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.
Bill Evans
String Players Are Being Called on to Play Chamber Music With Participants in Piano Competitions
Many major piano competitions around the world now require semifinalists to play a chamber music round with strings.
Book Review: ‘Jacksons, Monk & Rowe and the Brodsky Quartet: The Formative Years’ is an Uninhibited Romp
Jacqueline Thomas’ chronicle of her life, art, and work as member of the Brodsky Quartet takes her up through the quartet’s first commercial recording in 1984.
Adventurous Unpredictability: The Chiaroscuro Quartet Takes a New Look at Mozart
The Chiaroscuro Quartet's interpretation of Mozart's 3 “Prussian” quartets suggests a return to a point of focus from their early years—and at the same time a venture into new territory.
7 Things to Teach Beginning String Students
Here are 7 areas string teachers should emphasize if their students are to become well-rounded people with a deeper appreciation of how music works and why it’s so important.
Sheet Music Review: Arrangements by Wolfgang Birtel Offer Charming Repertoire to Various Cello Ensembles
Here are three in a series of over 50 books arranged by Wolfgang Birtel for two, three, and four cellos, including pieces by Scott Joplin, Edward Elgar, and Angel G. Villoldo.
Sprig of That is Cultivating a Genre-Jumping String Sound with Violin, Guitar, and Tabla
Sprig of That combines original compositions and diverse musical influences with an unusual instrumentation of violin, guitar, and tabla.
Why Violinist Mia Asano’s First Piece, “Lunar,” is Back On Her Music Stand
Says violinist Mia Asano about her composition, "Lunar:" "A big goal of mine is to perform more original music at my shows and this piece was a milestone release for me."
A Four-Day Festival Supports Each Member’s Passions for the Momenta Quartet
The Momenta Quartet's annual Momenta Festival—four consecutive concerts, each one curated by a different member of the quartet—is their antidote to programming constraints from presenters.
‘The Martinů Cello Sonatas’ Takes Johannes Moser Through a Thorny Sonata Trilogy
“It’s really not everyday repertoire,” admits Cellist Johannes Moser of his recordings of Martinů's cello sonatas. “I discovered that these pieces have such variety and depth."
