August 2025: Editor’s welcome and contents

This August we celebrate the diversity of string playing around the world. Our cover star is the incomparable Abel Selaocoe – a cellist, composer, improviser and singer from Gauteng province, South Africa. He recently released his latest album, Hymns of Bantu, and he appears at the Edinburgh International Festival this month, alongside regular collaborator Aurora Orchestra, where he performs one of his own works. He speaks to fellow South African and cellist Lauren Wesley-Smith about his unique, multi-style approach.

August also marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of British composer and violinist Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. Born in London to an English mother and a Sierra Leonean father, he overcame the racial prejudices of the time to become a feted composer during his short life. Although his music fell out of fashion in the second half of the 20th century, it has enjoyed a major renaissance in recent years – particularly his works for strings. Bruce Hodges speaks to five top violinists about the significance of his music.

Iberorquestas is a youth orchestra programme in Central and South America, and it was faced with a problem: how to maintain stringed instruments with a dearth of lutherie knowledge in the region. An Argentinian luthier and the founder of a Uruguayan youth orchestra came up with a solution: they would set up a grassroots training programme to teach local musicians not only instrument maintenance but making too. And so a whole new generation of luthiers is being created in Latin America. Peter Somerford speaks to some of the venture’s key figures.

Injury is an inescapable reality for most string players at some point in their playing careers, whether it’s a minor niggle or something more serious, but – unlike with professional sportspeople – there has long been a stigma around musicians admitting to what is still perceived as weakness by some. Luckily this old-fashioned attitude is changing, and Philippa Bunting explores some of the latest thinking about how to manage injury and make the best recovery possible.

Emma Baker editor

Email me at thestrad@thestrad.com or tweet @TheStradMag

Issue summary

We talk to South African cellist and composer Abel Selaocoe and mark the 150th anniversary of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s birth. There’s a look at a project to train young luthiers in Latin America, and we investigate the resources for players hit by injury. Plus bassist Joseph Conyers’ Life Lessons and a Beethoven Masterclass with Kristin Lee.

Contents

ABEL SELAOCOE The South African cellist, composer and vocalist tells Lauren Wesley-Smith about his latest album, and his ambitions for increasing engagement with audiences

COLERIDGE-TAYLOR 150 Leading violin soloists talk to Bruce Hodges about the musical legacy of possibly the most successful black composer in the world during his own lifetime

TEACHING LUTHERIE IN LATIN AMERICA Peter Somerford reports on the work of an initiative encouraging people in Central and South America to learn about instrument making and restoration

SESSION REPORT British Baroque violinist Rachel Podger tells Peter Quantrill about her latest album of sonatas by Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber, recorded with Brecon Baroque

STRING PLAYERS AND INJURY Despite growing awareness of the dangers, a stigma still remains around the discussing of medical issues. Philippa Bunting looks at the resources for musicians

BRIDGE ACOUSTICS Jim Woodhouse leads a team of researchers to find out how far the acoustic effects of making alterations to the violin bridge can be simulated in a computer

IN FOCUS Colin Adamson looks at a well-preserved 1659 violin by Nicolò Amati

TRADE SECRETS The second of two articles on creating neck graft sockets

MY SPACE A look round the workshop of Zoltán Délczeg of Budapest, Hungary

MAKING MATTERS Attempting to make a full instrument using a CNC machine

MASTERCLASS Kristin Lee on the first movement of Beethoven’s Violin Sonata no.9 in A major

TECHNIQUE Théotime Voisin gives tips on playing natural harmonics on the double bass

LIFE LESSONS With US bassist Joseph Conyers

OPINION Why you should have faith in your ability after a long break from your instrument

POSTCARD FROM BORDEAUX The Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition

FROM THE ARCHIVE From August 1905

SENTIMENTAL WORK US violist Nadia Sirota on her love for Hindemith’s Trauermusik

Playing

In The Best of Technique you’ll discover the top playing tips of the world’s leading string players and teachers. It’s packed full of exercises for students, plus examples from the standard repertoire to show you how to integrate the technique into your playing.

Teaching

In the second volume of The Strad’s Masterclass series, soloists including James Ehnes, Jennifer Koh, Philippe Graffin, Daniel Hope and Arabella Steinbacher give their thoughts on some of the greatest works in the string repertoire. Each has annotated the sheet music with their own bowings, fingerings and comments.

Calendars

The Canada Council of the Arts’ Musical Instrument Bank is 40 years old in 2025. This year’s calendar celebrates some its treasures, including four instruments by Antonio Stradivari and priceless works by Montagnana, Gagliano, Pressenda and David Tecchler.