Remembering Legendary Louisiana Fiddler Edius Naquin’s Unique Instrument
Legendary Louisiana Fiddler Edius Naquin's violin not a notable instrument, a cheaper Strad copy textured with decades of patina, but it had a real presence.
INSTRUMENTS, BOWS, & GEAR
REVIEWS
Herbert Blomstedt’s Completion of the Brahms Cycle With the Leipzig Orchestra Has a Relaxed Human Touch
Herbert Blomstedt's completion of the Brahms cycle (symphonies 3 & 4) with the Leipzig orchestra has a relaxed human touch.
Charlotte Saluste-Bridoux Delivers Visceral Sound with Debut Album ‘Ostinata: Works for Solo Violin’
Violinist Charlotte Saluste-Bridoux's debut heralds a promising young artist capable of artfully delivering the visceral sound demanded by soaring solo showpieces on Ostinata.
San Diego Symphony Captures the Cinematic Sweep of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 11 with New Release
The San Diego Symphony has captured the immense, Mussorgskyian power and cinematic sweep of Shotakovich's Sympony No. 11 with Rafael Payare.
HOW TO
These stories offer advice, instruction, tips, and tricks to help you grow as a string player.
5 Instrument Care Tips—Advice from the Experts
A stringed instrument requires some basic care, and here are a few must-dos to keep your new violin, viola, cello, or bass safe and healthy.
ESSENTIAL HISTORICAL RECORDINGS
Essential Historical Recordings: Violinist ‘King’ David Oistrakh
Oistrakh was one of the most-recorded violinists of all time; as with Heifetz, half the violin repertoire could be included among his essential recordings.
Essential Historical Recordings: When Fritz Kreisler Changed How We Hear and Play Violin
By Sasha Margolis Fritz Kreisler, who forever changed the way we listen to and play the violin, was a disarmingly charming revolutionary... Read More...
LATEST STORIES
Indie-Pop Violinist Andrew Bird Surveys the Nature of Things On His New Album ‘Inside Problems’
Indie-pop violinist Andrew Bird has a freewheeling performance style that has earned him the sobriquet “a one-man orchestra of the imagination.”
Ukrainian Composer Leonid Hrabovsky’s EQVIN Recalls the Past with Haunting Echoes of the Present
EQVIN (for violin and piano), by Ukrainian Composer Leonid Hrabovsky, is dedicated in memory of his father, a violinist who was shot by the KGB in 1937.
How to Join a Youth Orchestra (and Make the Most of It)
For many young musicians, orchestra auditions are super intimidating—but they don't have to be! Here's what you need to know to prepare for an orchestra audition.
Alisa Weilerstein and Thomas Mesa Find a Fresh Approach to the Beethoven Cello Sonatas
Beethoven’s 5 cello sonatas are perpetually embraced by new generations of cellists. Alisa Weilerstein and Thomas Mesa share their fresh approaches to the works.
Yo-Yo Ma and Silk Road Ensemble Members Team Up with Maestro Long Yu on Youth Music Culture Guangdong
Yo-Yo Ma and maestro Long Yu founded Youth Music Culture Guangdong to help coach young musicians in chamber music and orchestral settings.
‘The Day I Learned How to Teach’: Bassist John Hamil’s Favorite Lesson
Bassist John Hamil recalls his favorite lesson: "I take this story with me to every lesson and never undervalue the student’s time and effort."
I Thought Musician’s Focal Dystonia Meant the End of My Viola Career—I Was Wrong
The approach to recovering from musician's focal dystonia was like a version of the Alexander Technique I’d been practicing for nearly a decade. But I soon discovered it went even deeper.
2020 Shanghai Isaac Stern International Violin Competition’s 6 Finalists Will Share Prize, Present Joint Concert
In lieu of a $100,000 grand prize for the winner, the six finalists for the 2020 Shanghai Isaac Stern International Violin Competition will each be awarded $20,000.
Shaping Tomorrow’s Voices Today: Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) Invests in Music Education as a Powerful Change Agent
YOLA has become a signature of the Gustavo Dudamel era. Its creation predates his first season at the helm of the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2009 and shows the influence of the educational philosophy that shaped him.
Maine Youth Rock Orchestra Offers Teens a Look into a World of Professional Possibilities as a Working Musician
The Maine Youth Rock Orchestra was inspired by a trend: when major pop, rock, or folk artists share a stage with a professional symphony, giving another path for a career as a musician.
Violinist Tim Kliphuis on Playing Gypsy Jazz
Violinist Tim Kliphuis, who has recorded over a dozen albums in a wide range of styles, talks about playing Gypsy jazz and his hero Stéphane Grappelli.
A Buyer’s Guide to Notation Software To Suit Your Compositional Needs
This buyer's guide to notation software for music composition will help you sort through the array of music notation programs and apps to find the right one for your needs.
Classical Music Learns to Sell Itself by Taking a Page from the Sports Playbook
As the classical music industry emerges from the pandemic, the issues of allocating resources to sales and marketing and making serious commitments to R&D could well determine an orchestra’s future.
Violinist Scott Tixier on Studying Jazz Music on a Conservatory Track
Jazz violinist Scott Tixier describes why the phrase “classically trained” doesn't need to be such a defining measure of musical accomplishment.
Pirastro’s New Flexocor Deluxe Strings are Designed to Provide a Smooth Ride
Pirastro's new Flexocor Deluxe cello strings are designed to make playing the cello a breeze, with emphasis on ease of use for the player.