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Radio Coda: A (Personal) History of Classical Radio
David Schulman, musician, composer, and creator/producer of the NPR series "Musicians in their Own Words," looks back on a life colored by classical radio.
Stories
Rogues en Vogue: The Voller Brothers Through the Eyes of Arthur Frederick Hill
Among the most fascinating makers in history, the Voller Brothers developed various ways of helping to sate the global demand for old Italian instruments in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Will America’s Mid-Century Concertos Finally Get Their Due?
Academic serialism, Cold War politics, shifting tastes, and some early promotional stumbles prevented many works from securing a foothold in the repertoire. A few determined artists are striving to change that.
Pop Music, Classical Vibe—Vitamin String Quartet Applies a New Aesthetic to Chart–Topping Hits
Recording and releasing classical-style arrangements of pop songs could be viewed as a whimsical endeavor, but to the producers, engineers, arrangers, and musicians of VSQ, the music is no joke.
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Conservatory Lab Charter School Makes Music a Priority for Students
“Our mission,” says executive director Nicole Mack, “is to help students become scholars, artists, and leaders in our community.”
Over the Toppers—Serious Young Musicians Have Found Support at ‘From the Top’ for 25 Years
The independent nonprofit organization actively aids young classical musicians through arts education programs, scholarships, live events, and radio and television broadcasts.
Bach for More—Violist Edward Klorman Offers a Valuable New Installment in Cello Suites Scholarship
“I wanted to write a book that could be read by anybody who plays these pieces: Cellists. Violists. Bassists. Trombonists. Whoever!” says Klorman.
National Treasure(s)—Countrywide Youth Orchestras Offer Young Musicians a Brilliant Range of Opportunities
Extracurricular opportunities provide young musicians with exposure to the repertoire, culture, and customs of higher-level ensembles.
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Past Perfect? Why the Value of Golden-Age Italian Violins Belies Blind Test Results
Face-offs pitting new against old violins have long predated YouTube, and some have been conducted with the rigors of science.
Strings and the Radio—Remembering Violinist and Pioneering Classical Radio Host Joan Field
Creating an estimated total of at least 200 radio programs for WXQR, Field also performed several times on-air as a soloist, and served as concertmaster of the station’s orchestra.
Music Students Around the World Have Benefitted from 50 Years of El Sistema
Founded in Venezuela in 1975, today there are El Sistema programs or comparable partner programs providing musical opportunities to kids in more than 70 countries.
Strings and the Radio: 11 Essential Programs for Classical Music Lovers
Here’s a list of exceptional classical music radio programs that resonate particularly well with the interests and needs of string players.
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Agent of Change—Film Composer and Hitchcock Collaborator Bernard Herrmann Influenced All Those Who Came After
Fifty years after his death, Herrmann’s music lives on in his iconic scores, orchestral suites, recital programs, recordings, and even in a hit ballet.
In with the New: Anne Akiko Meyers Releases Three Albums of Contemporary Music, with Two More on the Way
A champion of contemporary composers, Meyers’ website lists 38 composers whose work she has commissioned and/or premiered.
At 100, the ‘Grand Ole Opry’ Is America’s Longest-Running Radio Broadcast and a Country Music Sensation
To say that the Opry is steeped in tradition is an understatement.
Curtis Stewart on Seeking, Finding, and ‘Recomposing’ the Lost Music of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
The Grammy-nominated violinist-composer’s magnificent new recording brings a few lost gems to a world that, until now, has rarely had the opportunity to hear them.
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Jerod Tate and the Dover Quartet Chart New Territory for the American String Quartet
The ensemble’s work with composer Jerod Impichcha̱achaaha’ Tate has yielded new perspectives on modern American identity as well as on the enigmas of the creative process.
A Journey of Discovery: A Conversation with Fearless Fiddler Darol Anger
“I have one foot in various roots traditions and the other on a banana peel,” says the 72-year-old violinist.
Budget-Friendly Future-Fi Solutions: A ‘Strings’ Guide to Desktop Listening
Future-Fi is all about bringing great sound to small spaces, often with just a simple headphone amp, streaming Bluetooth device, and modest “near-field” speakers, headphones, or in-ear monitors (IEMs).
Parlez-vous Italien? Violin Making in Turin Drew on Both French and Italian Traditions
Setting up shop in Turin in the early 1820s, luthier Giovanni Francesco Pressenda managed to capture the essence of his country—a little bit French, a little bit Italian—in his work.
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The Miró Quartet Serves Up a Triple Helping of Ginastera
Seeking a canonic work to balance its 30th anniversary concert program, the group turned to the three string quartets of 20th-century Argentine composer Alberto Ginastera.
Justin Robinson and Rhiannon Giddens Pay Homage to the Past on ‘What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow’
No mere collection of rustic folk tunes, the album is a reflection of the role that African music and African American musicians have played in the foundational culture of a nation.
A String Lover’s Guide to Digital Streaming Platforms
It can be frustrating trying to find what you’re looking for amid a tidal wave of pop, rap, and rock. Luckily, a growing number of streaming platforms cater to consumers and creators of string music.
Old to New School—A Brief History of Sound Recording
We can loosely organize the history of sound recording into four eras based on the emergent technology of each period: acoustic, electrical, magnetic, and digital.