The Strad Podcast

Online editor Davina Shum speaks to Heather Noonan, the vice president for advocacy, League of American Orchestras. Heather attended the 19th CITES meeting in Panama City, where on 25 November, a decision was made to keep pernambuco wood under CITES Appendix II, with modified wording. What does that mean for you? Heather explains what the modified classification entails, as well what measures musicians and bow makers can take to ensure the future of this precious wood.

Read: Future of pernambuco decided at CITES convention

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If you’re a player, you’ve probably learnt from an early age to respect the bridge. Here to demystify the topic slightly for players is Aubrey K Alexander, winner of two gold medals for her viola and cello bridges at the International Violin Bridge Competition in October 2022.

Find out how long it typically takes her to make a bridge, as well as the challenges that come with crafting such an intricate component of a stringed instrument, as well as what German Shepherd puppies have to do with bridges. 

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Julia Perry (1924-1979) was an American composer, who studied at Tanglewood, Juilliard and in Paris with Nadia Boulanger, where she won the Boulanger Grand Prix for her Viola Sonata. She was the recipient of two Guggenheim Fellowships and also studied in Italy with Luigi Dallapiccola. Despite her prolific achievements, Perry's work has fallen into obscurity, including her Violin Concerto of 1963.

Here to shine a light on her work is violinist Curtis Stewart, who will be giving the premiere performance of Perry’s Violin Concerto with the Experiential Orchestra and James Blachly on 2 December in New York. Curtis speaks with online editor Davina Shum about the unexpected logistics of programming an unknown work, as well as the challenges that come with the piece, and why this work should be performed more often.

Curtis will perform Julia Perry's Violin Concerto on Friday 2 December 2022 at 8pm with the Experiential Orchestra and James Blachly, at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music, 450 West 37th Street, New York, NY. More information can be found here.

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This episode is brought to you in association with For-Tune Strings.

Today’s podcast guest is cellist Anastasia Kobekina, who was lucky enough to have the opportunity to help develop For-Tune’s new Opal Gold cello strings, through a series of trials and feedback. Not many string players get the chance to have direct input on their ideal set of strings: Anastasia shares with online editor Davina Shum what she looks for in an ideal string, including the type of sound and playability.

Do you have an opinion on an issue raised in The Strad or on The Strad online, why not write us a letter? If yours gets chosen as The Strad’s Letter of the Month, a set of For-Tune Opal Titan violin or cello strings will be all yours! Email [email protected]

Check out thestrad.com for the latest news, articles and reviews on all things to do with string playing. Register and subscribe to access exclusive archival content from 2010 onwards.

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Fandango Per Violoncello Solo

Giovanni Sollima

Anastasia Kobekina, cello

Ellipses

Mirare MIR 604

Photo credit: Julia Altukhova

Sisters Soo-Jin and Soo-Kyung Hong are the violinist and cellist respectively of Trio Con Brio Copenhagen. They speak to online editor Davina Shum about their fine Italian instruments that they play – Soo-Jin a 1670 Andrea Guarneri and Soo-Kyung a Grancino cello c.1600. Soo-Jin and Soo-Kyung speak about how these two instruments – or ‘old fellows’ in their words – prefer certain climates, as well as what they do to keep their instruments happy. It’s not always easy, it seems!

The members of Trio Con Brio Copenhagen are artistic directors of Chamber Music at Lundsgaard, a Postcard from which will appear in the March 2023 issue of The Strad. Underscoring the intro and outro of this episode is the third movement from Arensky's Piano Trio in D minor from the trio's album Shostakovich/Arensky Piano Trios, out on Orchid Classics.

Both players are endorsed by Jargar Strings and Thomastik-Infeld Vienna. Soo-Kyung plays her Grancino cello courtesy of the Augustinus Foundation.

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III Elegia. Adagio

Piano Trio no.1 in D minor, op. 32

Shostakovich/Arensky Piano Trios

Trio Con Brio Copenhagen

Orchid Classics

Photo credit: Nikolaj Lund

Sophie Kauer is a 21-year-old cellist who features in a new film called TÁR. Directed by Todd Field and starring Cate Blanchett in the title role as Lydia Tár, a monumental figure in classical music, Sophie features as a new recruit in a German orchestra. It’s not your typical gig coming out of music college – in fact, Sophie is still in the middle of her undergraduate studies! Sophie shares with online editor Davina Shum her experience of scoring a role in a full-length feature film, as well as the challenges that come with not only acting, but delivering the Elgar Cello Concerto in front of a cast and crew.

The TÁR concept album is out now on Deutsche Grammophon. TÁR will have wide release in the US on 28 October, with UK release set for January 2023.

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Elgar Cello Concerto in E Minor Op. 85: 4, Allegro

Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture TÁR

Sophie Kauer, cello / London Symphony Orchestra / Natalie Murray Beale

Deutsche Grammophon

Exploring the topic of historically-informed performance in this episode is violinist Alina Ibragimova. She’s got a new album out now of the Telemann Fantasias for solo violin, that she’s recorded on a venerable Amati instrument, with a baroque bow and gut strings. Alina shares her personal journey of discovering historically informed performance, as well as some tips to approaching the style – including how it’s not just about playing without vibrato.

Alina is the first violinist of the Chiaroscuro Quartet, which features in our November 2022 Session Report. Check it out here: https://www.thestrad.com/for-subscribers/session-report-the-chiaroscuro-quartet-on-mozarts-prussian-quartets/15496.article

Check out thestrad.com for the latest news, articles and reviews on all things to do with string playing. Register and subscribe to access exclusive archival content from 2010 onwards.

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Fantasia no.7 in E flat major TWV 4020

I: Dolce

Telemann Fantasias for Solo Violin

Alina Ibragimova, violin

Hyperion

Photo credit: Eva Vermandel

Our October issue explores the topic of how an orchestra’s home concert hall affects its sonic fingerprint. In this episode, concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic, Frank Huang, speaks to online editor Davina Shum about the Philharmonic’s brand new David Geffen Hall. How do a hall’s acoustics affect what Frank asks of his section, and beyond? How is this hall different from the Philharmonic’s previous home, the Avery Fisher Hall? Frank shares his initial impressions of the new hall, his favourite halls he’s played in, as well as how he’s looking forward to exploring the sound in the new venue.

New York Phil Returns Home will be held from 12 to 18 October, while two opening galas will be held on 26 and 28 October. Click here for more information.

Check out Boston Symphony Orchestra's principal double bassist Edwin Barker's Opinion: Does an orchestra's home hall affect its sound?

This article features in our October 2022 issue, on sale now.

Check out thestrad.com for the latest news, articles and reviews on all things to do with string playing. Register and subscribe to access exclusive archival content from 2010 onwards.

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Photo credit: Chris Lee

Fiddler Anne Harris was looking to expand her violin sound from her current 1961 Roth violin, when, while scrolling on Instagram, came across Amanda Ewing – the first Black female luthier on record in the United States. After striking up a new relationship and with the help from GoFundMe, Amanda will make a new instrument for Anne, making it the first violin ever to be commissioned between two African American women.

Their conversation with online editor Davina Shum illustrates the importance of representation, including how Amanda got into lutherie, how Anne communicates her vision to Amanda, as well as how personality of an instrument’s sound lies not only in the wood, but in the hands of the maker. 

Check out thestrad.com for the latest news, articles and reviews on all things to do with string playing. Register and subscribe to access exclusive archival content from 2010 onwards.

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Photo credit: Mike Belleme, courtesy GoFundMe

Serbian-French violinist Nemanja Radulovic has new album coming out called Roots. It contains a very international and diverse programme, with pieces from Serbia, to North Macedonia, Spain, Brazil, France, Japan, plus many more countries. Nemanja also spoke about the role of violin playing during his childhood, including his musical heroes and the influences of the West and East in Serbia.

Read our June 2022 feature ‘Serbian String Playing: Free Spirits’ here: https://www.thestrad.com/for-subscribers/serbian-string-playing-free-spirits/14831.article

Check out thestrad.com for the latest news, articles and reviews on all things to do with string playing. Register and subscribe to access exclusive archival content from 2010 onwards.

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L’Indifférence – Tony Muréna and Joseph Columbo

Nemanja Radulović, violin / Double Sens

Roots

Arrangements by Aleksander Sedlar and Nemanja Radulović

Warner Classics

Photo credit: Sever Zolak