Editor’s letterThe Shanghai Quartet celebrates its 35th anniversary

CONTRIBUTORS(Making Matters, page 70) trained in violin making

SOUNDPOSTLetters, emails, online comments

On the beatNews and events from around the world this month

NEW PRODUCTSA metronome that aims to prepare musicians for the

Life lessonsThe Ukrainian violist on long pedagogical relationships and the surprises of concert life

A new generationStradfest, The Strad’s first live event for budding musicians, tackled a range of issues connected to building an interesting career - and brought together a wide variety of young and enthusiastic string players, writes Charlotte Smith

Musical EMISSARIESThe Shanghai Quartet celebrates its 35th anniversary during the 2018–19 season by performing eight complete Beethoven cycles around the world. The players speak to Charlotte Smith about forming at a time when Western chamber music was barely understood in their native China, and about promoting the art form to Chinese audiences and students today

Variations on a themeTwelve violin moulds from Antonio Stradivari’s workshop still survive, but how do they correspond to the master’s oeuvre? In the first of two articles, Philip Ihle and Andrea Zanrè present the results of an exhaustive survey to match forms to finished instruments

Standing STRONGFifty years ago David Oistrakh premiered Shostakovich’s Violin Sonata, written for the violinist’s 60th birthday. Only two further works by Shostakovich for solo violinist survive: the concertos, both for Oistrakh. Andrew Morris examines all three pieces, uncovering their interpretative challenges in conversation with Gidon Kremer, Julia Fischer and Vadim Gluzman

ZOOMING IN ON BEETHOVENTrio con Brio Copenhagen is marking its 20th anniversary by recording the complete Beethoven piano trios. Andrew Mellor attends a session for the group’s third volume, including the monumental ‘Archduke’

SHINING EXAMPLESIdentifying the varnish recipes of the early makers has been a long-held dream among researchers. Now, a team at the Arvedi Laboratory of Non-Invasive Diagnostics, headed by Marco Malagodi, has used a new form of micro-CT scanning to delve further into an instrument’s coatings than ever before

And breathe…There is a close connection between yogic principles and string playing technique, says cellist Ruth Phillips, who illustrates this with postures chosen in collaboration with her colleague Jane Fenton, and reveals how both Pablo Casals and yoga guru Vanda Scaravelli have informed her musical ideas

PAOLO DE BARBIERIPaolo De Barbieri was born in 1889 in Genoa. In 1902

Cutting f-holesA methodical way of completing this elegant but delicate part of the making process

MY SPACEA peek into lutherie workshops around the world

Beauty is truth, truth beautyEric Benning recalls how, with the help of the late William Watson, he identified a long-lost instrument case from the Hill workshop that exemplifies the immaculate workmanship of a bygone age

RAVEL’S SECOND VIOLIN SONATAPhilippe Graffin explores how to create an orchestra of abstract colours and characters in the first movement of the French composer’s last chamber work

Continuous vibratoThe art of using finger, wrist and biceps to create a bel canto effect integral to our sound

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

From the ARCHIVEWhat sets a virtuoso player apart from an amateur, asks James A.

IN THE NEXT ISSUEStradivari’s moulds -part two Andrea Zanrè and Philip

RIVKA GOLANIAs well as giving the first performance of Michael Colgrass’s Chaconne, the

CHECKLISTQuestions to help you find the right course and to prepare you for life as a student

INSPIRED TO SUCCEEDFind out where you can study with some of the string world’s most in-demand pedagogues

Bery Filsaime celloPost-baccalaureate Diploma, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg

Andrew Ng violinMaster of Fine Arts, Sibelius Academy, Helsinki

Nickolas Majic violinBachelor of Music, New Zealand School of Music (NZSM), Wellington

Anna Vaughan violinBachelor of Arts, music, City, University of London

Mafalda Santos celloPeabody Conservatory, Johns Hopkins University, Maryland