The Strad’s editor Emma Baker introduces the North America-themed November issue, in which Sterling Elliott discusses finding his artistic voice
Sterling Elliott is one of the most rapidly rising young cello soloists on the international stage. The Virginia-born musician has played a starring role within the Sphinx Organization, while his career has been further boosted by his time as a BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist and through his association with the Young Classical Artists Trust. He speaks to Lauren Wesley-Smith about his formative influences, and why he already feels a responsibility to support the next generation, despite still being in his twenties.
For our annual North America-themed issue, we also celebrate the 90th birthday of the acclaimed US composer Steve Reich with a survey of his music for strings. Pwyll ap Siôn speaks to leading musicians, including David Harrington of Kronos Quartet, which has championed seminal works such as Different Trains, about the rigours and rewards of interpreting Reich’s works.
Rita Fernandes traces the development of the percussive bowing technique known as ‘the chop’ – the violin’s equivalent of rhythm guitar – which emerged from US Bluegrass styles around 60 years ago. She speaks to leading exponents and discovers for herself what it is like both to play and to notate the technique.
The New York-based maker Markus Laine examines the persuasive theory that the violinist Giovanni Battista Viotti had a profound influence on the development of the modern, ‘Tourte-style’ bow. And Stefano Pio looks at the life and works of the early 20th-century luthier Nicola Utili, who made an intriguing array of unusually designed instruments.
Elsewhere in the issue, the celebrated US–Israeli violin pedagogue Miriam Fried shares her Life Lessons, we report from the Newport Festival, Rhode Island, and we take a look around luthier Andrew Carruthers’s workspace in Santa Rosa, California.
Emma Baker editor
Email me at thestrad@thestrad.com
Issue summary
In a North America special, we talk to cellist Sterling Elliott and mark the 90th birthday of composer Steve Reich. There’s a look at the development of the ‘chop’ folk fiddling technique and interviews with Miriam Fried and Cho-liang Lin. Plus a Masterclass on Bach’s E major Violin Concerto.
Contents
STERLING ELLIOTT The US cellist has garnered critical acclaim in the space of a few short years. He talks to Lauren Wesley-Smith about his influences and rise to prominence
60 YEARS OF THE CHOP Rita Fernandes investigates the history of the percussive string technique and the recent development of its notation by talking to its pioneers and learning it herself
STEVE REICH AT 90 The Minimalist composer entered his ninth decade in October. Pwyll ap Siôn talks to leading players of his work to find out how they deal with its challenges
VIOTTI AND THE TOURTE BOW Markus Laine reviews the evidence that the violinist Giovanni Battista Viotti had a seismic influence on the development of the modern, ‘Tourte-style’ bow
SESSION REPORT Richard Tognetti, artistic director of the Australian Chamber Orchestra, talks to David Kettle about the ensemble’s album of Vasks, Silvestrov and Schoenberg
NICOLA UTILI Despite being entirely self-taught, the early 20th-century Italian luthier was highly respected in his day. Stefano Pio tells the story of his life and career
IN FOCUS A 1948 violin by Zenon Wladimir Petesh
TRADE SECRETS Andreas Preuss gives his method for reinforcing a violin bridge
MY SPACE Andrew Carruthers of Santa Rosa, CA, US
MAKING MATTERS Examining an intricately carved violin by US luthier Knute Reindahl
MASTERCLASS Julian Rachlin gives his thoughts on playing the third movement of Bach’s Violin Concerto in E major BWV1042
TECHNIQUE Marc Sabbah hands on hints and tips on playing solo Bach on the modern viola
LIFE LESSONS The memories and opinions of Israeli violinist and pedagogue Miriam Fried
OPINION Violin students must learn to listen beyond what they hear under their own ear
POSTCARD FROM RHODE ISLAND Report from the 2026 Newport Classical Music Festival
FROM THE ARCHIVE From November 1896
SENTIMENTAL WORK Cho-liang Lin discusses his love for the Sibelius Violin Concerto
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