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Jan 29, 2015
Isaac Stern on prodigies’ pitfalls
A historic letter from Isaac Stern to Henryk Szeryng offers fascinating insight into his thoughts about raising a violin prodigy ​​...

Jan 15, 2015
Real or fake?
An exhibition at Dulwich Picture Gallery will replace a classic painting with a Chinese fake and ask visitors to spot the copy. What can...


Jan 14, 2015
9 ways to succeed in music
Today's classical music business may be competitive and tough, but there are also more opportunities than ever. Success lies in knowing...


Jan 13, 2015
The violinist’s guide to learning mandolin
For violinists, playing the mandolin offers instant rewards and benefits, but some challenges, too. I asked for advice from the best in...


Dec 29, 2014
Concert highlights of 2014 – and one big stinker
2014 was another busy year on the London concert scene. Here (in chronological order) are my favourite concerts of the many I went to,...


Dec 22, 2014
16 important musical truths I learnt in 2014
This year, my first as a freelance writer and journalist, I've had the privilege to meet some amazing musicians during my assignments for...


Dec 4, 2014
The future of music competitions
Competitions are a vital part of the classical music world, whether you like it or not. They offer many benefits to players and to the...


Dec 2, 2014
Bach – the teacher
An 1802 biography of Bach offers timeless insights into the art of teaching, as well as revealing the composer's own pedagogical...


Nov 29, 2014
The Charlie Chaplin guide to violin playing
Charlie Chaplin was one of the most expressive and popular communicators ever. What can string players learn from his art? Light and...

Nov 15, 2014
Casals: ‘I am a simple man’
I just came across this lovely BBC documentary about Casals. I could do without seeing the researcher, Robert Baldock, playing Bach and...

Nov 13, 2014
Songs in the key of life
An understanding of the characteristics of the different keys can help you develop a palette of sounds. So do you know your innocent C...


Nov 7, 2014
Do instruments have an objective value?
Donna Tartt's brilliant novel The Goldfinch contains insights into the antiques business that might apply to the violin business too I’ve...


Oct 30, 2014
Who are the most popular string players in the US?
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra has handily published this wonderfully detailed data about the concerts played in the 2014–2015 season...

Oct 30, 2014
Written by Mrs Bach?
A new documentary suggests that Mrs Bach was behind the greatest works by her husband Johann Sebastian. But does it ring true? You know...


Oct 22, 2014
Cello master issues manifesto
Bach’s slurs are are a means of expression and not mere technical tricks and we have lost the art of Rhetoric, says Anner Bylsma...


Oct 21, 2014
Why togetherness is over-rated
At his masterclass on Monday, Jean-Guihen Queyras challenged the notion that playing chamber music is all about playing exactly together...


Oct 20, 2014
Mischa Maisky: ‘Bach is turning in his grave’
Mischa Maisky challenged the traditional notion of authenticity in his masterclass at the Amsterdam Cello Biënnale If any classical...


Sep 12, 2014
When Guarneri met Stradivari
I'm currently reading this charming book about Guarneri 'del Gesù', written in 1974 by Leonard Wibberley. I found it on a bookshelf and...


Sep 9, 2014
Should classical players cross over?
While I’ve been researching my article on violinists who’ve crossed musical borderlines, for Sinfini Music, I found myself debating with...

Sep 4, 2014
The science of violin making
There are many different tribes of violin makers, in my experience. Conservatives, Futurists, Archivists, Geometrists, Philosophers,...
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