The Strad Podcast

Violin and conductor duo of Zina Schiff and Avlana Eisenberg speak to online editor Davina Shum about their musical and familial collaboration. They speak about their new album with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra comprising the music of American composer William Grant Still.

What’s it like for Zina, to be conducted by her daughter? What was it like for Avlana, listening to her mother practise throughout her childhood? The duo speak about the power of familial connection in music making, plus Zina provides a little introduction to William Grant Still, to those who are unfamiliar.

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Summerland

Violin Suite II: Mother and Child

William Grant Still

Zina Schiff, violin / Avlana Eisenberg, conductor / Royal Scottish National Orchestra

Naxos

First concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Noah Bendix-Balgley shares his audition process for winning the top job, as well as his personal experiences playing some of the most challenging, exposed, notorious, yet beautiful concertmaster solos in orchestral repertoire. He shares advice for violinists going for concertmaster auditions, as well as why he believes a concertmaster job is a truly fulfilling role.

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

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Romance for violin and piano op.23

Amy Beach

Noah Bendix-Balgley, violin / Ohad Ben-Ari, piano

Photo credit: Nikolaj Lund

Luthier Korinthia Klein offers tips to players on keeping instruments in good shape as the seasons change. She illustrates the importance of keeping a level-headed, informed approach when dealing with minor instrument and bow ailments, in an aim to empower players to become responsible caretakers for their instruments.

Check out Korinthia’s article Basic Maintenance: Avoiding instrument carnage as featured in our January 2021 issue.

Korinthia’s book My Violin Needs Help!: A Repair Diagnostics Guide for Players and Teachers is available from her website.

Check out thestrad.com for the latest news and articles 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: Itzel Avila

 Cellist Billy Tobenkin shares his thoughts on starting an instrument as an adult. Billy had a career as a writer and copy editor before delving into the world of cello at the age of 25. 15 years later, Billy works professionally as a cello teacher and performer in LA. He shares his experiences of starting the instrument with no musical background, the challenges faced by adult beginners, as well as words of advice to avoid discouragement.

Check out Billy’s website at adultcello.com

Sergei Rachmaninov – Cello Sonata in G minor op.19

III Andante

Billy Tobenkin, cello / Tae Yeon Lim, piano

The New Zealand String Quartet celebrate its 35th anniversary in 2022. We hear from founding member Gillian Ansell about the quartet’s early days in 1987, first violinist Helene Pohl and cellist Rolf Gjelsten about keeping quartet and married life separate, and newest member Monique Lapins’s philosophies for including all voices equally in a professional quartet.

Watch the NZSQ perform works by New Zealand composers here: https://www.nzsq.org.nz/watch

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

Douglas Lilburn, String Quartet in E minor

I – Andante

II - Allegretto

 Naxos Classical (2015)

Producer: Norbert Kraft & Bonnie Silver, Engineer: Norbert Kraft

Photo credit: Bruce Foster

What do NBA basketball and cello choir have in common? Cellist and basketball enthusiast Amit Peled shares the educational and professional benefits of playing in an ensemble where all members play the same instrument, as demonstrated in his Mount Vernon Virtuosi CelloGang.

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

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Johannes Brahms: Symphony no.3 II Andante

Arranged for eight cellos and piano by Konstantin Blagojevic

Amit Peled and the Mount Vernon Virtuosi CelloGang

Solus et Una

CTM Classics

Photo credit: Philip Bermingham

Cellist Jan Vogler speaks about the magic of music festivals. As artistic and general director of the Dresden Music Festival, he shares how early memories of the Marlboro Music Festival are linked to special moments in his life, how he hopes to create an environment where ideas, culture and friendships are cultivated, as well as why concert programmers should look to the youth of today when exploring diversification of musical genres.

The 45th Dresden Music Festival Magic takes place from 11 May until 10 June. More information can be found here.

Jan’s new album Pop Songs will be released 6 May on Sony Classical.

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Air ‘When I am Laid in Earth (Dido’s Lament)’

From Dido and Aeneas

Henry Purcell

‘Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen’

From The Magic Flute K.620

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Pop Songs

Jan Vogler, cello, / BBC Philharmonic Orchestra / Omer Meir Wellber

Sony Classical

Photo credit: Marco Grob

In a week where we explore how musicians are affected by environmental issues, violinist Kerenza Peacock speaks about how musicians share similar qualities to trees – including the ability to communicate widely without words and the benefits of a constructive, collaborative community. Using connection through music, Kerenza was recently responsible for coordinating a video of 94 violinists from 29 countries playing in harmony and in solidarity with sheltering Ukrainians in the outbreak of the war.

Arboretum Suite for solo violin and strings

III - The Vanishing Mahogany of the Amazon

Air – Oliver Davis

Kerenza Peacock, violin / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Paul Bateman, conductor

Signum Records

Trad. Ukrainian: Verbovaya Doschechka

Violinists Support Ukraine

http://violinistssupportukraine.com/

Photo credit: Benjamin Ealovega

Cellist Ani Aznavoorian shares the significance of playing music that celebrates and commemorates her Armenian culture. As well as continuing her cultural heritage through music, Ani also speaks about doing so in another way, as the proud player of a cello crafted by her father Peter Aznavoorian.

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

Student discount! Get 50% off an online subscription! Check it out here: https://bit.ly/3eQ75AB 

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Chinar Es – Komitas Vartabed (1869-1935)

Ani Aznavoorian, cello / Marta Aznavoorian, piano

Gems of Armenia

Cedille Records

CDR 90000 209

Photo credit: Lisa-Marie Mazzucco

Cambridge-based cellist, teacher, music consultant, author and editor Naomi Yandell has written extensively on aspects of string teaching, including Trinity sightreading books, Take your bow and Top Banana: 20 performance pieces with attitude for young string players with Celia Cobb and numerous Opinion pieces for The Strad, including her latest article in the April 2022 issue.

She chats to fellow cellist and teacher Davina Shum about beginner bow hold strategies – a concept that many teachers profess to have a rather hit-and-miss success rate with students. Naomi highlights the importance of ‘feel’, using relatable analogies, tailoring one’s method to the student, as well as advocating the use of short bows for children.

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

Student discount! Get 50% off an online subscription! Check it out here: https://bit.ly/3eQ75AB 

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Some of Naomi's previous Opinion pieces:

https://www.thestrad.com/debate/opinion-reset-refresh-restore/14593.article

https://www.thestrad.com/playing-hub/opinion-the-long-and-short-of-it/10498.article

https://www.thestrad.com/debate/opinion-make-em-laugh/13436.article

https://www.thestrad.com/playing-hub/sightreading-is-a-skill-that-should-be-taught-early/7050.article

https://www.thestrad.com/debate/opinion-a-light-touch/11046.article