ContributorsFANY BOUREL (Trade Secrets, page 80) is a

SOUNDPOSTLetters, emails, online comments

Editor's letterAs the new academic year and the first

On the beat‘It’s not about transforming your school overnight; this is going to take time’ – Bridget Whyte, chief executive, Music Mark

NEWS IN BRIEF‘Hellier’ Stradivari violin fails to sell at auction

OBITUARIESALICE HARNONCOURT Baroque violinist Alice Harnoncourt died on

PREMIERE of the MONTHAgainst the current

COMPETITIONSThomas Mesa Rino Yoshimoto Javus Quartet MESA

NEW PRODUCTSCHIN AND SHOULDER REST All in one A

Life lessonsThe co-leader of the London Symphony Orchestra on growing up in a musical family in Malta and the importance of keeping one’s individuality

Building a beautiful balanceCharlotte Gardner reports from a newly reinvigorated and audience-friendly Vibre! Bordeaux festival and International String Quartet Competition

Northern exposureKare Eskola reports from the Finnish capital on 2022’s emotionally charged International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition, the first to take place for seven years

A MATTER OF TIMEPauline Harding visits Dallas, Texas, to chat with violinist– violist Pinchas Zukerman about his illustrious past, a new masterclass series at Meadows School of the Arts, and his hopes for the future of technology in string teaching

ALL ROUND LEARNINGThe international landscape for teaching lutherie has changed in recent years, with new institutions starting up and younger tutors coming in. Peter Somerford speaks to teachers from seven violin making schools to find out the options for young aspiring luthiers

FIFTY YEARS YOUNGSeptember 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the UK’s Newark School of Violin Making. Originally based at the Mount School, it moved to the heart of the town in 1977. The school’s young graduates quickly found work in the country’s leading violin shops, bringing the institution a reputation for high-quality craftsmanship. Here we look back at some of the landmark events in the Newark School’s history

SITTING ON A GOLD MINEIn exploring the past and present of string teaching in regional Western Australia, Rita Fernandes finds examples of both progress and regression, all pointing to the fact that where there is opportunity, there is demand and potential

REDISCOVERED GEMSHarry White speaks to Carmen Flores and Katie Stillman of the Villiers Quartet about recording rare repertoire by a pair of British maverick geniuses – Ethel Smyth and Frederick Delius

HIDDEN TREASURESPietro Guarneri of Mantua was an undisputed master luthier, even though very few examples of his work remain. Andrea Zanrè examines three ‘violettas’ that until now have been overlooked

A LEGACY REGAINEDRussian violist and pedagogue Yuri Kramarov was one of the most important Soviet-era musicians. Misha Galaganov explores his life, career and teaching methods

JACINT PINTOALL PHOTOS JORDI PINTO Lutherie A close look

Gluing the C-bouts using a Cremonese mouldAn alternative method for this part of the process, which may be more authentic than the standard procedure

MECHTHILD OSSENBRUNNERLOCATION Cologne, Germany

Straight talkingAndrew Ryan investigates a phenomenon in the instruments of Stradivari and Guarneri ‘del Gesù’: the presence of regular straight lines within the arches of the top and back

HUMMEL SONATA OP.5 NO.3 FOR PIANO AND VIOLAViolist Tabea Zimmermann offers her advice on how to practise this playful, virtuosic work

Teaching colléHow to work on this short, articulated bow stroke to improve students’ overall bow control and sound

New YorkTHIS MONTH’S RECOMMENDED RECORDINGS Our pick of the

RECORDINGSHOMMAGE À J.S.B. BACH Partita no.2 BWV1004 AUERBACH

From the ARCHIVEAuthor and expert Towry Piper condemns a recent blind-testing experiment for old and new violins, giving his own opinion on why such endeavours are doomed to failure

IN THE NEXT ISSUEThe Dutch double bassist talks about his most

JACK LIEBECKProkofiev’s First Violin Concerto provided some early inspiration for the British violinist – as well as a crash course in some fast, efficient playing