Feel like you’re in a rut in the classroom? Break out with these three strategies By Renata Bratt Sometimes teachers rely on the same old techniques to get string- orchestra students ready for concerts. But sticking to the same process year…
Unconventional violinist connects past and present with plenty of plans for the future By Rory Williams Amid clattering dishes, waiters’ inquiries, and occasional outbursts by children, Jennifer Koh pushes her tea to the side, leans over the table, and apologizes. “I’ve…
Educators gather in LA to take a stand on El Sistema By Laurence Vittes An upbeat spirit permeated a recent education symposium held in Los Angeles that took the pulse of El Sistema–inspired programs in the United States. The fourth…
These 5 factors can add up to one thing—finding the right violin bow for you.
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A tragic fire nearly ended Augustin Hadelich’s career. But the 30-year-old violinist rallied to become one of today’s most sought-after concert soloists By Corinne Ramey In 2006, Augustin Hadelich won the gold medal at the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis,…
By Louise Lee The quality of Chinese-made bows is improving, but for some, doubts remain It wasn’t so long ago that a string player wouldn’t pair a fine European-made stringed instrument with a bow crafted in China. But a year…
200 years after its debut, the transcendent Allegretto of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92, continues to captivate listeners. Why is the music world so hooked?
The Real Vocal String Quartet is a chamber-jazz group that can sing and perform ‘Turkey in the Straw’ in Macedonian. Scout’s honor By David Templeton “Jet lag! The gift that keeps on giving,” smiles Irene Sazer, unpacking her violin inside…
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Composer for stage and film took cello in new direction in the 1950s By Kenneth Carpenter Born with the Russian name of “Fedya,” but known to ardent jazz aficionados as Fred Katz, the unassuming octogenarian with wavy white hair sitting…
Rule No. 4: Questioning everything is an essential part of expressing yourself musically By Lara St. John So far, I’ve talked about preparation and performance, and how to bring your interpretation across to your audience. But how is it that…
Rule No. 1: You cannot perform relaxed without practicing relaxed By Lara St. John This is the most important rule of all—if you’re not relaxed, you won’t be able to achieve what you want to accomplish onstage. Being relaxed is…
Rule No. 2: Making it harder, really makes it easier By Lara St. John Consistency is creating the muscle memory and mental certainty that allows you to be free onstage. Now, I’m intrinsically a lazy person. So much so, that…
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Rule No. 3: If you have done it before, you can do it again By Lara St. John Confidence is having the experience of performing before you actually perform. This may sound like a Catch-22, but there are ways to…
By Greg Cahill “Boy, those Turtle Island guys really like to practice,” says Michael Doucet, with a hearty laugh. He’s speaking over a bad cell phone connection from Ogden, Utah, during a break from a lengthy rehearsal for a six-city…
Anne Akiko Meyers starts the day with scales and arpeggios By: Anne Akiko Meyers What do you feel you need to do on a daily basis to maintain your skill level? Every day, I start my practice sessions with scales.…
Squeaky, airy, scratchy and unclear sounds indicate that a bow is not properly gripping and vibrating the strings.
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As ensemble marks its 40th anniversary, ‘Strings’ charts the formative years of the group that reinvented the string quartet “I’ve always wanted the string quartet to be vital, and energetic, and alive, and cool, and not afraid to kick ass,…
Here are the features you can expect to find on a violin case priced under $500, as well as some examples of models available on the market today.
One man’s passion for violins built the Chi Mei Culture Foundation collection of violins and bows by Christopher Reuning This past spring, I arrived in the southern Taiwanese city of Tainan with four violins by rare Italian makers after an…
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