ContributorsRAINER MICHAEL COCRON (In Focus, page 85) studied

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Editor’s letterSeptember may herald the end of summer, but

On the beatNews and events from around the world this month

NEWS IN BRIEFJulia Fischer receives Bavarian arts award bit.ly/44D2Gc2

OBITUARIESIRENE SHARP US cellist and pedagogue Irene Sharp

PREMIERE of the MONTHKING’S COLLEGE: The dark form of Edward King,

COMPETITIONSAffinity Quartet Mio Imai Christian McBride AFFINITY QUARTET

NEW PRODUCTSBASS FINGERBOARD First of its kind A new,

Life lessonsThe Juilliard Quartet second violinist on the joy and value of collaboration in chamber music

Spirit of camaraderieThe tenth Osaka International Chamber Music Competition and Festa featured not only a dizzying array of high-level music making, but also a sense of mutual support between the competitors, reports Robert Markow

The heights of viola heavenCarlos María Solare reports from the 48th International Viola Congress, which took place in the tropical surroundings of Salaya, at the western borders of Thailand’s capital city

‘ALL IT TAKES IS ONE’American violin virtuoso Randall Goosby may only be in his twenties, but he is already deeply committed to passing on his passion for music to the younger generation, as he tells Amanda Holloway

THE DEEP ENDBilly Tobenkin, who began playing the cello aged 25, explores his own experience of learning Bach’s Prelude in G major after only a few months, and why he believes it is beneficial for adult learners to dive straight into ‘grown-up’ repertoire – offering tips on how to proceed

FIRST PRINCIPLESWhen a professional luthier takes on someone new, the amount of learning needed to become a trusted employee can be overwhelming. Sarah Kluge explains her method of training an apprentice from scratch, including an essential list of dos and don’ts

BRIGHT YOUNG MINDSGood mental health is crucial to a young musician’s development. Rita Fernandes hears from administrators, counsellors and teachers from leading music schools about what defines a successful conservatoire mental health support system

FAMILY FORTUNESZosimo Bergonzi, son of Carlo, was for a time the only luthier active in Cremona – but until recently the string world knew of only one instrument by him. Michel Samson tracks his career through his known works, which now number more than thirty

MARKING A MILESTONEWhen Hilary Hahn decided to record Ysaÿe’s Six Solo Violin Sonatas for their centenary year, all the stars seemed to align in terms of both timing and fresh musical insights, as she tells Charlotte Gardner

WHAT’S THE BUZZ?Finding why an instrument buzzes while playing is a task that bedevils luthiers. Dmitry Tarakanov presents a checklist for the most likely causes

FERDINANDO GARIMBERTIIN FOCUS

Making an ebony crown Makers reveal their special techniques

LUTHIER FLORIAN BARTSCHLOCATION Essen, Germany

With 20 per cent extraPoints of interest to violin and bow makers

SCHUBERT STRING QUARTET IN G MAJOR, FIRST MOVEMENT MASTERCLASS

Arriving in styleTeaching bow landings with special reference to Mozart

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

RECORDINGSFONDATION GAUTIER CAPUÇON PRESENTS… CHAMINADE Piano Trio no.1

BOOKSChaconne Handbook I–II: A Theoretical and Practical Guide

petermachwww.petermach.com

From the ARCHIVEIn his early life, Franz Joseph Haydn supported himself as a violinist. T. Lamb Phipson gives an account of the composer’s formative years

ELDBJØRG HEMSINGThe Norwegian violinist has fond memories of hearing Bruch’s First Violin Concerto for the first time – and advice for anyone looking to play it themselves in the future