An Insider’s Guide to Violin Labels
It often comes as a surprise to learn how unreliable that paper label pasted inside your instrument can be in identifying an instrument's maker, age, and place of origin.
INSTRUMENTS, BOWS, & GEAR
REVIEWS
Book Review: Edward Dusinberre’s ‘Distant Melodies’ Delves into Works by Bartók, Dvořák, Elgar, and Britten
After taking on Beethoven, Edward Dusinberre’s second book of memories and music, Distant Melodies, focuses on selected works by Bartók, Dvořák, Elgar, and Britten.
Emanuel Ax, Leonidas Kavakos, and Yo-Yo Ma Reunite as Beethoven For Three for a Stunning Second Installment
The all-star piano trio of Emanuel Ax, Leonidas Kavakos, and Yo-Yo Ma reunites for a second installment of Beethoven recordings for Symphony No. 6 "Pastorale" and Op. 1, No. 3
The Greeners Impress with Their Wide Ranging Second Album ‘Happiness Is Letting Go’
Happiness Is Letting Go is the sophomore effort from the Greeners, a genre-jumping London/Bristol-based alt-folk trio. The 11 tracks are playful, tuneful, and downright fun.
HOW TO
These stories offer advice, instruction, tips, and tricks to help you grow as a string player.
3 Pieces of Violin Repertoire for Developing String Quartets
By Miranda Wilson | From the January/February 2020 issue of Strings Magazine Unlike the piano trio, where three talented individuals can... Read More...
ESSENTIAL HISTORICAL RECORDINGS
Essential Historical Recordings: Violinist Erica Morini’s Silk-Smooth Tone
In a mid-twentieth-century music world dominated by male stars, Morini, a woman steeped in more sober Central European violin traditions, carved out a career as a top soloist.
Essential Historical Recordings: The Fearless Playing of Violinst Ivry Gitlis
His playing is instantly recognizable for its rhythmic freedom, its heightened emotional engagement, and especially its extraordinary palette of colors.
LATEST STORIES
An Update on San Francisco Conservatory’s New Model After Purchase of Music Label and Concert Agencies
San Francisco Conservatory of Music CEO David Stull give an update after SFCM's acquisition of the UK’s largest concert agency, Askonas Holt, New York–based concert agency Opus 3 Artists, and the Dutch Pentatone label last year.
How Actors Become Virtuoso String Players on Film
Here's how some recent films involved string coaches and overdubbed performers to make actors' performances as string players feel authentic.
Classical Artists Explore New Multimedia Approaches to Enhance the Concert Experience
Cellist Alisa Weilerstein and many other artists are presenting classical music in theatrical trappings to engage a younger audience.
The Calidore String Quartet is Taking on Beethoven Early in Their Career
Can a young, recently formed string quartet have the depth of understanding to tackle Beethoven's monumental works? The Calidore String Quartet believes it can.
You Are Musical! Too Many Students Come to Me Having Been Told the Opposite
There is a myth that either you’re born with an artistic gift or you’re not. Here's how music teachers can break down that misconception and un-do the mantra of "you're not musical."
New Dover Quartet Violist Julianne Lee Describes ‘Natural Synergy’ with Founding Members
Julianne Lee, currently assistant principal second violin of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and principal second violin with the Boston Pops, will take up her new role as violist of the Dover Quartet in Sept. 2023
Cellist Emmanuel Feldman’s TekPin is a New Endpin with Freedom in Mind
The TekPin is a cello endpin designed to support the instrument at a vertical angle, intended to reduce the weight the cello puts on a player’s body.
Sci-Fi (delity): New AI Technology Vaults Music Into a New Frontier
Cellist Tina Guo collaborated on a piece written by Michael Baugh to showcase Neural DSP’s AI-assisted effects processor, the Quad Cortex.
Isabel Hagen Combines Viola and Comedy in an Unconventional Career
For violist Isabel Hagen, it was more than just a few steps to get from amusing friends in elementary school to a showcase on the Tonight Show.
3 Grand Adventures for String Players Looking to Pair Their Passions of Music and Travel
Got the travel bug? Looking for adventure? Here are 3 excursions that may satisfy even the most adventurous string player’s spirit.
Understanding the Perils of High Action on Stringed Instruments and 3 Ways to Recognize it
Here are some tips to find your comfortable string height on violin in a range that is also healthy, and how to recognize high action when things are out of whack.
Jim VanCleve’s Fiddle Joy Shines Through on Appalachian Road Show’s ‘Jubilation’
Grammy Award–winning fiddler Jim VanCleve talks about his history with the instrument and his latest album with Appalachian Road Show, Jubilation.
Preparing for a Musical Whirlwind Summer on Cello After a 30-year Break
And after the first nervousness subsided, starting to play cello again after 30 years was exhilarating, like having the wind in your face driving a fast convertible.
Brett Deubner Records a Powerful Collection of Solo Viola Works
The Covid-19 lockdown afforded violist Brett Deubner the time to record five new works for unaccompanied viola by five contemporary composers for Hope: Music for Solo Viola.
On the Importance of Learning Music from Other Amateurs
I have learned just as much from my fellow musicians as anyone else about how to play, how to get the most out of music, and how to find the real joy in an artistic life.