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At 40, the Cassatt String Quartet Pays Tribute to a Longtime Collaborator
The Cassatt String Quartet celebrates its 40th anniversary with three string quintets by Daniel Strong Godfrey.
Jazz Violinist Gwen Laster’s Compelling ‘Keepers of the Flame’ Is Quietly Intense
Thought-provoking music rooted in the past, informed by the present, and striving for the future.
‘The Music Critic’ Finds Nothing Sacred
Aleksey Igudesman, the San Francisco Symphony, and John Malkovich deliver an evening of laughter, courtesy of some of history’s most celebrated composers—and their detractors.
Intoxicating Vitality—Rebecca Clarke’s Sonata for Viola and Piano Remains Fresh and Vibrant
A rare work that fits equally well on more than one instrument, the Sonata has been embraced by violists, cellists, and orchestras alike.
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Adult Education—The Orchestra’s New Front Line
At a time when public school music education is increasingly under threat adult-focused community-based efforts by orchestras have become more than enrichment.
Will America’s Mid-Century Concertos Finally Get Their Due?
Academic serialism, Cold War politics, shifting tastes, and some early promotional stumbles prevented many works from securing a foothold in the repertoire. A few determined artists are striving to change that.
‘Crossing Borders’ by British Period-Instrument Ensemble La Serenissima Contains Concertos for Diverse Instruments
New disc features concertos by canonic composers Georg Philipp Telemann and Antonio Vivaldi alongside some by undeservedly lesser-known composers.
First Responders: Instrument Repair Basics for Band and Orchestra Directors
From mysterious buzzes to collapsed bridges, directors are routinely faced with challenges they may not feel prepared to solve.
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Orchestrating Excellence—The American String Teachers Association and Suzuki Association of the Americas Support Their Members at Joint National Conferences
The February gathering in San Francisco was a whirlwind of educational seminars, workshops, roundtable discussions, performances, master classes, and industry talks.
Pop Music, Classical Vibe—Vitamin String Quartet Applies a New Aesthetic to Chart–Topping Hits
Recording and releasing classical-style arrangements of pop songs could be viewed as a whimsical endeavor, but to the producers, engineers, arrangers, and musicians of VSQ, the music is no joke.
Conservatory Lab Charter School Makes Music a Priority for Students
“Our mission,” says executive director Nicole Mack, “is to help students become scholars, artists, and leaders in our community.”
Over the Toppers—Serious Young Musicians Have Found Support at ‘From the Top’ for 25 Years
The independent nonprofit organization actively aids young classical musicians through arts education programs, scholarships, live events, and radio and television broadcasts.
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Home Shopping: Luthier Christopher Jacoby Sets Up His Bench Where It Will Enhance, and Interact with, His Life
“I wanted a place that reflected my style and philosophy. A shop where my kids run through on their way to the park,” he says.
Bach for More—Violist Edward Klorman Offers a Valuable New Installment in Cello Suites Scholarship
“I wanted to write a book that could be read by anybody who plays these pieces: Cellists. Violists. Bassists. Trombonists. Whoever!” says Klorman.
National Treasure(s)—Countrywide Youth Orchestras Offer Young Musicians a Brilliant Range of Opportunities
Extracurricular opportunities provide young musicians with exposure to the repertoire, culture, and customs of higher-level ensembles.
Past Perfect? Why the Value of Golden-Age Italian Violins Belies Blind Test Results
Face-offs pitting new against old violins have long predated YouTube, and some have been conducted with the rigors of science.
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Strings and the Radio—Remembering Violinist and Pioneering Classical Radio Host Joan Field
Creating an estimated total of at least 200 radio programs for WXQR, Field also performed several times on-air as a soloist, and served as concertmaster of the station’s orchestra.
Music Students Around the World Have Benefitted from 50 Years of El Sistema
Founded in Venezuela in 1975, today there are El Sistema programs or comparable partner programs providing musical opportunities to kids in more than 70 countries.
Larsen Releases an Il Cannone Silver String Set
Larsen describes these strings as having been “designed for violinists seeking a silvery brilliance with an increased overtone resonance and superior projection”