Violin Maker Jan Špidlen on the 1715 “Emperor” Stradivari Violin
Strings asked violin maker Jan Špidlen, "Of all the violins that inspire you, which one do you most wish you could keep? What makes it special?"
July-August 2023
The Danish String Quartet Releases Fifth and Final Installment, ‘Prism V: Beethoven, Webern, Bach’
Each of the Danish’s eight-year Prism series is built around one of Beethoven’s late string quartets, connecting a Bach fugue with a Beethoven late work and a later master
Cemeteries Across the Country Are Embracing New Roles as Performance Venues
Cemetery leaders have turned to cultural events as they aim to drum up awareness, ward off potential vandals, and support the upkeep of their lawns and aging monuments
Janet Horvath’s ‘The Cello Still Sings’ is Much More Than a Memoir
This is a heartfelt story of musical connections and personal history, vividly and powerfully told
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Fiddler April Verch and Cody Walters Collaborate on Debut ‘Passages and Partings’
April Verch displays deep respect for her musical forebears, harboring a soft spot for raw, field-recorded fiddle tunes.
yMusic Evolves from a Backup Chamber Band to a Composing Dream Team
After years of collaborations, yMusic's first album of music composed entirely by the members of the ensemble stands as one of the most exciting and confident chamber music releases of the year
Hanneke Cassel Shines with ‘Infinite Brightness’
Cassel has fused Scottish fiddle with the styles of Cape Breton Island, the Isle of Skye, and America’s Appalachia region
Jan Vogler ‘Completely at Home’ with His Strad on ‘Édouard Lalo and Enrique Casals: Cello Concertos’
The flowering of the relationship between Jan Vogler and his magnificent Strad in these flowing and powerful performances affirms Lalo’s vision
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The Knights’ Colin and Eric Jacobsen Celebrate ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ Centennial with New Project
Rhapsody embodies the commitment to innovative collaborations between performers and composers that is a signature of the Knights
Strumenti Offers Opportunities for Investors and Players Alike
The company loans high-end violins to artists at little or no cost while providing patron-investors with a chance to own shares in the instruments
Rachel Podger Returns to the Music of C.P.E. Bach
Podger highlights the layers and development of the composer's musical style in these chamber works
Violinist Luka Faulisi’s ‘Aria’ Takes Its Inspiration From Opera
Faulisi’s impressive debut features movements from obscure and popular romantic operas
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Former Student Hans Sturm Pens Rabbath Biography: ’75 Years on 4 Strings’
The authorized biography of the Syrian-born bassist and pedagogue François Rabbath is unbelievably thorough
For Composers Seeking String Sounds, There Are a Variety of Libraries to Suit the Music
Sample libraries, including those from Joshua Bell, Tina Guo, and Pēteris Vasks’ now offer more realistic and exciting options than ever before
Students at North Bennet Street School Talk About Making Their First Instruments
In the intensive three-year program, students build a total of seven instruments: six violins and one viola, which they may keep or sell.
Bluegrass Supergroup Mighty Poplar Sprints Out of the Gate on Self-Tilted Debut
Comprised of Andrew Marlin of Watchhouse, Noam Pikelny and Chris Eldridge of Punch Brothers, bassist Greg Garrison of Leftover Salmon, and Billy Strings’ fiddler Alex Hargreaves, this bluegrass supergroup meets fan expectations with supple, intuitive playing
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These Podcasts are Produced for String Players by String Players
Here is a short roundup of strings-focused and strings-adjacent podcasts currently waiting for their next new listener
Dan Mccarthy Takes a Deep Dive Into Early Music Equipment
McCarthy believes the more musicians know about the equipment that existed during the time a composition was written, the better they can understand the music itself
Brooklyn Rider’s Live Album ‘The Wanderer’ Feels Informed By Life in Flux
This album was recorded live in Eastern Lithuania just as bordering Ukraine bore the brunt of invasion
Jazz Bassist Avishai Cohen’s ‘Iroko’ Is an Album 30 Years in the Making
The bass-and-drum configuration is everything on this scintillating and tuneful duo album
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“Forget Me Not” Is a Simple Waltz That Offers Fiddlers Freedom at a Gentle Tempo
Composed after attending a fiddle camp, this tune was inspired by the magic that happens when fiddle players meet up and do nothing but play the fiddle for five days
Product News: Thomastik-Infeld Releases Dynamo String Set
Billed as ideal for orchestral players, chamber musicians, and soloists, Thomastik-Infeld’s new Dynamo violin strings are clearly meant to appeal to a wide variety of players.
Itzhak Perlman’s Latest Program Weaves Together Music and Stories from His Storied Life
An Evening with Itzhak Perlman is a fresh multimedia experience with tales from his life and career, along with performances alongside his longtime pianist, Rohan De Silva.
The Teacher’s Teacher: An Ode to the Person Who Taught Me Cello from the Ground Up
Madeline Foley had been a student of Casals, and she happened to live just two blocks from my house