Contributors

Editor’s letter
ANGELA LYONS Instrumental contests are generally considered to

Contributors
YAVET BOYADJIEV (Joseph White, page 38) is a

SOUNDPOST
Letters, emails, online comments

Limited access
Most conservatoires depend on their annual intake of international students. What happens when a crisis such as Covid-19 affects the young musicians’ ability to travel at all?

OBITUARIES
SOKOLE PHOTO ROB BOUWMEESTER COOSJE WIJZENBEEK Dutch violinist and

Tradition demolition
Voices and instruments collide in a string quartet that breaks things apart

COMPETITIONS
1 Galy-González Duo DUO PHOTO JEAN-BAPTISTE MILLOT. DUEÑAS PHOTO

NEW PRODUCTS
PRACTICE GLOVE A helping hand A glove to

Life Lessons
The Finnish principal violin of the Australian Chamber Orchestra discusses the importance of cultivating one’s curiosity and taking risks

SINGING FROM THE HEART
For Korean violinist Bomsori Kim, the past year has been one of her busiest yet, with numerous live and streamed performances and her first solo recording for Deutsche Grammophon. As she takes her next steps on the road to international renown, she shares her guiding principles with Andrew Mellor

A TANGLED WEB
Three bow makers of the Knopf family are well known: Christian Wilhelm, Heinrich and Henry. But the dynasty comprises more than a dozen members, many of whom deserve recognition. Gennady Filimonov draws on archive material supplied by the Knopf descendants to unravel the complex hive of bow making activity

MAKING HISTORY
Cuban-born violinist Joseph White’s 1875 debut with the Philharmonic Society of New York was both a triumph and enormously significant – as the orchestra’s first performance with a soloist of African descent. Yavet Boyadjiev explores the event itself and the circumstances surrounding it

SYMPHONY OF THREE
For the Sitkovetsky Trio, the challenge of recording Ravel’s Piano Trio was combining three disparate solo voices to sound as one – but the reward was a performance far greater than the sum of its parts, the players tell Tom Stewart

FAIR COPIES
Vincenzo Postiglione was one of Naples’ leading instrument makers in the late 19th century, and his work is well represented in its Conservatory of Music. Luigi Sisto examines two copies of instruments by Mariani and Gofriller, to find what they reveal about his making style

In the driving seat
Formed in 2012, conductorless London-based string group the 12 Ensemble has taken an unconventional path to making a name for itself, as artistic directors Eloisa-Fleur Thom and Max Ruisi tell Toby Deller

DOMENICO DEGANI
IN FOCUS A close look at the work of great and unusual makers

TRADE SECRETS
Makers reveal their special techniques

MY SPACE
A peek into lutherie workshops around the world

MAKING MATTERS
Points of interest to violin and bow makers

TCHAIKOVSKY SOUVENIR D’UN LIEU CHER
Violinist Jennifer Koh explores how imagination and a flexible technique can help to bring out varied colours and a feeling of dance in these three short works

Souvenir d’un lieu cher
 Trois Morceaux

TECHNIQUE
Left-hand calisthenics 

Reviews
Your monthly critical round-up of performances, recordings and publications

RECORDINGS
OJ SLAUGHTER BACH Sonatas and Partitas for solo

From the ARCHIVE
FROM THE STRAD  JUNE 1951 VOL. 57 NO.734 Could cellists

IN THE NEXT ISSUE
Carlo Bergonzi 1735 ‘Baron

CAROLIN WIDMANN
For the German violinist, Schubert’s Fantasy in C major is a transcendental experience – and not just because of its myriad technical challenges

A year of INNOVATION
From strings and making tools to instrument cases, chin rests and virus shields, Rita Fernandes rounds up some of the most notable products from the past twelve months

PLAYING SAFE
Orchestras are among the musical ensembles to have suffered most during the pandemic. Pauline Harding finds out how some have been adapting their outlooks, products and processes in this new era of germ evasion and online streaming

ADVENTURES IN TIME AND SPACE
The internet has been a lifeline for musicians in the pandemic, but latency – the delay as sound data is processed and transmitted – is a killer for those wanting to perform together in real time. Tom Stewart finds out how teaching institutions are fighting back with technology that can make such delays imperceptible

Amplified learning
Coronavirus has upended the lives and livelihoods of musicians around the globe – and one consequence has been the rapid growth of online instrumental teaching. Charlotte Smith looks at ways in which dedicated technology can enhance the experience without breaking the bank

STRUCTURAL REVOLUTION
In a quest to make instrument cases stronger, lighter and more sustainable, manufacturers are finding new ways of working with polycarbonate, Kevlar, recycled carbon fibre and even linen, writes Harry White

PACKAGING AND SHIPPING A VIOLIN
A method for sending instruments long distances, giving the smallest possibility of damage to the package’s contents

SOUND UNLIMITED
Makers of chin rests and tailpieces have adopted new and exciting materials in recent years, with interesting implications not only for weight and strength, but also for the instrument’s tonal capabilities. Peter Somerford investigates