Editor’s letterANGELA LYONS Instrumental contests are generally considered to

ContributorsYAVET BOYADJIEV (Joseph White, page 38) is a

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Limited accessMost 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?

OBITUARIESSOKOLE PHOTO ROB BOUWMEESTER COOSJE WIJZENBEEK Dutch violinist and

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

COMPETITIONS1 Galy-González Duo DUO PHOTO JEAN-BAPTISTE MILLOT. DUEÑAS PHOTO

NEW PRODUCTSPRACTICE GLOVE A helping hand A glove to

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

SINGING FROM THE HEARTFor 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 WEBThree 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 HISTORYCuban-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 THREEFor 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 COPIESVincenzo 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 seatFormed 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 DEGANIIN FOCUS A close look at the work of great and unusual makers

TRADE SECRETSMakers reveal their special techniques

MY SPACEA peek into lutherie workshops around the world

MAKING MATTERSPoints of interest to violin and bow makers

TCHAIKOVSKY SOUVENIR D’UN LIEU CHERViolinist 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

TECHNIQUELeft-hand calisthenics 

ReviewsYour monthly critical round-up of performances, recordings and publications

RECORDINGSOJ SLAUGHTER BACH Sonatas and Partitas for solo

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

IN THE NEXT ISSUECarlo Bergonzi 1735 ‘Baron

CAROLIN WIDMANNFor 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 INNOVATIONFrom 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 SAFEOrchestras 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 SPACEThe 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 learningCoronavirus 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 REVOLUTIONIn 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 VIOLINA method for sending instruments long distances, giving the smallest possibility of damage to the package’s contents

SOUND UNLIMITEDMakers 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