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Ébène Quartet acquires four Strads
Schubert Club appoints Kyu-Young Kim as artistic and executive director
From prison to performance: new film spotlights violinist Christian Howes’s artistic transformation
Rain, resonance and reimagination at the Bergen International Festival
’Bacewicz x Bomsori’ honoured at the Krakow Film Festival
Istem: expanding the voice of the Hardanger tradition
Uniting violin, viola and cello variants of the Hardanger instrument, the Norwegian group Istem is carving out new repertoire for an ensemble rarely heard on concert stages. Davina Shum spoke to the members at the Bergen International Festival
How I won my job at the San Francisco Symphony, aged 18
Cellist Starla Breshears shares her experiences winning a job with an orchestra, from preparing excerpts to navigating the trial period
‘We’re all winners’ – an interview with 2026 Queen Elisabeth Cello Competition first laureate, Ettore Pagano
Fresh from his victory in Brussels, the Italian cellist chats with Davina Shum about competition preparation and challenges, making bold repertoire choices, and his unique chance to play on Casals’ cello for four years
Playing Hub
A violinist’s experience of San Francisco’s disastrous 1906 fire - From the archive: June 1906
Violinist Henry Heyman gives a first-hand account of the catastrophic San Francisco fire of 1906, in a personal letter to The Strad editor Ian Lavender
From prison to performance: new film spotlights violinist Christian Howes’s artistic transformation
A trailer for Redemption Time highlights violinist Christian Howes’s path from prison to an artistic career, in a collaborative film blending music, poetry and personal narrative
Rain, resonance and reimagination at the Bergen International Festival
Davina Shum attended the 2026 Bergen International Festival, which showcased a range of programmes combining contemporary interpretations, traditional instruments and major orchestral works across multiple venues
Istem: expanding the voice of the Hardanger tradition
Uniting violin, viola and cello variants of the Hardanger instrument, the Norwegian group Istem is carving out new repertoire for an ensemble rarely heard on concert stages. Davina Shum spoke to the members at the Bergen International Festival
How I won my job at the San Francisco Symphony, aged 18
Cellist Starla Breshears shares her experiences winning a job with an orchestra, from preparing excerpts to navigating the trial period
‘Chamber music is a microcosm of life’ - Paul Huang’s life lessons
The Taiwanese–American violinist on his formative influences and the importance of chamber music
Premium ❘ Feature
Pierre Fournier: In quest of higher truth
Born 120 years ago this June, Pierre Fournier emerged as one of the 20th century’s most influential cellists. Oskar Falta traces his life, artistry and complex legacy, and hears from two of his former pupils
Premium ❘ Feature
Making Matters: Examining a rare James Dodd II bow
Philip Kass looks at a rare 1839 bow that exhibits all the hallmarks and idiosyncrasies of its maker, James Dodd II
Premium ❘ Feature
Pierre Fournier: In quest of higher truth
Born 120 years ago this June, Pierre Fournier emerged as one of the 20th century’s most influential cellists. Oskar Falta traces his life, artistry and complex legacy, and hears from two of his former pupils
Premium ❘ Focus
Auction Report June 2026: Room for optimism
Kevin MacDonald discovers a plethora of ‘golden age’ instruments and a fine selection of bows at this season’s London sales
Premium ❘ Focus
Opinion: Period instruments aren’t just specialist tools
Benjamin Shute questions our assumptions about contemporary instrument set‑up and the idea that period instruments are merely specialist equipment
Competitions
18-year-old cellist wins 2026 Irving M. Klein Competition
Starla Breshears won the grand prize of $5,000, plus special prizes and a host of future performance engagements
Winners announced for 2026 Michael Hill International Violin Competition
Italian–Australian violinist Beatrice Colombis wins NZD40,000 (£17,600) and further opportunities
Winners announced at the 2026 Concours Musical International de Montréal
Japanese violinist Koshiro Takeuchi wins the CAD70,000 first prize package
Premium ❘ News
Competitions, Awards and Appointments: June 2026
The latest competition results, appointments and forthcoming contests
Premium ❘ News
Premiere of the Month: Freya Waley-Cohen’s new work for her sister, Tamsin Waley-Cohen
Siblings collaborate in a lullaby-inspired chamber work
Masterclass: Chausson Poème for Violin and Orchestra op.25
Understanding the harmonic framework is key to making sense of Chausson’s fluid, freely structured Poème, says violinist Maria Włoszczowska
Masterclass: Schubert Piano Trio no.2 in E flat major, first movement
David and Edgar Moreau dive into Schubert’s sound world, exploring colour, balance and the expressive detail that shapes their interpretation of this late work
Masterclass: Chausson Poème for Violin and Orchestra op.25
Understanding the harmonic framework is key to making sense of Chausson’s fluid, freely structured Poème, says violinist Maria Włoszczowska
Masterclass: Schubert Piano Trio no.2 in E flat major, first movement
David and Edgar Moreau dive into Schubert’s sound world, exploring colour, balance and the expressive detail that shapes their interpretation of this late work
Masterclass: Bruch Violin Concerto no.1, second movement
Bella Hristova outlines the importance of pacing oneself and creating a hierarchy of intensity in this popular slow movement
The Strad Podcast: How to tailor the Suzuki Method to different students with violinist Meghan Faw
The violinist shares her personal experiences with the method as both a student and a teacher
The Strad Podcast: How to hold a masterclass with violinist Paul Huang
The violinist speaks about his teaching approaches in a unique learning experience, in the third part of our four-part education-themed podcast series
The Strad Podcast: How to teach collaborative skills with violinist Annie Fullard of the Cavani Quartet
‘We should live in a chamber music world’ - the violinist speaks about the importance of collaboration inside and outside of the practice room, in the second episode of our four-part education-themed podcast series
The Strad Podcast: How to practise effectively with violinist Ray Chen
The first in our new four-part education themed podcast series features our September 2024 cover star
The Strad Podcast: How to tailor the Suzuki Method to different students with violinist Meghan Faw
The violinist shares her personal experiences with the method as both a student and a teacher
The Strad Podcast: How to hold a masterclass with violinist Paul Huang
The violinist speaks about his teaching approaches in a unique learning experience, in the third part of our four-part education-themed podcast series
The Strad Podcast: How to teach collaborative skills with violinist Annie Fullard of the Cavani Quartet
‘We should live in a chamber music world’ - the violinist speaks about the importance of collaboration inside and outside of the practice room, in the second episode of our four-part education-themed podcast series
Competitions
18-year-old cellist wins 2026 Irving M. Klein Competition
Starla Breshears won the grand prize of $5,000, plus special prizes and a host of future performance engagements
Winners announced for 2026 Michael Hill International Violin Competition
Italian–Australian violinist Beatrice Colombis wins NZD40,000 (£17,600) and further opportunities
Winners announced at the 2026 Concours Musical International de Montréal
Japanese violinist Koshiro Takeuchi wins the CAD70,000 first prize package
From prison to performance: new film spotlights violinist Christian Howes’s artistic transformation
A trailer for Redemption Time highlights violinist Christian Howes’s path from prison to an artistic career, in a collaborative film blending music, poetry and personal narrative
From prison to performance: new film spotlights violinist Christian Howes’s artistic transformation
A violinist and three cellists walk into a studio: Emerald Strings rethinks ‘Bolero’
After hours at Guildhall Art Gallery: Vilde Frang and Lawrence Power perform ‘Capricci’
Merging cello and voice: Nicolas Altstaedt and Anna-Lena Elbert perform ‘Ophelia’s Song’ by Shostakovich
Watch: a video performance from Timothy Ridout’s new album, Alto Appassionato
Woven from Light: a listening guide to a world premiere work for violin and cello
Happy birthday Florence Price! Mount Vernon Virtuosi CelloGang performs String Quartet in G major
Guitar textures on the violin: Tomás Cotik performs Albéniz’s ‘Asturias’
‘Prokofiev in a mosh pit’ – ORBI’s arrangement of Muse’s Unsustainable
‘This piece has everything a violinist can ask for’: Frank Peter Zimmermann on the Elgar Violin Concerto
- Previous
- Next
Making Matters: Examining a rare James Dodd II bow
Philip Kass looks at a rare 1839 bow that exhibits all the hallmarks and idiosyncrasies of its maker, James Dodd II
In Focus: A 1718 violin by Francesco Gobetti
Michel Samson on the Italian maker’s late-period instrument
Big is beautiful: violoncello da spalla
After decades of relative neglect, the violoncello da spalla is undergoing a resurgence of interest. Daniela Gaidano, who has made several examples, looks into its history and explains its appeal for both players and makers
My Space: S.K. Lim’s Singapore workshop
The luthier presents his central workshop
Crafting a violin for Alican Süner: a maker’s story
Violin maker Nurgül Çomak explores craftsmanship, emotion and serendipity through the story of the instrument she built for Alican Süner
‘Where the scent of wood mingles with gunpowder, I crafted a cello’ – An Iranian luthier tells his story
Tehran-based luthier Mohsen Shamloo shares with The Strad a powerful account of how creating a cello has brought hope to life under bombardments
Making Matters: Examining a rare James Dodd II bow
Philip Kass looks at a rare 1839 bow that exhibits all the hallmarks and idiosyncrasies of its maker, James Dodd II
In Focus: A 1718 violin by Francesco Gobetti
Michel Samson on the Italian maker’s late-period instrument
Big is beautiful: violoncello da spalla
After decades of relative neglect, the violoncello da spalla is undergoing a resurgence of interest. Daniela Gaidano, who has made several examples, looks into its history and explains its appeal for both players and makers
My Space: S.K. Lim’s Singapore workshop
The luthier presents his central workshop
Crafting a violin for Alican Süner: a maker’s story
Violin maker Nurgül Çomak explores craftsmanship, emotion and serendipity through the story of the instrument she built for Alican Süner
‘Where the scent of wood mingles with gunpowder, I crafted a cello’ – An Iranian luthier tells his story
Tehran-based luthier Mohsen Shamloo shares with The Strad a powerful account of how creating a cello has brought hope to life under bombardments
Concert review: Owls
Bruce Hodges hears the quartet’s performance of at Philadelphia’s American Philosophical Society on 11 March 2026
Concert review: Rosalind Ventris (viola)
Hattie Butterworth visits London’s Wigmore Hall on 8 March 2026 for the performance of Lillian Fuchs, Thea Musgrave, Sally Beamish, Elizabeth Maconchy, Amanda Feery and Imogen Holst
Concert review: Elias Quartet
Hattie Butterworth hears an all-Beethoven recital at London’s Wigmore Hall on 10 March 2026
Busch Trio: Beethoven
A Beethoven series continues with assurance and insight
Florian Deuter, Mónica Waisman: Biber
Breathtaking imagination brings Baroque masterpieces to life
Karni Trio: Tribute
A rare trio formation is a delightful family affair
Book review: Instrumental Music Education: Developing pedagogies as instrumental teachers
Philippa Bunting reads an empathetic, supportive volume on music education, edited by the head of York University’s music education MA course
Book review: Myra Hess: National Treasure
Anne Inglis reads Jessica Duchen’s biography of the British pianist, a leading figure in the London music scene during the war years who counted several string players as friends
Book review: A Childhood in Fragments: A Memoir
Lauren Wesley-Smith reads Gidon Kremer’s autobiography, first published in 1993 and now translated into English for the first time
Debate
Opinion: Period instruments aren’t just specialist tools
Benjamin Shute questions our assumptions about contemporary instrument set‑up and the idea that period instruments are merely specialist equipment
Opinion: Finding creativity in scales
Love them or hate them, scales are at the heart of string training. Violinist and teacher Mark Knight examines why, when approached correctly, they are the gateway to a world of expressive freedom
Debate
Opinion: Period instruments aren’t just specialist tools
Benjamin Shute questions our assumptions about contemporary instrument set‑up and the idea that period instruments are merely specialist equipment
Opinion: Finding creativity in scales
Love them or hate them, scales are at the heart of string training. Violinist and teacher Mark Knight examines why, when approached correctly, they are the gateway to a world of expressive freedom
Accessories
Products June 2026: Larsen Strings Sovereign cello strings
A new fast-speaking cello set from Larsen Strings
Products June 2026: Wittner 130th anniversary pyramid metronome
Wittner releases a new, vintage-style, metronome to mark the milestone
Products June 2026: Negri Cases Globetrotter violin case
The new case suspends the instruments for safety
Concert review: Owls
Bruce Hodges hears the quartet’s performance of at Philadelphia’s American Philosophical Society on 11 March 2026
Concert review: Rosalind Ventris (viola)
Hattie Butterworth visits London’s Wigmore Hall on 8 March 2026 for the performance of Lillian Fuchs, Thea Musgrave, Sally Beamish, Elizabeth Maconchy, Amanda Feery and Imogen Holst
Concert review: Elias Quartet
Hattie Butterworth hears an all-Beethoven recital at London’s Wigmore Hall on 10 March 2026
Book review: Instrumental Music Education: Developing pedagogies as instrumental teachers
Philippa Bunting reads an empathetic, supportive volume on music education, edited by the head of York University’s music education MA course
Book review: Myra Hess: National Treasure
Anne Inglis reads Jessica Duchen’s biography of the British pianist, a leading figure in the London music scene during the war years who counted several string players as friends
Book review: A Childhood in Fragments: A Memoir
Lauren Wesley-Smith reads Gidon Kremer’s autobiography, first published in 1993 and now translated into English for the first time
Busch Trio: Beethoven
A Beethoven series continues with assurance and insight
Florian Deuter, Mónica Waisman: Biber
Breathtaking imagination brings Baroque masterpieces to life
Karni Trio: Tribute
A rare trio formation is a delightful family affair
Artists
Christian Tetzlaff: ‘Following the score is freedom’
German violinist Christian Tetzlaff has built a career defined by artistic independence. As he celebrates his 60th birthday, he speaks to Richard Bratby about the values that have shaped his musical life
Yehudi Menuhin 110th anniversary: music with friends
To mark the 110th anniversary of Yehudi Menuhin’s birth on 22 April 1916, Tully Potter presents an overview of the great violinist’s numerous chamber music partnerships and their recordings
‘Never just the notes’: the musical and teaching legacy of Igor Ozim
The violinist and pedagogue Igor Ozim died on 23 March 2024. Two years on, Dijana Ihas writes about his legacy to commemorate a teacher whose seven‑decade career shaped generations of musicians through his analytical clarity, uncompromising discipline and deep commitment to musical expression
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