Spring is, officially, upon us. As the ice thaws and grey skies slowly brighten to brilliant, flawless blue, what do you listen to in order to get in the springtime spirit? There are, of course, some obvious contenders in play:…
It is time again to celebrate the birth of J.S. Bach (the 334th time, as it happens). Perhaps you could tip your hat to the great one by playing his music, and Dale Henderson, founder of Bach in the Subways,…
By Patrick Sullivan The pirate head still sits on Susanne Küster’s tool rack, peering down as she putters about her workshop in the German town of Putlitz. It’s been 25 years since Küster made that pirate in her small apartment,…
By Greg Cahill It started with table talk. Seated at his family’s Thanksgiving dinner two years ago, Russian-American violinist Yevgeny Kutik listened intently as his paternal grandmother, Luba Kutik—known affectionately as Baba Luba—recalled standing in the airport in Minsk in…
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By Megan Westberg New York’s classical-music radio station, WQXR, discovered something surprising: In all its music library, only 4.4% of the works were written by female composers. And so today, International Women’s Day, the organization is kicking off a new…
By Megan Westberg Violinist Joshua Bell has known cellist Steven Isserlis for about 30 years. His relationship with pianist Jeremy Denk is somewhat shorter in duration—they met at the Spoleto Festival (where Bell had first met Isserlis as well) in…
By Stephanie Campos Cuba. First thoughts? Don’t lie: cigars and rum. That might change after your first visit, though—there’s so much to explore beyond the contraband, and the sensory overload is evident the second you step off the airplane at…
By Cristina Schreil Brooklyn Rider: “Healing Modes” Herbst Theatre, San Francisco November 16, 2018 The theme was healing. When the concert program came together a year prior, no one realized just how much the Bay Area would need it. The…
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By Megan Westberg Violinist Daniel Hope is a busy man. He’s the music director of the Zurich Chamber Orchestra and the New Century Chamber Orchestra in San Francisco, artistic director of Frauenkirche Cathedral in Dresden, and a soloist with an…
Attention string students and teachers: Will you or someone you know be enrolled in a college or conservatory string program in the fall? May 10 is the deadline to apply for the Edith Eisler Strings Magazine Scholarship. Applications are open…
We spoke with six top violin, viola and fiddle players about their instrument setup, most trusted gear, and the little things they can’t live without.
By Megan Westberg Conductor, composer, and performer André Previn died today in his Manhattan home. He was 89. Known throughout his life for versatility and musical eclecticism—in addition to serving as music director at several high-profile orchestras, he played jazz…
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One of Beethoven’s most famous quotes is, “Don’t only practice your art, but force your way into its secrets, for it and knowledge can raise men to the divine.” One of the wonderful things about spending a great deal of…
Cellist Zuill Bailey stopped by the Strings studio to perform J.S. Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007, and Gluck’s Dance of the Blessed Spirits for solo cello. Watch Bailey’s latest Strings Session above.
By Roman Cho Vijay Gupta is a busy man. He holds the Mark Houston Dalzell and James Dao-Dalzell first violin chair of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, a position he’s held since age 19 when he won his very first audition.…
‘STRINGS’ MAGAZINE EDITH EISLER SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Applications are open to all eligible string students enrolled in an accredited college or conservatory program who are able to provide required proof of financial need. One $1,500 scholarship will be awarded to a…
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By Megan Westberg It was announced yesterday that the Praemium Erasmianum Foundation—a Dutch cultural institution that supports the humanities, social sciences, and the arts—will award composer John Adams with its 2019 Erasmus Prize, which includes €150,000 in prize money. This…
By Nicholas Cords Ironically, listening is a musician’s greatest challenge. We spend a lifetime with the instrument under our ears and yet, as listeners, we tend to grow complacent. As violist of Brooklyn Rider and co-artistic director of Silkroad, my…
By Cristina Schreil As if we needed remembering, Yo-Yo Ma—amid pursuing a titanic Bach project—released a quick reminder of his versatility. Along with the “Allemande” from Bach’s Cello Suite No. 2, Ma dropped a cover of Ed Sheeran’s mega-hit “Shape of…
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