By James Reel Not too many years ago, everybody woke up one fine morning and realized that Stephen Sondheim is one of America’s great composers. Oh, it had been clear since the 1970s that he was a superb theater composer,…
What stories lurk in the church bass-ment? This forgotten New England lutherie tradition reportedly was born of a jackknife and a couple of wood blocks By Erin Shrader “They’re awfully ugly,” opines violin auctioneer Jason Price at the mention of…
Mostly As: You’re a focused player, determined to do well and be a great performer. You have the listening skills (both musical and social), however, that may come in handy as a chamber player. Members of chamber ensembles frequently take…
Let’s face it: A lot of string players hit the practice room hard thinking, Soloist, soloist, soloist. Joshua Bell, Yo-Yo Ma, Kim Kashkashian. That’s the goal, right? Not necessarily. There are a lot of career options in the string world…
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Relaxation and flexibility promote good technique and injury-free playing By Joel Becktell I often give students a little quiz. It’s simple, yet what it reveals is of paramount importance to the development of any cellist’s technique. Here it is: hold…
Scaling the six Bach Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin requires a firm grasp of violin technique and a propensity for soul-searching. John Holloway, Rachel Podger, Julia Fischer, and others discuss their approach by Laurence Vittes Fifty years ago, virtuosos…
What exactly is good posture and how can players know when they are practicing it? By Janet Horvath How one looks, feels, and sounds is inextricably linked when it comes to playing stringed instruments. Good posture is often the easy…
By Erin Shrader “Pegs don’t get a lot of respect,” says Eric Meyer, a Portland, Oregon, craftsman whose handmade fittings grace some of the world’s great instruments. “People think of them kind of like tires. They wear out and you…
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Learn to prevent seasonal damage from temperature and humidity changes by Erin Shrader AS SOON AS WINTER sucks the last bit of humidity out of the Midwestern air, the cellos start making their way up the stairs to the violin…
Georgia-born violinist joins the world of greatly talented young performers by Laurence Vittes When I first heard Lisa Batiashvili play at the Hollywood Bowl in the summer of 2002, she was already a rising star. Against a backdrop of faintly…
By Erin Shrader “It’s amazing how they are overlooked in terms of aesthetics and function,” marvels Eric Meyer, when asked about tailpieces. “Especially since they sit right in the middle of the top of the instrument.” Meyer is passionate about…
Want to play great, beautiful music, but without the daily drudgery of practicing? Manage your time effectively and creatively to make woodshedding fun!
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The recording ushered in the common use of stringed instruments in pop music and helped bridge the then-wide rift between classical and pop music
Most cellos have a “problem” note—one pitch that sounds annoyingly different from all the others. It's called a wolf tone, and here's how to tame it.
Here are some ways to find cello bliss from a panel of experts who offered their advice on shopping for a cello under $5,000.
The cello challenge By Marcelo Sanchez In the past, such cellists as Jean-Louis Duport, Friedrich Gruetzmacher, and David Popper wrote études that have since helped us surpass a variety of common technical problems. We dread practicing these études, sometimes forgetting…
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Good intonation on a stringed instrument is something you can work on from Day One. Here are 14 steps toward building good intonation on violin, viola, cello & bass.
By Richard Ward A little bit of knowledge can go a long way for the bow shopper When you go bow shopping, be sure and bring your own violin, viola, cello, or bass and current bow with you as a…
Choosing a bow can be a daunting task, given the multitude of products on the market. Here are several simple points to consider when you venture off to visit your local dealer in search of the perfect stick to suit your needs.
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