Thomas Hardy and the violin
The great British writer Thomas Hardy was born on 2 June, 1840. His father was a fiddler in the village band and he himself also played....
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Ariane Todes
Never too old to learn
How much can an adult amateur expect to develop as a musician in a short space of time? Quite a lot, it turns out, given the right...
Ariane Todes
Peter Cropper and the art of story telling
The great violinist, former leader of the Lindsay Quartet, and one of the unique and most charismatic voices in chamber music, died on...
Ariane Todes
Baffling results in Brussels
Jury places audience favourite in fifth place at Queen Elisabeth Violin Competition in Belgium Music competitions get a lot of bad press...
Ariane Todes
Brave new violin world
A new collection of specially commissioned unantiqued instruments offers hope of a new Zeitgeist around modern violins. Will top soloists...
Ariane Todes
Happy Birthday, David Byrne!
David Byrne turns 63 today, and yet he still has one of the most energetic and interesting careers of any musician anywhere in the world....
Ariane Todes
Gergiev looks to Asia for string talent
Valery Gergiev was optimistic about the rise of Asian musicians but sounded a note of caution about the pressure on young competition...
Ariane Todes
Why you should stop practising
Observing masterclasses can be a brilliant way to learn and find inspiration, and yet students rarely turn up to watch. They may be too...
Ariane Todes
Is your violin wild, juicy, lingering or tart?
Coffee experts and barristas have a whole language for describing their craft. Can it help violin makers? I visited the London Coffee...
Ariane Todes
Interview with Shmuel Ashkenasi
The former Vermeer Quartet leader and Curtis Institute professor discusses the negative sides of Ilona Fehér's 'tough love' school of...
Ariane Todes
BBC Proms string highlights revealed
This year's BBC Proms programme offers the usual quality, but not enough quantity or range for a true string geek The 2015 BBC Proms...
Ariane Todes
Wine and violins
Facebook just kindly reminded me that two years ago today I was in Sarasota, Florida, enjoying the La Musica Festival, and tasting wine –...
Ariane Todes
Pinchas Zukerman: violin geek
In honour of Pinchas Zukerman's performance tonight of the Elgar Violin Concerto with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at London's...
Ariane Todes
18 ways to support musicians
I have an article in today's Financial Times about music philanthropy, for which I spoke to some of the legion of generous souls who help...
Ariane Todes
Violin competitions: participant’s view
Violinist Benjamin Baker has just been selected for the final rounds of the Queen Elisabeth Violin Competition. Such contests are...
Ariane Todes
The case for modern instruments
As two top violinists are forced to give back the classic instruments they've been borrowing, should more performers consider modern...
Ariane Todes
What makes a great performance?
How often do you leave a concert feeling as if you've experienced something special? As often as you'd like? If not, why not? My latest...
Ariane Todes
Viktoria Mullova on inspiration, rules and coughing
The Russian violinist is forthright about Baroque rules, the narrow-mindedness of only listening to classical music, and allowing...
Ariane Todes
Spain’s Stradivarius quartet
A weekend in Madrid provided the perfect opportunity to view some unusual Stradivarius instruments There is a lot to do in Madrid –...
Ariane Todes
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 ...
Ariane Todes
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...
Ariane Todes
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...
Ariane Todes
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...
Ariane Todes
How to learn jazz violin
Jazz violinist Regina Carter, interviewed here, offers some advice on exploring the genre Transcribing ‘If it’s not your language you...