A very British tradition
Newark School of Violin Making has an alumni list that reads like a Who’s Who of the violin world. As it celebrates its 50th anniversary,...
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- Apr 6
I ❤️ Beethoven
For the first stop of my Interrail trip, I make a beeline for Beethoven’s home city of Bonn and find him around every corner I love...
- Mar 25
Human imperfection will save usArtificial intelligence impersonations of human writing are very goo
Artificial intelligence impersonations of human writing are very good – and that’s why this writer isn’t afraid of them There’s lots of...
- Jan 26
Turn off, tune out
A plea to end the wispy-bulgy school of violin playing Is there a particular sound that makes you reach for the radio off button? For me,...
- Mar 3, 2022
Death of a salesman
The death of violin expert Norman Rosenberg marks the end of an era and raises questions for the violin world There are some people who...
- Nov 27, 2020
Thank you, Sheila Nelson
Very sad news has come through that the great violin pedagogue Sheila Nelson died on 16 November, at the age of 84. By rights, Sheila...
- Sep 24, 2020
Chaplin’s The Immigrant
Charlie Chaplin‘s 1917 film about the journey to Ellis Island is as funny and moving today as it must have been to the audiences who saw...
- Aug 13, 2020
Interview with György Pauk
In this article, originally commissioned by the Royal Academy of Music, violinist and pedagogue György Pauk explains some of the most...
- Aug 13, 2020
Interview with Giovanni Guzzo
In this article, originally commissioned by the Royal Academy of Music, violinist and professor Giovanni Guzzo describes his teaching...
- Aug 13, 2020
Interview with Dominic Seldis
In this article, originally commissioned by the Royal Academy of Music, the double bass professor and Principal Bass of the Royal...
- Jan 10, 2020
Shmuel Ashkenasi on the art of chamber music
Shmuel Ashkenasi led the legendary Vermeer Quartet for nearly 30 years. In this interview, first published by ChamberStudio, he offers...
- Apr 8, 2019
Life in Teaching: Diana Cummings
Diana Cummings comes from a musical dynasty, and her career spans solo, chamber and orchestral playing. Since 1982 has been a professor...
- Sep 12, 2018
Primary benefits
A school in one of England’s most deprived boroughs offers proof that putting music at the heart of education offers positive outcomes...
- Aug 22, 2018
Mission possible
A summer festival in Silicon Valley initiates young players into the joys and challenges of chamber music and then sends them out into...
- Aug 25, 2017
Happy Birthday, Ivry Gitlis!
The charismatic, idealistic, often contrarian and utterly unique violinist is 95 years young today. In celebration, here is an interview...
- Sep 5, 2016
Birth of a salesman
Car boot sales offer a brilliant lesson in salesmanship, and for this rookie also raised questions about buying and selling violins I’m...
- Aug 31, 2016
Itzhak Perlman on his violin heroes
In this interview I did with Itzhak Perlman for The Strad’s Violin Heroes supplement in 2009, he remembered and analysed the violinists...
- Aug 22, 2016
Gilles Apap: ‘Don’t listen to nobody’
Violinist Gilles Apap has one of the most original voices today, crossing easily between classical and folk styles, often in the same...
- Apr 30, 2016
Bye Bye, Bellowhead
The ground-breaking English folk band has broken up after 12 years, leaving this fangirl sad – but grateful I’m not a mosher. I don’t...
- Apr 5, 2016
20 great violinists
Who are my favourite violinists? A list of 20, which I made for Sinfini Music in 2014, still largely stands, but is sure to provoke a...
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