amateur US cellist George Sorensen’s account of taking up the instrument in his later years, and becoming good enough to play the Beatles’ Here Comes the Sun
Book review: Violin Culture in Britain 1870–1930: Music-making, Society, and the Popularity of Stringed Instruments
Robin Stowell reads Christina Bashford’s investigation into the explosion in the popularity of playing violin-family instruments in late Victorian and early 20th-century Britain
Book review: Music and Silence: The Passion and Protest of Pablo Casals
Pauline Harding and her daughter read a picture-book biography of the great 20th-century cellist, focusing on his lengthy slient protest against the Franco regime
The Strad Recommends: Trio E.T.A.: un///known
A recently formed group celebrates youthful promise
The Strad Recommends: Caroline Nicolas: Pièces en Solitude
A memorable debut presents a bright new gamba star
The Strad Recommends: Kuss Quartet: Mozart
Mozart quintets are reframed to great effect
Artists
Brett Dean: the music from within
Australian composer and violist Brett Dean has long drawn on his experience from playing inside the orchestra to shape his own music. He tells Jessica Duchen about how his writing and playing continue to inform each other
Jordi Savall: connections beyond words
The Catalan gambist and conductor Jordi Savall speaks with Michael White about his six decades of music making, the ideals that have guided his work and the future of the early music world he helped to shape
Christian Tetzlaff: ‘Following the score is freedom’
German violinist Christian Tetzlaff has built a career defined by artistic independence. As he celebrates his 60th birthday, he speaks to Richard Bratby about the values that have shaped his musical life
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