The Violin Channel recently caught up with Berent Kofker, violinist and product developer at Pirastro, who saw the release of his latest invention, the KorfkerSpring chin rest system.

What were your main goals when conceiving the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring® chin rest?

Using modern ergonomic principles as the foundation for this new design, I set out to create a chin rest so light that it would feel like not using one at all. It would need to be completely adjustable, suit players with both short and long necks and be acoustically superior. This new product would be intended for violinists and violists who appreciate the importance of a balanced and free playing style and value the most accurate string response and widest dynamic range their instruments have to offer.

Having experienced that the rigidity of traditional chinrests contributes to the habit of clamping, I started experimenting with a flexible design and discovered its potential for both ergonomics and sound.

How does it differ from regular chin rests?

The flexibility of the spring at the heart of the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring gives us instant feedback on the amount of pressure we place on the chin plate, so we can consciously reduce it to a healthy range. The subtle flexing of the spring also stimulates the subconscious balancing system in our neck and upper body and reactivates two essential biological mechanisms which neuroscientists call affordance and grip-force modulation. Abel Tomàs from the Cuarteto Casals has toured with the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring for almost a year and recently shared with us that with it he gained a better playing position and a greater security in intonation by feeling “free” around the chin and neck, all while the violin remained stable.

The chin plate of the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring is convex, finely adjustable, and compact, encouraging us to balance our instrument with an elongated spine. By contrast, traditional chin rests invite us to reach over the instrument and clamp it between jaw and shoulder. This, often rigid, position can cause discomfort and, in some cases, injury.

Another feature that sets the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring apart is that, using one of the four higher springs, it is easily removable for when it doesn’t fit in your case. When off the instrument, the KorfkerSpring lives in a high-end protection case of its own.

I should not forget to mention, the Pirastro KorfkerSpring weighs only 15 grams - less than a third of the weight of the average chin rest!

How long did it take to develop and test the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring?

The development of the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring started off with a flurry of invention! I simultaneously worked on the shape of the chin plate, the tiny adjustable ball joint to connect it to the suspension element, and super light and resilient springs providing suspension and height adjustment. The traditional clamp system received some much-needed refinements and shed three-quarters of its weight! Then there was the challenge of inventing a way to clip the various springs into the clamps so they could be removed easily. Simultaneously, we researched and developed the materials which would eventually make the whole design possible.

Although progress was fast at the start, perfecting every detail of the KorfkerSpring ultimately took nearly a decade. Throughout this time, Pirastro’s management never wavered in its support. Eventually, our shared dedication allowed us to refine the KorfkerSpring until every part met the highest standards.

Once confident about the qualities and stability of our prototype, we involved a varied group of professional testers who helped with fine-tuning, resulting in a spring that, while providing subtle pressure feedback, gives security and confidence on stage.

What is your advice to best set up the chin rest?

It’s easy to fully personalize your PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring and is well described in the manual. For deciding the right height, my advice would be to rest the violin on the collarbone and choose a spring which leaves 1 cm of space between the jaw or chin and the chin plate. It is also a great idea to look at raising the chin rest and lowering the shoulder rest to ensure the violin meets the collarbone when horizontal. The six interchangeable springs of the KorfkerSpring offer a height range of 25 to 50 mm in steps of 5 mm with the low springs catering for shorter and the high ones for longer necks.

Although I like using mine center mounted, there is no rule to this. For most players, the feeling of playing with a KorfkerSpring is so liberating that I would suggest trying out various positions.

My last piece of advice is to give yourself some time to get used to playing with a KorfkerSpring. While some feel at home with it from the first minute, some need time to get used to it. What is exciting is that its flexibility encourages us to explore how we want to move when we play and can start us off on a path of discovery. It certainly did for me!

How do a shoulder rest like the PIRASTRO KorfkerRest or KorfkerRest LUNA and the new KorfkerSpring chin rest work together?

That is a very interesting question. Designed following similar ergonomic and acoustic principles, they work together like a set. Our testers have unanimously remarked how well our shoulder rests fit with the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring and together bring a perfect level of customization, comfort, and acoustics.

In conjunction with our PIRASTRO KorfkerRest Model 2 and LUNA, which have already changed the way we “listen” to shoulder rests, the KorfkerSpring will be able to show what an acoustically optimized chin rest can do for the sound. Believe it or not, because a chin rest not only dampens the body of an instrument but also directly dulls the strings, the difference is even more astounding!

I personally can’t get enough of how it feels when I play with the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring and a KorfkerRest. It’s like experiencing a freedom in the sound and string response that I always knew was there but could never quite access.

Abel Tomàs, already an enthusiastic user of our PIRASTRO KorfkerRest LUNA, shared with us that when he started using the KorfkerSpring, he noticed the “dramatic difference” it made to the sound of his instrument compared to playing with a conventional chin rest—so much cleaner and clearer, with far greater richness of overtones and clarity. He added that it’s a joy to feel the violin so much lighter in his hands.

Learn more about the Pirastro KorfkerSpring at this link.

The post Berent Korfker on The New Pirastro KorfkerSpring Chin Rest System appeared first on World's Leading Classical Music Platform.

Tell us about Adès’ violin concerto. What do you like about his music in general?

Adès is certainly one of the great living composers of today. I was aware of him for many years, and I actually got the handwritten score of this violin concerto before the printed version was made, so I got to see his handwriting in the manuscript. It was a gift because I feel like I understand the composer's personality so much better when I can see their actual writing.

But the piece was not written for me. Many people think it was because I've been playing it from the very start, but it was written for Anthony Marwood. I passionately fell in love with it and became obsessed. This is usually a sign that I have to pursue a piece.

It is not so different than a romantic relationship in a way. You really want to understand it and get to the bottom of it. You want to understand the sounds and the motivations behind what the composer wrote.

I’m privileged and happy to say that it’s been a piece that I've played with different orchestras and conductors around the world, including a few times with Thomas Adès conducting. It was fascinating to hear all the little comments that he had to say, and then, of course, I brought those comments along with me in future performances.

We heard you performed the concerto around 60 times before recording it. How does it feel to evolve with such a piece?

It's wonderful to finally, after so much experience, get to record this in a live performance.

Along with certain works by John Adams or  Esa-Pekka Salonen, the piece has been with me in the last several years. Since age 20, I've been dedicated to new music, and now I'm two years away from being 50, and that dedication has not wavered.

Do you have a favorite performance of the work?

Well, the conductor is a key player in this piece because the violin writing has lots of flexibility in it. In some ways, the conductor is the anchor. The conductor has to remain very steady and unmoved by all the different things I'm doing. You need to have someone holding the beat steady so that it gives others more freedom.

Every time I work with a new conductor, I always have a phone meeting with them to discuss what is needed in this piece. That kind of meeting actually takes pressure off the rehearsals because we're already somewhat understanding what we need to do before we even start.

The conductor's role is sometimes counterintuitive because you hear flexible music and you want to respond flexibly, but actually, the opposite is necessary. Freedom comes from a certain amount of restriction.

In general, that's the case with the discipline of playing the violin as well. You can't be expressive if you're not comfortable enough with the instrument. So we go back to that beautiful word, practice, which is the key to everything.

What is your favorite aspect of working with living composers?

I love being part of the creative process. When I was in school, I played all the standard repertoire before I began diving into new music. I think this is extremely necessary because it's important to understand the history of these works.

I had a very intense start to my whole violin upbringing. Everything was on a fast track from when I was very young, and I ended up really doing just about every standard work before I was 20, let's say. (Standard meaning that ones that everyone loves and knows)

In a way, I was kind of known in the music world before I started changing my path. That also helped people learn to trust this new path that I was taking, to trust a career that is based more on the music of today.

What I hope people say is, "Oh, she always does something interesting." Gidon Kremer was always a mentor for me because I had that exact feeling whenever I went to hear him. It always challenged me in some way and made me think about different ways to do things. That's one of the reasons why I started doing what I'm doing.

I feel like plenty of people stick with the standard and have a different mentality around what it is to play music. That's totally fine, but I wanted to offer something different, a bit more adventurous. That's one answer to your question.

However, the other answer really is that it was just thrilling for me to get to know the minds of living composers. To me, learning what's behind the music is just fascinating, and it brings a whole level of enjoyment to the process. It's so exciting to discuss a piece with the person who created it.

John Adams was the first collaborator with whom I really spent many months. It was so inspiring to me, and I thought, "I want to do this with as many people as possible."

It's really important to think about our art form as a creative process. It's great that we play older music and we need to — it's part of our history and backbone — but what's also part of our backbone is exploration, experimentation, and adventure.

How do you approach learning a new piece that has never been recorded before?

It's convenient to be able to listen to recordings, but what's most important is the source. I don't really like listening to too many recordings of a new piece because I don't want the seeds of my creative mind to be steered in certain ways. If I listen to one recording more than another, I have sort of preconceived ideas of what something should be like before I start to really look and question what's there.

Recordings can be interesting, of course, but they certainly don't replace the importance of the instructions, the map, AKA the score. Everything you need to know, nothing more or less, everything that the composer wanted is spelled out in his/her manuscript, and everything else is extraneous.

I rarely really learn a score from the violin part. You always have to look at the full score because it gives you the context for the solo part. If you don't know what's happening around you, then you don't know what's happening at all.

The map is the manuscript and the full score.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received about recording?

You have to figure out this process for yourself, since it's a very personal one. Recording is all about your character, really, as well as the producer’s.

I started recording in my teens, and it was very interesting to meet all of the different producers that I've worked with over the years.

I feel like things have become just crazy with trying to make every note perfect. If you want to create something that will last for longevity in music, you should choose a player who wants to be seen and heard as a musician. In my opinion, there are a million perfect players out there. We all strive to be as perfect as possible. But to me, it is all about the message of the music, with as few technical things in the way as possible, no matter what the piece is.

My favorite recordings that I've made over the years are actually live recordings, and that's become super important to me. When I listen to some other artists, almost every note has been edited in one way or another. It saddens me that we feel like it has to reach that level to be acceptable somehow. If it's not possible to record something well in a live setting, should it be getting recorded right then and there? I don't think so. It's all about deciding how you want to portray yourself as an artist.

It's a living, breathing, imperfect art form that we have. It's human. I mean, it's about being real and reaching these kinds of places where we're elevated by the very aspect of being human. So why are we splicing and dicing and splicing and dicing, you know?

I love doing live recordings and forgetting that I'm being recorded. It's just a different way of approaching the recording process.

The post Violinist Leila Josefowicz on Thomas Adès' Violin Concerto appeared first on World's Leading Classical Music Platform.

The recording was made at Skywalker Sound in California, but Haimovitz took it on a four-city tour of Ukraine with the Odesa Philharmonic in May 2024, made possible by a grant from the U.S. State Department.

During his travels, he performed impromptu sets in public squares, often for wounded soldiers, accompanied by a documentary film crew. He brought de Hartmann’s music to his homeland for the very first time.

The Violin Channel recently talked with cellist Matt Haimovitz to gain more insight into his latest release.

Tell us about Thomas de Hartmann’s “La Kobsa” piece for solo cello?

In his spirited solo piece, Ukrainian composer Thomas de Hartmann transforms the cello into a Ukrainian kobsa, an ancient lute-like instrument played by the Kobzars or bards. Composed in 1950 when the composer was residing in the US, “La Kobsa: deuce musique de veilleurs Ukrainiens pour violoncelle solo” is part of a larger collection of his chamber music. I have been performing La Kobsa on various programs including throughout Ukraine.

How does the piece relate to Ukrainian folklore?

In both movements of La Kobsa, there is a dance character with a folkloric feeling. Ukraine has many layers of culture and history from so many directions. De Hartmann tapped into these rich musical languages. Although folk in character, these short pieces are his compositions. De Hartmann clearly felt a deep nostalgia and connection with his native land.

What are its main musical characteristics?

After the initial introductory lament of the first movement, even the d minor key of the dance cannot contain the celebration of life. The second movement is more overtly raucous, the plucking and strumming reminiscent of the kobsa.

How does it differ from Thomas de Hartmann’s cello concerto that you recently recorded?

The two works share some similarities. The cantorial opening of La Kobsa is related in my mind to the slow movement of the Cello Concerto. There is also a folkloric thread that weaves through both works. De Hartmann refers to Ukrainian folk elements in the Cello Concerto, especially in the third movement. The first movement of the Cello Concerto features not one, but two cadenzas! De Hartmann was fearless in writing for solo cello. The second extended cadenza ends with a drone that transforms the cello into another folk instrument.

To answer the question of how they differ, La Kobsa is a much smaller-scaled work compared with the Cello Concerto. It is an entry point to de Hartmann’s Cello Concerto which I recorded live in 2023 with the MDR Orchestra and Dennis Russell Davies at Leipzig’s Gewandhaus. The Cello Concerto is featured on the 2024 album “Thomas de Hartmann Rediscovered” which includes the Violin Concerto played by Joshua Bell, INSO-Lviv Symphony Orchestra and Dalia Stasevska.

Can you tell us more about the Thomas de Hartmann Project?

It is a group that advocates for the long-neglected music of Thomas de Hartmann. From one of its principals, Efrem Marder, I first became aware of the De Hartmann Cello Concerto. As I became more of an advocate myself, I was grateful to be introduced to La Kobsa and the Cello Sonata of 1941.

What do you hope listeners will take away with them?

It was my honor to join the Odesa Philharmonic and Maestro Hobart Earle on a four-city tour of Ukraine in May 2024. Made possible by a grant from the US State Department, we brought Ukrainian-born composer Thomas de Hartmann’s Cello Concerto from 1935 to war-weary audiences in his native country for the first time.

Outside of the concert halls and opera houses, I explored the breadth of Ukraine, visiting among others Odesa’s Potemkin Stairs, an outdoor farmer’s market in Lviv, and the center of Kyiv displaying captured Russian tanks. With cello in tow, I played impromptu solo sets of Bach Cello Suites, Philip Glass works and more. However, it was de Hartmann’s solo cello piece La Kobsa that elicited the widest smiles from civilians and wounded soldiers. From the first prayerful notes, there was a spark of recognition, a distraction and relief from the incessant air raid sirens, the relentless drone of power generators, and other reminders of a country at war. La Kobsa captures the generosity and resiliency of the Ukrainian people.

Click here to listen to and buy the album.

The post Cellist Matt Haimovitz on His New "La Kobsa" Release appeared first on World's Leading Classical Music Platform.

You can watch this year's entire competition LIVE on The Violin Channel until August 31. Tune in here! 

The last winners of the competition are the VC Artist Isidore String Quartet. We caught up with the ensemble's cellist, Joshua McClendon, to get the inside scoop on what it was like winning the international competition.

What is your best memory from the whole BISQC experience?

My favorite memory from BISQC was our very first night in Banff. I recall meeting up with three or four other quartets to hang out and everyone was so friendly and welcoming that my pre-competition nerves were immediately put at ease!

What did it mean to you to win such a prestigious competition?

Personally, winning BISQC was a validating experience. I have wanted to pursue a quartet career for as long as I can remember and still recall when I discovered BISQC on YouTube for the first time as an early teen, immediately becoming determined to get there someday. Winning nine years later made me believe that if you work hard enough and truly believe in your goals, anything is possible!

How did winning the competition help you in your career?

Winning BISQC changed everything for us. Before the competition, we had only played in front of small audiences four or five times, most of which being a single piece and not even a full program. That said, winning BISQC quite literally started our career.

Can you tell us about the support you received aside from the cash prize?

The Banff Centre has supported us in every single aspect of our quartet career so far by offering incredible mentorship, helping us navigate the logistical challenges of traveling, sponsoring tours, and generally being the quartet’s lifeline for any and all of our needs!

How do you prepare for a competition, either individually or as a group?

Preparing for a competition is particularly tricky, as I find most of the challenges to be mental as opposed to the playing itself. The most important thing, in my opinion, is to practice performing (even if only small sections!) and you rehearse everything with utmost musical commitment, confidence, and relaxation. If this is done far enough ahead of time, both your body and mind will more easily settle into that state when you go to perform that repertoire under such high pressure. Muscle memory isn’t just about the notes — it’s also about how you feel when you play them!

What projects are you excited about in the coming year?

This is a huge year of collaborations for ISQ, so we’re thrilled to perform alongside some really incredible musicians and make lots of new friends!

What are your top 3 rehearsal tips for quartets?

1. Always try everything. You never know how you really feel about something until you try it — even if it’s something that you think you’d never do!
2. Take time away from the repertoire. My group firmly believes in isolating various chamber-music-playing techniques and working on them without the distraction of the repertoire. Whether it’s group sound quality, balance, articulation, pitch, breathing, or anything along those lines, I’d advise taking something like a Bach chorale or a few group scales to work on these things together and I can assure you that you’ll feel much better when returning to working on your rep!
3. Don’t get too caught up in the grind and learn to recognize when time away is necessary. Sometimes we have days where the group or certain individuals within the group are exhausted or generally not in the right headspace for a productive rehearsal, and we won’t hesitate to cut a rehearsal short and come back fresh the next day. This has always worked in our favor as opposed to forcing it!

How has the group evolved since winning Banff?

I’m sure ISQ has evolved in many ways since BISQC, but the one thing that immediately comes to mind is that we’ve started to settle into a groove with the touring lifestyle. It’s taken a few years, but the gears are turning pretty smoothly now!

The post Isidore String Quartet on their Banff International String Quartet Competition Win appeared first on World's Leading Classical Music Platform.

To be held in Guadeloupe, from November 18 – 22, 2025, the competition is open to violinists of all nationalities aged between 16 and 32. Applications are closing on August 31. Each of the finalists will perform with the official Festival Orchestra at the Festival International de Musique Saint-Georges 2025, led by its artistic and musical director, Marlon Daniel.

We caught up with Marlon to learn more about the event and violinist/composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges.

Could you tell us about the new international violin competition you’re launching this year? What is its mission and the motivations behind it?

This November 15–23, 2025, we inaugurate the Joseph Bologne International Violin Competition at the landmark Mémorial ACTe in Guadeloupe as part of the Festival International de Musique Saint-Georges. It’s open to violinists of all nationalities, ages 16–32, and offers over €35,000 in prizes and performance opportunities.

The competition is a living tribute to Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges (1745–1799), a visionary Afro-French violinist, composer, conductor, and historical figure born in Bailif, Guadeloupe, whose significance has too often been excluded from the canons of music history.

Our mission is twofold: 1. to identify a talent who can embody the spirit, and represent, the legacy of Joseph Bologne, as well as the competition and festival worldwide. 2. We hope to bring the works of the composer into the standard repertoire alongside his contemporaries, where he belongs.

The competition extends the mission of the Festival International de Musique Saint-Georges, which we hope leads to lasting change in the classical music world.

The competition will be hosted in Guadeloupe, in the Caribbean. Can you share more about this beautiful location?

Guadeloupe is a French archipelago in the Caribbean—vibrant, multilingual, and culturally rich—where African, European, and Caribbean traditions meet. It’s also Bologne’s birthplace, so bringing an international violin competition here is especially meaningful. Our venue, Mémorial ACTe, is a striking, waterfront cultural center dedicated to the memory and history of the slave trade — a place where historical reflection, Fine art and performance coexist. In this regard, the Memorial ACTe and Guadeloupe offer a platform for international artists of various genres. For visitors, the architectural marvel and natural beauty of the island, highlight Caribbean culture, filled with Creole and French cuisine, combined with the ease of travel to a European territory that uses the euro.

The competition is dedicated to the memory of Joseph Bologne. For readers who may not know him, can you tell us about his life, his work, and his legacy?

Born in Baillif, Guadeloupe, and raised in Paris, Bologne became the greatest fencer of his day, a Revolutionary-era colonel, a celebrated violin virtuoso, conductor, and composer. He influenced contemporaries including Haydn and Mozart, inspired writers like Alexandre Dumas, and was described by John Adams as “the most accomplished man in Europe.” After centuries of erasure, his life has finally drawn wide attention from CBC’s 2003 documentary Le Mozart noir to coverage by the New York Times (July 24, 2020), the Disney/Searchlight 2024 biopic Chevalier, Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette (2006), and the BBC’s 2022 Marie Antoinette series.

2025 marks the 280th anniversary of Joseph Bologne’s birth in his homeland. Our festival and competition are designed to honor and secure Bologne’s rightful place in history as well as on the concert stages today.

The competition will identify a young artist who can carry that banner, just as the festival gives international music-loving audiences an exciting alternative to European and American-based classical music festivals.

What prizes will be awarded to this year’s winners?

Laureates will receive cash awards totaling over €35,000 along with select performance opportunities connected to the Festival International de Musique Saint-Georges and our partners. The goal is to help launch the careers of exceptional performers, with the winner going on to represent the legacy of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges.

How would you characterize Joseph Bologne’s music?

Elegant, innovative, expressive, and violin centric. Joseph Bologne was one of the foremost violin virtuosos in history, one who brought innovation and athletic energy to the instrument.

He wrote in a Galant, early-Classical style characterized by singing melodies, clean lines, deft harmonic textures and dynamic virtuosic writing for the violin that extended the instrument’s capabilities. His writing for the violin is marked by precision, speed, and flair were perhaps a byproduct of his incredible fencing athleticism.

Will the competition include required works by Bologne this year?

Yes. Bologne’s music is integral to the competition’s identity. Candidates will be required to present a work by Bologne in all rounds of the competition. Similar to other international competitions dedicated to other composers, Bologne is the center of attention, with the final round, a solo performance with orchestra, dedicated to his concerti.

At a time when many Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives are being rolled back, especially in the U.S., why do you believe it’s important to continue championing Black and other underrepresented composers?

Joseph Bologne himself is the ultimate example of why Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives matter. Bologne was not only a composer and violinist of extraordinary gifts, but also one of the greatest fencers of the 18th century, a colonel in the French Revolution, and a cultural figure. He was celebrated for his brilliance in nearly every discipline he touched. He embodied excellence, and yet because of racism, his legacy was systematically minimized and in many cases, erased.

When people dismiss initiatives to expand the repertoire and highlight artists of color, they reveal a flawed and unconsciously racist assumption—that this is about quotas or politics. It isn’t. It’s about historical truth. It’s about bringing the full measure of our contributions, our artistry, and our humanity into view. To deny Bologne or others like him their rightful place in our cultural memory is to deny ourselves.

Championing underrepresented composers is therefore not about being fashionable; it’s about insisting that excellence be recognized wherever it is found. Bologne was indisputably among the finest in his time, and so the competition that bears his name is designed to uphold that same standard. Our mission is to discover and promote a violinist who can represent this legacy on the world stage. And let me be very clear: that choice will be made on artistry and brilliance alone, regardless of background. That is how we honor Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, a person who broke through barriers by the sheer force of his excellence.

For this reason the festival has painstakingly engaged a jury of renowned international professionals in the field which include Kinga Augustyn (Poland/USA), Yuan Fang (China), Koh Gabriel Kameda (Japan/Germany), Clarisse Rinaldo (Guadeloupe/France) and Hristo Popov ( Bulgaria/USA), who will serve as President of the Competition Jury, to ensure the quality and fairness of the competition.

Do you feel the classical music world has made progress in diversity and representation in recent years? What changes would you still like to see?

Yes, there has been progress—more works by historically excluded composers are entering the repertoire, and more artists of color are being seen on major stages. But the progress is uneven and, in many places, fragile. In the U.S., we are witnessing political rollbacks that seek to de-legitimize the idea that representation matters. These setbacks are not about fairness; they are about fear and preserving exclusion. At their root, they are based in racism and a resistance to change.

Our Festival in Guadeloupe has always understood that including a broad spectrum of voices makes the art form stronger, not weaker. What is diversity if not the very essence of music itself, a harmony of different voices, timbres, and traditions coming together? What is equity if not ensuring that excellence has the same chance to be heard, no matter who creates it? And what is inclusion if not the recognition that classical music belongs to everyone?

The Festival provides a platform for diverse artists because their artistry deserves the stage. The Competition, however, is about something very specific: finding the violinist who can best represent the legacy of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges. That legacy is one of uncompromising excellence. We do not lower standards; we raise sightlines. The competition is international, merit-based, and focused on the artistry of the highest order. In doing so, we model a vision of classical music that is both historically truthful and forward-looking—a vision where excellence and representation are not opposites, but allies.

For readers eager to broaden their repertoire, which composers would you recommend exploring beyond the traditional canon?

The first name must be Joseph Bologne, whose concertos, symphonies, and chamber works are every bit as compelling as those of his contemporaries. But he is not alone. Composers of color across centuries have left us a vast, rich legacy of original music that deserves to be performed in our concert halls and taught in our institutions.

Think of José White, the Afro-Cuban violin virtuoso who carried European Romanticism into a new idiom, or Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, whose works married late-Romantic lyricism with African and diasporic themes. Consider Florence Price, whose orchestral and chamber works combine American idioms with impeccable craft, or William Grant Still, often called the “Dean of African American composers,” whose works expanded the possibilities of 20th-century sound. In our own time, composers like Dominique Le Gendre, James Lee III, Tania León, Jessie Montgomery, Thierry Pécou Carlos Simon, Curtis Stewart, Shirley Thompson, Errollyn Wallen and Trevor Weston and many more are shaping the voice of contemporary music while connecting to broader cultural narratives.

When performers, students, and institutions embrace these composers, not as curiosities but as core repertoire, the canon evolves and we all flourish; musicians deepen their artistry, audiences hear stories that resonate across cultures, and the classical music tradition reveals itself as the diverse, global art form it has always truly been.

Finally, for those interested in applying, when is the application deadline?

Applications close on August 31, 2025. Early submissions are encouraged so our team can facilitate travel logistics for those advancing to the live rounds in Guadeloupe.

The post Conductor Marlon Daniel on Joseph Bologne's Music and Legacy appeared first on World's Leading Classical Music Platform.

Meet the nine competing quartets here!

We caught up with Barry Shiffman, director of the Banff International String Quartet Competition, to learn more about the exciting event!

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned after 14 editions of the competition?

My takeaway after all of these years is that the field of classical chamber music is healthy. Young musicians are playing better than at any time in history, extraordinary composers are writing compelling new scores, and with the internet, a vast world of shared content makes this an incredibly exciting time. Chamber music festivals are popping up all over North America and abroad, attracting audiences that are filling seats. It is energizing to be working in an area of growth.

What are you most looking forward to in the 15th edition?

I am looking forward to meeting and hearing our wonderful quartets. I already feel a connection to them through their videos, recommendations, and email communications, but now we get to discover these wonderful young artists and welcome them in the uniquely supportive environment of Banff Centre. I also look forward to spending a week working alongside an exceptional jury. Their expertise and integrity form the backbone of this competition, bringing immense credibility to the process. And finally, the BISQC audience. Hundreds of the most passionate, committed, and caring listeners have become a kind of extended family of support. Seeing them embrace our young musicians with such love, respect, and enthusiasm is very special to witness.

What do you hope quartets that don’t make it to the final round get out of the competition?

We want quartets to leave inspired, uplifted, and motivated. We have focused a lot of work on the experience of the artist at BISQC and treat each musician as a member of a professional festival. We all sit down at the beginning and discuss what we hope to get out of the competition, and we openly recognize and talk about the uncomfortable reality that only one group will win. Still at BISQC, every quartet has an experience that can be life-changing. There are multiple concerts over the week for each quartet before a sold-out audience. Mark Steinberg, our mentor-in-residence, brings deep insight, offering meaningful support and encouragement to all the quartets. Video assets from the live performances, as well as highly produced music videos by Riddle Films, are all takeaways for the ensembles. And finally, we have the incredible generosity of the Anderson family, through the Christine and David Anderson Career Development Prizes. The $5000 awards are given to each quartet that does not advance to the finals. It is a powerful affirmation that, in this competition, the often-overused phrase “everyone is a winner” truly rings true.

How is the repertoire chosen for each round? What range do you hope to see in each quartet?

We try to change the repertoire requirements with each edition of BISQC. I oversee rules and repertoire, shaping the program through conversations with past jury members and consultations with a wide range of colleagues in the field. I like that this competition has increased the space for individual repertoire choices than in the past. We want to see our invited quartets in a wide range of repertoire that reflects the demands of a modern, busy performance career. Haydn always stands out as a marker of capability, and we continue to celebrate Haydn and his impact on the genre. Juxtaposing a Haydn quartet alongside a new work written after January 1, 2000, offers a revealing contrast and creates a fascinating window into each group’s identity. That first round alone tells us so much!

How do you select your jury? Who are the 2025 members?

I seek out jury members who are deeply thoughtful musicians, individuals who have dedicated their lives to the string quartet and are fully immersed in its repertoire and traditions. I want young musicians to know they are being heard and considered by a group that loves this repertoire and art form just as they do and has struggled with many of the same challenges. I also look for a jury that represents different regions and has different experiences. This jury includes previous prize winners from BISQC, violists Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt and Marie Chilemme, cellist David Ying, celebrated Emerson Quartet violinist Eugene Drucker, Shanghai Quartet violist (and previous Shanghai Quartet violinist) Honggang Li, Artemis Quartet cellist Eckart Runge, and New Orford Quartet violinist Jonathan Crow. This is a powerhouse jury, rich in experience and marked by deep compassion and respect. It will be a joy to work with these seven artists over an exciting week together in Banff.

What stands out to you in your previous winners? Any unifying factor?

We have had a powerful group of winners. Many have had long, successful careers in the chamber music world and have made incredible contributions to performing, teaching, recording, and building community. All of the winners have embraced the rigours of touring and have shown real commitment to bringing their artistry to smaller communities, sharing their love of chamber music and connection. If I were to define in a word a common thread between all of our winners, I would say it is generosity.

How do you support your winners after the competition is over?

We work very closely with our winners for three years following the competition. Much of this support is focused on concert touring. To that end, we have engaged the teams at MKI Artists to arrange the touring in North America and Kozertdirektion Hampl to oversee European touring. We also provide considerable financial support to ensure the quartet can focus on the music without worrying about covering the costs of hotels and flights. Touring as a quartet is always a financial challenge, especially at the beginning of a career when those challenges are even more extreme. BISQC arranges for the winning quartet to return to Banff for a creative residency and recording project and presents them as part of our summer Banff International String Quartet Festival. We want our winning quartet to develop the skills necessary for building a sustainable career. To that end, we work closely with them on communication, management, touring logistics, and more. Many successful quartets today are connected to a university through a residency appointment. These roles require a range of skills and the ability to integrate into the fabric of the institution in creative ways. We are so happy to provide our winning quartet the incredible opportunity to be associated with Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where they are named the Peak Fellowship Ensemble-in-Residence. Through this partnership, they receive coaching, mentor younger artists, perform in the community, and engage with the university in meaningful and creative ways. They leave with valuable experience and skills that will support them in securing similar positions in the future.

How can people watch the competition this year?

The entire competition will be streaming on The Violin Channel, with all performances archived on the Banff Centre website.

The post Barry Shiffman on 15 Editions of the Banff International String Quartet Competition appeared first on World's Leading Classical Music Platform.

We ask him about his compositional processes and his experience with Classeek's Ambassador Programme, which he joined as their open application winner.

Can you share your journey towards becoming a composer?

I can try! I like your phrase “journey toward becoming” a composer, as one’s always learning new things and setting out afresh. It’s one of the joys (and challenges) of the vocation.

My earliest childhood dream was to be a composer but I danced around it for a long time. Age 5- 12 I wrote a lot of pieces for myself and others (family; friends & elementary school classmates learning instruments) but once I became really serious about piano, it took a while before I felt comfortable calling myself “a composer.” (This is a big problem in classical music pedagogy, but that’s a separate topic.) I grew up in Keene, a sleepy, picturesque town in New Hampshire. I had a caring and devoted piano mentor there, who is the reason I can seriously play—and in the summers, I played chamber music one township over, at the wonderful Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music. But beyond Apple Hill, I had very little involvement with classical music institutions till I left for college. And by then, I’d quietly shelved the dream of being a composer.

I also had (and have) a lot of other interests besides music. It was one of these which finally pulled me back. During college, working as an actor at a summer stock theatre, I was called upon to write some last-minute music, nothing fancy, for one of our children’s productions. I ended up writing music for the theatre all summer. When I returned to Yale in the fall, I used that music to enroll in the undergrad composition seminar.

That’s how I had my first semester of composition lessons, the fall I turned 21. After that, I dropped the Math major I’d been working on. I worked like crazy to catch up on all the post-1945 music I’d never heard, got a fellowship to stay on at the Yale School of Music for a Masters, and at 24 I was teaching undergrads their first composition lessons, on the other side of the program which had given me my first.

So that’s how I found my way back to my earliest dream, after I thought I’d missed my chance. After that, it’s been a pretty normal pathway. I’m now doing graduate work with George Benjamin. Any time I feel like I’m coming to something late, or on the wrong timeline, George likes to remind me, “there are no rules.”

Mendelssohn wrote his most cracklingly alive works in his teens; Carter cut his gems even clearer after his hundredth birthday. I think George understands both sides: as a young person, he was a once-in-a-generation prodigy, but he also experienced artistic rebirth in his mid-40s, when he began writing those totally matchless operas of his. I’ve recently gotten to know the fantastic music of Zoë Martlew, who’s super in-demand now in her second career as a composer, on top of her vibrant life as a cellist. And George Lewis, doubtless among our most brilliant minds now working in music, came to the mantle of “composer” gradually, via his work, beginning in the early 80s, building rule-based AI systems to improvise with humans. We live in a time of countless pathways to being a composer. There are no rules.

What are your main sources of inspiration?

Texts, sounds, juxtapositions of ideas, juxtapositions of sounds. I also did ballet starting age 10, and danced through college—honestly, that’s a big part of it, I move a lot while writing. I look like a bit of a lunatic.

How do you typically approach commissioned works? Do you enjoy having specific guidelines, or do you prefer complete creative freedom?

Generally, a concert commission stipulates only the instrumentation and the length, no more. When you’re writing for friends or people who want to work with you, chatting and spending time can of course be fruitful for generating ideas. And in any sort of theatrical or collaborative multimedia work, there’s a lot of conversation among the creative team; this certainly might involve suggestions and guidelines from the presenter.

I don’t have any set personal rules. But if I’m starting from a truly blank canvas (the typical situation with an instrumental commission) I often begin by meditating on some unfinished problem in the last piece I wrote: some cast-off material, some incomplete exploration of a sound, or a way of moving. At the end of a piece, there’s always a lot of wood-chippings left on the floor. I like looking to these to get started on the next piece. It keeps me moving forward, into new challenges and considerations, which I like.

Could you walk us through your composition process?

It’s never easy! Usually: I start to slowly amass ideas, and these start to dictate form, which in turn suggests further content, which bolsters form, and this feedback loop sort of accelerates me along, and I make connections quicker and quicker and eventually spend some exhilarating and relatively sleepless weeks wrestling it into final shape. I do as much of the work as I can on paper, as my imagination is much freer there, and my formal guesses better. Eventually, the computer has to enter. But regardless of mechanics, there are always dead-ends, and incorrect gambits, and sometimes you need to let yourself throw away weeks of work for the good of the piece. (The time to properly agonize about all of this is a luxury of dubious value.)

Finally there’s this kind of beautiful thing, where the premiere’s done, and you start to get to live with the new piece—and the piece is finally no longer something you’re tearing your hair over—instead it gradually fades into a fond old gift, left to you by someone you used to be quite close with. And you get to keep it for years and years.

Were there any teachers or mentors who had a significant impact on your development?

So many — far too many to name all of them here. My mother, my first music teacher, brought the piano to me. Vladimir Odinokikh and many Apple Hill coaches and peers nurtured me musically through my childhood. Wei-Yi Yang, Michael Friedmann, and Katherine Balch met me where I was in college, and helped guide me to a path. Martin Bresnick, Aaron Jay Kernis, David Lang, and Christopher Theofanidis all offered invaluable lessons in grad school, as did Stephen Hartke and Derek Bermel at Aspen and Bowdoin. Dan Sedgwick, Eli Greenhoe, Lee Dionne, and Prach Boondiskulchok, entering my life at different times, have been important friends, colleagues, and sources of inspiration. Recently, Claudio Martínez Mehner has guided me in redrawing my approach to the piano and to musical communication. And it’s been wonderful to meet, learn from, and begin to pick the brains of other longstanding musical heroes of mine, notably Unsuk Chin. Finally — almost goes without saying — studying with George Benjamin has been the musical apprenticeship of my lifetime.

What excites you most about the upcoming 2025–2026 season?

I’ve got a three-minute piece—short, but dense and growing—which will be workshopped by the London Symphony Orchestra in March (’26). And I’ve got a new piano trio which Linos Trio will premiere at their festival in September (’25) in Köln.

There’s also a duo for vibraphone and marimba, Vaudeville, which I finished some months ago and I’ll hear for the first time this season. I’ve also got this new (2024) Fantasy, which I wrote for the extraordinary Bertrand Chamayou, but haven’t yet played myself. I’m very excited to start playing that around this year.

How has your experience been working with Classeek?

The team at Classeek has been warm and kind — bringing me and my peers perspective, on issues of career and practice, that’s fresh, focused, and professional. The Career Lab at the QEMC was one highlight of the program, and — needless to say —

I’m grateful to have had the space and the support to curate a show featuring music of others and music of mine, including a world premiere. Dedicated time and space to join friends and make friends in bringing a new work to life, that’s what we do this for.

Do you have a favorite memory from this experience that you'll always carry with you?

Sharing some terrific meals in Aubonne with the Classeek team and the small community of four I had the privilege to bring in, from their busy travels, to join me in this program. In general, feeling a part of the larger Classeek community, and getting to bring in others. Classeek works to lift young musicians up, and helps us lift each other up.

Quickly emerging as a leading young American composer, Miles’s works for orchestra, voice, chamber ensembles, and solo piano have been commissioned and performed in a growing number of countries around the world, including the U.S.A, the U.K, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Australia.

His Fantasy for piano solo (2024), a half-hour work commissioned by the Venice Biennale for Bertrand Chamayou, was recently praised as “one of the most refreshing piano compositions one has heard in recent times…. Don't forget this name.”

Miles's music has been commissioned and performed by groups including the London Symphony Orchestra, Orpheus Sinfonia, Linos Trio, Yale Percussion Group, and Aspen Chamber Symphony, and broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and RAI Radio 3. A versatile performer and devoted chamber musician, he is a present participant in OCM at IMS Prussia Cove, and has premiered over fifty new works.

Twice graduated from Yale (BA, MM), Miles holds a piano degree from the Musik-Akademie Basel under Claudio Martínez Mehner, and is currently pursuing his PhD with Sir George Benjamin.

The post Miles Walter on His Composition Process and Experience at Classeek appeared first on World's Leading Classical Music Platform.

Titled Panufnik Legacies IV, the release features new music by early-career composers of today. All the works are written by alumni of the LSO Helen Hamlyn Panufnik Composers' Scheme, which offers six composers the opportunity to write for a symphony orchestra annually. These composers are guided by composer Colin Matthews with support from composer Christian Mason.

Tell us about the Helen Hamlyn Panufnik Composers’ Scheme and its mission to present new composers to the world.

The Helen Hamlyn Panufnik Composers’ Scheme offers six early-career composers each year the opportunity to write for a symphony orchestra. Guided by renowned composer Colin Matthews and supported by Christian Mason, the scheme provides tailored mentorship, allowing composers to explore and develop their orchestral writing over the course of twelve months.

Each composer creates a three-minute piece, which is then performed by the LSO and discussed in a public workshop. From there, two of the composers are selected to receive further commissions — developing five- and ten-minute works that are premiered in concert by the LSO at the Barbican. The scheme not only nurtures orchestral composition skills but also builds lasting relationships between composers and the orchestra, launching many of them into successful professional careers.

This album is the fourth in the Panufnik Legacies series. Can you tell us about the composers being featured?

This fourth volume showcases composers who took part in the scheme between 2010/11 and 2019/20, offering a broad chronological and stylistic range. The album includes music developed during the scheme’s workshops, as well as works that were later commissioned by the LSO and featured in its main concert season.

Among the pieces is one by conductor Jack Sheen, commissioned through the scheme and featured on this recording. What’s truly special is the lasting connection that forms through the scheme—what we now refer to as the ‘Panufnik family’. Many alumni have gone on to international careers, with the LSO continuing to support, commission, and perform their work.

Who can apply to the LSO Helen Hamlyn Panufnik Composers’ Scheme?

Applicants must be aged 18 or over, have the right to reside in the UK, and be UK-based for the duration of the scheme (approximately 12 months). The scheme welcomes composers with a wide variety of musical backgrounds and approaches, particularly those who have not yet had a full orchestral work performed in concert by a professional orchestra.

We are especially keen to hear from individuals with distinctive compositional voices who have had limited access to professional development opportunities. This includes composers from a wide range of musical genres or from historically under-represented groups who are interested in writing for a symphony orchestra.

Why is it important to you personally to feature the work of living composers?

Music reflects the world around us. It expresses our most profound thoughts and emotions and speaks in a language beyond words. Composition is at the very heart of this—a lifeline that keeps music alive and evolving. Orchestras have a vital role in

transforming a composer’s vision from notes on a page into sound that fills the room and invites collective engagement.

Supporting living composers ensures that music remains a living, breathing art form. It keeps the tradition dynamic and relevant, allowing us to experience the concerns, ideas, and beauty of our time.

How does it feel to premiere all those pieces with the LSO?

It’s an immense privilege. The LSO has been premiering new works throughout its 121-year history—by British composers such as Adès, Bax, Britten, Delius, Elgar, Holst, Hannah Kendall, Knussen, Turnage, Tippett, Vaughan Williams, and Walton, as well as international figures including John Adams, Nono, Boulez, Takemitsu, Sophia Gubaidulina and John Williams.

The desire to explore, interpret, and bring new music to life is deeply embedded in the LSO’s DNA. Its musicians are naturally curious and open to innovation, which makes every premiere a genuine artistic adventure.

What are your hopes for the future of the "classical" music world?

The longevity and development of this scheme for composers has been possible due in large part to the extraordinary commitment of Lady Hamlyn and the Helen Hamlyn Trust. Their policy is to provide long-term support for programmes they believe in, thereby enabling the LSO to build and deepen the programme. Lady Hamlyn has recently taken the visionary step of endowing the programme with a major gift, which will ensure that the LSO can continue to support composers at the outset of their careers for decades to come.

Music is always evolving. New forms emerge through changing cultures, technologies, and perspectives. Classical music has a timeless quality, but it also thrives when it is in conversation with the world around it.

My hope is that classical music continues to inspire, challenge, and connect people—sometimes standing apart to highlight its heritage, and at other times engaging playfully and meaningfully with other genres. I want it to remain a space where musicians of all backgrounds can find their voice and where audiences can encounter both the familiar and the new.

The post Dame Kathryn McDowell on the London Symphony Orchestra Composers’ Scheme appeared first on World's Leading Classical Music Platform.

The Violin Channel recently sat down with violinist Janet Sung, Artistic Director of the Meadowmount School of Music, where she met the legendary violin teacher, Josef Gingold, with whom she studied for 10 years.

Student concerts from the Meadowmount School of Music will be available to watch on The Violin Channel on Wednesdays at 7:30 PM starting on July 2nd.

Janet Sung with Mr. Gingold in his studio

Tell us about your experience as a student of Josef Gingold. What are some of the best memories you have from those 10 years?

I first met Mr. Gingold at the Meadowmount School of Music when I was about 10 years old. He coached my quartet, performing Beethoven, Op. 18, No. 4. The details of that specific performance have faded over the years, but the feeling of that experience with him is still quite vivid. I auditioned for him the next year to be his private student- we did not know if he would consider me too young, but luckily, he saw or heard something and took me on. That started the journey of many years of studying with him, and my parents driving 16 hours round-trip from Pittsburgh, PA, to Bloomington, IN, every other week.

Some of the memories most deeply embedded in me are his vast knowledge of music, his stories about countless musicians (he was an amazing raconteur), his jokes (often a good pun), his distinctive and recognizable voice singing in lessons, and most of all, his artistry and playing. Every lesson with him was filled with him playing- always by memory, whether it was a concerto solo, lines from the orchestral accompaniment, or sometimes even playing at the piano. The greatest gift was being able to hear his violin sound every time I met with him. The warmth, honesty, and beauty of his tone are forever in my ear and still inspire me today.

What was his philosophy as a teacher?

During a lesson when I was 12 years old, I remember Mr. Gingold taking a book from his shelf and quoting from Shakespeare’s Hamlet: “… let your own discretion be your tutor. Suit the action to the word, the word to the action...” It was an early and powerful insight into thinking about music and its relevance beyond the printed page. He understood it took great discipline to develop one’s craft, but he also believed that our human side was equally important. Each person’s musicianship, education, and artistry are impacted by how they develop intellectually and as human beings. Everything in his playing was completely sincere and every note was given incredible love and care. We can only say something meaningful with our music if we are honest, no gimmicks.

Janet Sung and her string quartet with Mr. Gingold during her first summer at Meadowmount

Are there specific teachings you particularly want to pass on to the next generation from Mr. Gingold?

The teachings I received from Mr. Gingold that I try to impart come from his deep love of humanity and of music. To treat each other and the music with great respect, kindness, and generosity. (Violinistically, he often said that intonation is the basis of a beautiful tone!)

He was selfless and a deeply kind and caring person- it was not his personality to teach by employing scare tactics. His immense joy and care for music made you want to do well and to know, love, and discover more about the music and violin playing that ultimately gave you the means to express and share something.

To celebrate the anniversary of his passing, the Meadowmount School of Music is restoring the Josef Gingold Library. Can you tell us about this project?

This summer, we are restoring and re-opening the Josef Gingold Library in Main House as a dedicated teaching studio for chamber music and as an important learning and artistic space on the Meadowmount campus. Mr. Gingold profoundly influenced countless musicians who spent summers at Meadowmount, where he was a cherished teacher, mentor, chamber coach, and friend. This year is the 30th anniversary of Mr. Gingold’s death on January 11, 1995, and it is a wonderful way to honor his legacy and his deep love of chamber music.

Layers of administrative presence were cleared away, and the walls and ceiling were repaired to allow for cleaning, painting, and furnishing this studio in a manner fitting its namesake. A newly rebuilt grand piano was also added to the space, making the Josef Gingold Library once again an artist studio that will be busy with chamber music coachings and rehearsals throughout each day.

This summer season at Meadowmount, from June 27 to August 7, we are thrilled to present an internationally acclaimed roster of artists, many of whom are Meadowmount alums, including the Kronos Quartet, violists Kim Kashkashian and Molly Carr, violinists Ani Kavafian and Sheryl Staples, and cellists Colin Carr and Tommy Mesa. Like many of the talented students we will also hear perform this summer, these are artists who embody the spirit of Mr. Gingold’s legacy.

The post Janet Sung on her Experience Studying With Josef Gingold appeared first on World's Leading Classical Music Platform.

The Seventeenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition recently came to a close in Fort Worth, Texas. 29-year-old pianist Aristo Sham from Hong Kong/China won this year's first prize.

Open to pianists of all nationalities, the event chose 6 finalists who performed concertos with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and conductor Marin Alsop. Tune in here to The Violin Channel to watch all rounds of the competition! 

We caught up with The Cliburn's President and CEO, Jacques Marquis, to learn more about the historic competition.

Tell us about the Cliburn Competition. When was it founded and what is its primary mission?

After Van Cliburn’s historic win at the first edition of the Tchaikovsky Competition during the Cold War, a group of volunteers from Fort Worth decided to inaugurate in 1962 a new piano competition in tribute of Van Cliburn.

The mandate was to help young exceptional pianists launch careers and to share classical music with the largest audience. Today, we’re still doing the same.

What are you most looking forward to at this year’s edition of the competition?

Each year, we welcome brand new artistic personalities. The Cliburn offers them a platform to express their talent, their vision, their originality, their emotions. Through our webcast streamed all around the globe, we enhance and empower their message, their “unique voice.”  I love discovering new “voices!”

What has changed about the competition since its founding? 

The Cliburn started as a volunteer-run organization. Through the years, we added professional staff and activities. But the volunteer spirit is strong at the Cliburn; even today, we have around 400–600 volunteers involved with the Competition.

The second major change was the addition of programs. Over the years, we added Cliburn Concerts (1977), a recital series presenting the best musicians in the world; the Amateur Competition (1999), for outstanding non-professional pianists 35 years and older; the Junior Competition (2015), for exceptional pianists between 13 and 17 years old; and many more regional programs, like Cliburn in the Classroom, Cliburn Festival, Cliburn Sessions, and Cliburn in the Community, as well as the expansion and constant fine-tuning of the winners’ career management program and the new Cliburn Agency.

Naturally, the way we share music has changed a lot over the years. The Cliburn has a devoted audience here in Fort Worth, but we have now a strong presence online with our high-level webcast and the production of multiple documentaries. We just launched a new album with Decca (Yunchan Lim’s historic Cliburn performance of the Rach 3, and we have major media relationships with Apple Music Classical and the Platoon record label, Carnegie Hall+, Amadeus (China), Medici, and the Violin Channel.

What do you look to improve upon each edition?

Artistically, we fine tune our process in any edition: scoring system, rounds, repertoire, recruitment, conductors, jury members, screening auditions, etc. Every little aspect can have an impact on the results.

What are the major qualities you are looking for in a potential winner?

The simple answer is that we want them to be ready to begin an active professional career with many concerts for the next three years. Therefore, we are looking for a clear artistic vision on the repertoire, stamina, and commitment. What is the most interesting for me is to be “surprised” by a candidate, by their choice of repertoire, their flexibility, their creativity, their capacity to take risks.

Like any audience, or any jury, we want to fall in love with them, and we want to listen to them again and again.

What does the winner receive?

The first three prizes receive career management support for the next three years. That means concert engagements (around $1.2 million in fees across the three medalists), plus recordings, new websites, professional pictures, training on social media, finance, marketing, etc.

As for cash awards, the gold medalist receives a prize of $100,000, silver $50,000, and bronze $25,000.

And, naturally, with the webcast exposure (we expect 25M views in 2025), every young pianist gets great visibility here and around the world during the Competition.

In your opinion, when is the ideal time for a young musician to pursue competitions?

I feel that the right time is a very personal decision. The last Competition (2022) we had the youngest ever winner (Yunchan Lim at 18) and the oldest medalist ever (Anna Geniushene at 31). Two fantastic artists had very different journeys prior to the Cliburn.

No matter their age, they have to be prepared. The Cliburn asks around 4 hours to 4 1/2 hours of music until the end, and everything must be ready at the top level. This can be challenging for younger artists at times, though we have many examples of exceptions to that: Yunchan, of course, but also Haochen Zhang (who was 19 in 2009), Nobuyuki Tsujii (20 in 2009), and Beatrice Rana (20 in 2013).

How do you think competitions can best propel musicians’ careers?

Above and beyond what I said earlier, a competition is a great way to compare yourself with others and a fantastic way to learn and really fine tune repertoire. The work you will have done doing so will never be lost.

Are there particular performances/interpretations that particularly stuck with you from past editions of the competition?

There are so many great interpretations from so many different pianists in so many rounds over so many years. But for this purpose, I’ll intentionally choose some memories of our last three gold medalists:

• • • Trois mouvements de Petrouchka of Vadym Kholodenko (Gold 2013)
    • Schubert Sonata in C minor D958 of Yekwon Sunwoo (Gold 2017)
    • Rachmaninoff Concerto #3 of Yunchan Lim (Gold 2022)

The post The Cliburn's President and CEO Jacques Marquis on This Year's Competition appeared first on World's Leading Classical Music Platform.

Created in 1999, the Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition is organized every three years by the Quatuors à Bordeaux association,

Open to string quartets of every nationality, the Competition’s 11th edition will be held from May 19–25, 2025, at the Auditorium of the Bordeaux Opera. Click here to see the ten quartets that will be competing in this year's competition.

The Violin Channel recently talked with the Quatuor Modigliani, artistic directors of the Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition, to learn more!

Can you tell us about your quartet's background? 

We met at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris as students. This shared passion for the string quartet, plus our friendship, allowed us to embrace this commitment to life as a quartet, which we knew would be a long and difficult journey, but so rich musically, humanly, and spiritually.

Which ensembles and artists have had the greatest impact on you, and what did you learn from them?

Meeting the Ysaÿe Quartet was a decisive moment for us because, from our earliest years, we had the opportunity to work with them as if we were in a laboratory.

Also, the Artemis Quartet, from the beginning, was a decisive encounter for us. Seeing this young quartet interpret music with such perfection and respect for the text without losing their rich personality gave us even more hope.

Do you have favorite repertoire to play, and why?

We have been playing the French repertoire, which is frequently requested, quite early on. This season, to celebrate his birthday, we will be performing Ravel's quartet several times.

A few years ago, we also presented many of Schubert's works (a complete set on disc, as well as the octet).

Today, we are focusing on Beethoven's quartets, of which we are recording the first cycle of Opus 18.

What elements do you consider most important in the longevity of a string quartet?

It's important to be attentive and listen, both musically and personally.
We're not the same people we were 20 years ago; our life plans may evolve, and it's important to continue building a shared vision in which everyone can relate. This includes, for example, choosing repertoire, concert frequencies, teaching, and organizing events like the Bordeaux competition.

What role have competitions played in your career?

Preparing for a competition remains a very important moment in the life of a quartet. Often, the works a quartet has in its repertoire before entering a competition aren't broad enough for what the competition requires. It therefore needs to assemble a very diverse repertoire in a very short time, and it's at this point that the quartet's cohesion and intelligence make the difference.

A competition allows audiences, organizers, and managers to discover musicians they would never have heard without the competition. These artists often come from far and wide, and we know that each country has its unique music market, and what better way to enter it than through a competition!

The most important competition we've participated in was the Young Concert Artist auditions in New York. It allowed us to discover this incredible country and meet our future agent. We've been touring there once a year since that day in 2006.

What are you looking for in a winner of this year's competition?

The high-flying jury we have selected will be very sensitive to the quartet, which will be able to adapt its playing style according to the composer. Pieces from different periods will follow one another in a very short amount of time and cannot be played in the same way, so the quartet must be as stylistically faithful as possible.

What advice would you give to the ensembles performing at the competition in May?

A jury expects technical perfection in a competition, and this is why competitions are extremely difficult. The best advice we can give to young artists, especially quartets, would be to never lose their personality and vision of the work, all under the pretext of trying to be technically perfect.

Founded in 2003, the Modigliani Quartet annually tours in the United States and in Asia, and the quartet’s numerous European tours have brought them to Wigmore Hall, the Paris Philharmonie, the Théâtre des Champs- Elysées, the Berlin Philharmonie, the Vienna Konzerthaus, the Saint-Petersburg Philharmonia, and the Elbphil-harmonie in Hamburg.

After reviving the Rencontres Musicales Evian in 2014, of which they assured the artistic direction for 8 years, the quartet was entrusted with the artistic direction of the Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition in 2020. The quartet is also the founder of the Saint-Paul-de-Vence Festival and the Arcachon Chamber Music Festival, both created in 2011.

The Modigliani Quartet’s rich collaboration with the record label Mirare has led to 15 recordings representative of their vast repertoire.

The Modigliani Quartet also performs and commissions a wide range of contemporary works from composers including Marc-Antony Turnage, Philippe Hersant, Peter Vasks, Kaija Saariaho, and Evgeny Kissin.

A year after their founding, the Modigliani Quartet won three First Prizes successively at the Eindhoven International Competition (2004), the Vittorio Rimbotti in Florence (2005), and the Young Concert Artists Auditions in New York (2006). Following studies with the Ysaÿe Quartet and masterclasses with Walter Levin and Gyorgy Kurtag, the Modigliani Quartet was invited to work with the Artemis Quartet at the Berlin Universität der Künste.

The post The Quatuor Modigliani's Journey to Leading the Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition appeared first on World's Leading Classical Music Platform.

The Violin Channel recently had a chance to gather tenor Cyrille Dubois and pianist Tristan Raës' thoughts on their careers and the role of competition in this particular line of work. The pair makes up Duo Contraste, who won the Lyon International Chamber Music Competition in 2013. This year's competition will take place from April 23 to 26, 2025, and will be streamed live here on The Violin Channel.

What have been some milestones since you won the Lyon International Chamber Music Competition in 2013, as a group and individually?

Since we won the competition more than 10 years ago, we have continued our collaboration as a duo without losing sight of the philosophy linked to the practice of Lied and Melody interpretation, namely: chamber music. The pianist is not an "accompanist" for a singer, we establish our partnership on a strict equal footing.

When we competed, we were young musicians coming out of the conservatory. Today we have numerous recitals in prestigious places ranging from the Bourgie Hall in Canada to the Hermitage Museum in Moscow, the Palazetto Bru Zane in Venice, and the Wigmore Hall in London or various auditoriums in Paris (Louvre, Musée des Invalides). All these opportunities came, among other things, following the competition, and we quickly became "noticed" as defenders of this very particular repertoire of the singing/piano duo. We were also able to achieve a valuable collaboration with the Aparté label with whom we now have a great list of records: Liszt O Lieb! Melodies by Nadia and Lili Boulanger, Complete Melodies by Gabriel Fauré, Melodies by Louis Beydts, and recently the Complete Melodies by Gabriel Dupont and other surprises to come...

When was your last concert as a Duo?

Last October in Wigmore Hall, we presented the first concert of a large series that we will perform in this temple of Chamber music. Dedicated to French melody the series will include 10 recitals over 5 seasons during which we will play, among other things, the complete melodies of Gabriel Fauré. We will also take up a major part of the repertoire that we have played over the last 10 years: Poulenc, Debussy, Hahn, Beydts, Dupont, Cras, Ropartz, Ravel, Bizet, Chausson, Duparc, Berlioz, and many female composers to name just a few.

Soon we will have a recital in Sceaux and in the region where I am based, in Normandy, not very far from Mont Saint Michel, supported by the small organization that I set up 3 years ago to bring music to that area: "Mélodies in Grass."

Who are the artists who inspired you in your journey through melody repertoire?

There are several. But there are not many real “melodists” out there. I would say, without raking them, Ian Bostridge, Christoph Prégardien, Roderick Williams, Felicity Lott, Elly Ameling, Sandrine Piau, François Le Roux, and Fischer-Diskau

Cyrille, does a career in opera leave the time and desire to sing the delicate repertoire of melody? How do you split your time and your voice?

Chamber music and melody, in particular, is my oxygen. However, it is so difficult to find time to play chamber music. Opportunities for demanding recitals are increasingly rare, because they are often poorly promoted, and careers based solely on this repertoire are non-existent. We must therefore "free up" time to devote ourselves to it, which is a real militant act.

Above all, I like to stay curious! I am always amazed by the amount of music that remains to be discovered or rediscovered. The help of musicologists is extremely welcomed in this area, because we performers do not necessarily have the time for this research work: I love it when I receive a message from an enthusiast who encourages me to rediscover this or that composer.

As for cultivating one's voice to interpret this repertoire, it is, above all, a richness that one cannot necessarily develop in the great operatic form. We can only go so far in chamber music in comparison to performing with an orchestra. There is a sensitivity in relation to the almost infinite colors that we can bring to the creation of this repertoire.

What musical activities have you filled your life with?

Tristan and I continue to work outside of our duo recitals. Tristan is regularly invited as a chamber music partner in other groups: sonata, trio, etc. His teaching position at the CRR in Paris leaves only a limited time to develop a concert career. But we are not exclusive and we perform voice/piano duets with other partners. This enriches our own approach to music and then nourishes the interpretation of the things we do together. For my part, I also do a lot of staged and concert opera representations. New discoveries remain an area that satisfies my appetite for rarities and curiosity about music.

If you could start over, what paths would you take? How do you look back on your journey?

It's always difficult to judge your own work. Without a doubt, Tristan and I are grateful and happy to have gotten to where we are. But it didn't happen "overnight." It is with self-sacrifice, in good and bad days, that we build a career.

We turned to the "melody" genre very early in our musical journey, by taste. We were well guided by key people who also love the repertoire and continue to amaze us with the extent of their knowledge. The time is too early for any "assessment." We are trying to continue to fulfill chamber music fans' dreams, while our dream is to have a larger sounding board for this repertoire.

Academies and masterclasses are often occasions for memorable encounters. Have you had any revelations or decisive advice from great artists throughout your training?

We were lucky at the CNSM in Paris to have good guides in the Lied and Mélodie classes given by Anne Le Bozec and Jeff Cohen, then later wonderful encounters with artists like François Leroux or Olivier Godin. These are people who, through their kindness, have awakened in us this appetite to detect the hidden treasures that punctuate the scores of this repertoire. Later on, musicologists like Alexandre Dratwicki from the Palazetto Bru Zane gave us the gift of putting rare scores into our hands.

What have you gained from your participation in competitions?

Our first duo engagements came from competitions. What was great at the end of the CIMCL competition was that we had almost 2 years of recitals scheduled ahead of us, which is a lot. This allowed us to form partnerships with people who have since continued to trust us and, above all, lay the foundations of our work.

If you were to organize a competition, what would be the format, the rewards, the repertoire, etc?

The repertoire would be in the melody genre for sure! From there, there are already some wonderful competitions, starting with the CIMCL. But also the Boulanger competition or the Toulouse Melodies competition. I would love a format in 3 rounds: eliminations, semi-final, and final, with a varied and lengthy repertoire, with a strong emphasis on rarity and curiosity. I like when I go (rarely unfortunately) to a recital and get surprised by the programmatic audacity of a colleague. There is still so much to discover.

For the rewards, I would imagine a mix of hard cash (a helping hand at the start of life for deserving young musicians) and concert engagements (because this is what gives the essential experience to put one's foot down and become an accomplished artist.)

Why do you think competitions remain so crucial in the trajectory of today's musicians?

It provides the visibility that young people are looking for. It helps them get noticed, sometimes to "challenge" themselves, to leave their comfort zone, and to be confronted with the real competition of today's fierce market. Today, there is less and less work yet more and more excellent young artists. Competitions are a stepping stone for launching a career, and without them, it is more difficult. Not impossible though, let's remain optimistic!

What would you like to say to the candidates for the 2025 Lyon competition?

First of all, GOOD LUCK! Believe in what you do! Be bold so as not to regret anything. This moment is short, make the most out of it, whatever the results.

What would be your winning recipe?

Three things: Work, then, work and.... did I already say work?

More seriously, talent is a necessary but not the only element. Artists with superior means will be judged all the more harshly if we feel that they are relying too heavily on their raw talent.

Also, be curious. Surprising the jury — in the right way — can open doors.

And in the end, have fun! If the work has been put in beforehand, we are given the assurance and serenity of letting go in the moment of the concert. It allows us to bring out the best in ourselves and when that happens, there will be nothing to regret.

To those who win: the hardest part is starting, you're only at the beginning of your journey!

In 2025, the Lyon International Chamber Music Competition's jury will comprise mezzo-soprano Bernarda Fink, soprano Véronique Gens, pianist Markus Hadulla, tenor Mark Padmore, baritone Dietrich Henschel, and pianist Susan Manoff.

Open to candidates under the age of 34, the Lyon International Chamber Music Competition (CIMCL) is offering a total of €19,000 in prize money — as well as concert engagements, a tour with La Belle Saison, training at the Académie musicale de Villecroze, and many other opportunities.

15-20 duos will be selected to take part in the pre-selection round of the competition, with each duo presenting two 30-minute recitals. Then, those duos who proceed to the final will perform a 45-minute recital. This will feature a new work commissioned especially for the competition, which adds a string quartet to the duo format.

Past laureates of the competition include the Arete Quartet, from Seoul, South Korea — who won the 19th edition in 2024. The group is made up of violinists Chaeann Jeon and Eunjoong Park, violist Yoonsun Jang, and cellist Seonghyeon Park, and they received a cash prize of €10,000.

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107 violinists were admitted to this year's competition, happening from October 15-16, 2025, in Genoa, Italy

The Violin Channel recently caught up with Nicola Bruzzo, Artistic Director of the Premio Paganini International Violin Competition.

What is the main mission of the Premio Paganini International Violin Competition?

To discover and support talented young violinists as they launch their international careers, promoting the figure of Nicolò Paganini and the city of Genoa. More than a competition, its goal is to celebrate artistry, individuality, and the art of violin playing.

As its new director, what are you hoping to keep from the past?

The unquestionable international prestige of the competition’s "golden era," when Maestro Renato De Barbieri was its pillar alongside artistic director Luigi Cortese. During that time, an era that spanned several decades, Premio Paganini launched young violinists who became legends, including Salvatore Accardo, Miriam Fried, and later Leonidas Kavakos, and Isabelle Faust, to name just a few. Preserving this legacy of excellence and artistic integrity is essential as well as renewing the tools to broaden the same legacy.

What are you bringing to the competition from your past professional experiences?

I grew up in a musical environment where mutual listening and chamber music sensibility were essential, shaping every aspect of performance, from solo playing to orchestral work. This perspective influences my approach to the competition: I aim to modernize its profile while remaining deeply respectful of its traditions. This mindset has guided key decisions, from structuring the competition itself to selecting the jury and curating the repertoire.

Conversely, what are you hoping to evolve in the coming years?

Winning a competition today has a different impact on a young musician’s career than it did a few decades ago. The classical music world is evolving rapidly, often in unpredictable ways - sometimes it feels as if the industry is chasing innovation without a clear direction. Rather than following fleeting trends, I believe in focusing on real artistic values and keeping music at the center of everything, especially among the new generations. I think we are on the right path, and my hope is that Premio Paganini will continue to grow as an essential milestone for young violinists, not just as instrumentalists, but as true musicians and artists.

How much Paganini repertoire does one play in the competition?

A great deal, covering a wide range of his works. Competitors perform the Capricci, accompanied pieces like Le Streghe and Di tanti palpiti, and the extraordinary solo variations Nel cor più non mi sento or God Save the King, which are now compulsory in the Semifinal round for the first time. Of course, one of his violin concertos is also required. The only missing elements are his chamber works, such as the quartets and sonatas for violin and guitar or bassoon - but who knows? Maybe in the future! After all, candidates must also perform many other compulsory works alongside these Paganini masterpieces, including Schubert’s “Grand Duo” Sonata in A Major, Schumann’s Sonata in D minor, and Schumann’s Piano Quintet.

What are you looking for in a potential winner?

With a carefully designed repertoire and a jury of exceptional musicians, the competition is structured to lead to a certain result. While a first prize is never guaranteed, the ideal profile is clear: a violinist of the highest technical caliber, with a deep and sincere love for music in all its forms. Someone versatile enough to shine both as a soloist and in chamber music, capable of shaping a compelling concert program, and confident in their artistic choices, able to communicate them with conviction to the audience. A rare combination, indeed!

What have some of your winners gone on to do in their musical careers?

Many have become leading soloists, but more importantly, outstanding musicians. Some are most renowned quartet players, others have taken on prominent teaching positions. And in some cases, they’ve managed to excel in all three areas!

For you, what is the most important aspect of violin competitions?

The journey itself: the intense preparation, the pressure of performing on stage under high stakes, the invaluable people you meet along the way, the resilience and strength you develop. The list is long, and paradoxically, I believe that winning the competition isn’t even in the top ten most important aspects.

Live preselection auditions are about to begin. What are your expectations?

We anticipate an exceptionally high level, and I truly can’t wait to meet and listen to all the candidates. Starting April 3, the live auditions will begin in Genoa before continuing in Seoul, Guangzhou, New York, and Berlin. Premio Paganini is one of the very few competitions to select competitors through live auditions: a demanding process, but one fully justified by the extraordinary talent of the applicants. Their artistry deserves the full attention of an outstanding jury, and this would not be possible without the support of the City of Genoa, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and the unwavering dedication of our President, Giovanni Panebianco.

Nicola Bruzzo, Artistic Director of Premio Paganini, studied violin with Felice Cusano, Friedemann Eichhorn, and Natalia Prischepenko, drawing inspiration from great masters such as Thomas Brandis and Rainer Kussmaul. Both a chamber musician and orchestra player, Nicola has performed in the world’s most prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall, Wiener Musikverein, and Berliner Philharmonie, collaborating with leading soloists and conductors on the international scene.

At a young age, he joined the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin and now collaborates with top-tier ensembles such as the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. His discography includes recordings for Sony, Decca, Pentatone, Harmonia Mundi, and Alpha Classics. Since 2019, Nicola has been a Board Member at Ferrara Musica, later collaborating with Prof. Enzo Restagno to shape its artistic direction, particularly Ferrara Musica Xtra concert series.

In May 2024, he became Artistic Director of Premio Paganini.

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The program will include works by Beethoven, Poulenc, Stravinsky, Perkinson, Coleridge-Taylor, and Chen Gang & He Zhan-Hao.

Sirena made her solo debut with the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra in 2004 at the age of nine. She has since performed across three continents as a recitalist, chamber musician, and soloist with numerous orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, and Baltimore and Indianapolis symphony orchestras.

We caught up with the VC Artist on her experience in Indianapolis, and what she's looking forward to most for the upcoming recital.

Tell us about your experience at the Indianapolis International Violin Competition?

It was a unique and wonderful experience. It was my first time staying with a host family during a competition, and I immediately felt welcomed in the warmest way. My incredible hosts—Jennifer, Colin, and their adorable dog, Maeve—made me feel right at home from the start. A few days after arriving, I tested positive for COVID, which was a frightening and unexpected challenge. However, I’m incredibly grateful for my hosts, who took such wonderful care of me and made it easy for me to rest and recover.

One of the most memorable aspects of my time there was collaborating with pianist Melivia Raharjo, ECCO (East Coast Chamber Orchestra), and the Indianapolis Symphony with Maestro Slatkin. Making music with these phenomenal musicians was truly inspiring; there were moments where I was enjoying playing with them so much that I completely forgot I was in a competition!

How did you feel when you received the gold medal winner of the 2022 edition?

I first started watching the IVCI when I was eight years old. Every four years, my family would gather around my dad’s computer to listen to all the performances—it was our family’s version of the Olympics. I was always so excited to hear the incredible musicians, and afterwards, I’d feel inspired to practice, dreaming that maybe one day I could be part of it. I never imagined that 20 years later, I would actually have the chance to compete, let alone win. It still feels surreal, and I’m not sure it will ever fully sink in!

How did winning the competition help you in your career?

The competition has supported my career in extraordinary ways. It has opened the door to countless performance opportunities, led to my debut album, and my recital debut at Carnegie Hall. I was finally able to acquire the bow I had long wanted, and the artist management services have been truly invaluable. I feel incredibly fortunate to work with such an amazing team.

Tell us about your upcoming concert at Carnegie Hall. What is the program for this concert and what does it mean to you?

The program is: Stravinsky Suite italienne, Poulenc Violin Sonata, Beethoven Sonata No. 1, Perkinson Blue/s Forms, Coleridge-Taylor Deep River, and Chen Gang Sunshine Over Tashkurgan.

I felt compelled to create a program that was personal and reflected my growth in consciousness around systems of power and privilege. This collection includes composers from the classical canon that shaped my early musical journey, as well as composers of color whose work I discovered as an adult, and who profoundly reshaped my understanding of classical music and its possibilities. This program is a tribute to both the composers who shaped my past and those who inspire the artist I strive to be.

Discovering the works by Coleridge-Taylor, Perkinson and Chen Gang featured in this recital program, has been both exhilarating and sobering, highlighting the deep loss and harm caused by racism in the classical music world. I reflect on how much richer our musical landscape could have been if marginalized composers were embraced from the beginning. Too many artistic voices have been silenced, and it has become a personal mission to center the voices of those excluded from the traditional Eurocentric canon. That said, I acknowledge that representation alone isn’t sufficient, and we must keep working toward substantial, systemic change. This program is just the beginning of that journey, and I look forward to continuing to learn and grow along the way.

How does it feel to be presenting a recital in such a legendary concert hall?

Performing at Carnegie Hall is undoubtedly a profound and meaningful experience. It’s a stage where so many artists I’ve admired have performed, and having the opportunity to follow in their footsteps is truly an honor. That said, I strive to approach every performance with the same mindset, regardless of the venue or audience—to be fully present in the moment and serve the music as authentically as I can. In that sense, this performance aligns with how I approach all my concerts. I’ve also chosen pieces that resonate deeply with me—works I’m passionate about and eager to share—making it a very exciting experience for me.

What are your goals for the coming years?

We live in a world where all forms of oppression — imperialism, patriarchy and white supremacy — are deeply systemic and interconnected, shaping the very air we breathe. Over time, I have become increasingly aware of how these forces operate within the classical music world. Toni Morrison once said, “The [artists] that try hard not to be political are political by saying ‘we love the status quo.’” This resonates deeply with me. There is still so much learning and growing I need to do, and so much we can accomplish together to create a classical music world that is truly anti-oppressive and liberatory. In the years ahead, my goal is to continue to learn and grow particularly by reckoning the oppressive history of classical music, to explore new ways that challenge the status quo, and rethink what classical music can be.

Do you have advice for young competitors on how to make the best of a competition experience?

Everyone’s journey is different, so I can only share what I’ve learned from my own experiences. One of the most valuable lessons I’ve gained over the years is not to tie my self-worth as a musician to the outcome of a competition—though it took many competitions to truly internalize that. Once I was able to let go of that attachment, I found the freedom to be my authentic self in performance, and to me, that is the most important thing of all.

The post Violinist VC Artist Sirena Huang on her Upcoming Zankel Hall Recital Debut appeared first on World's Leading Classical Music Platform.

Published in six volumes, it is the most extensive collection of Stradivari’s masterpieces ever assembled and will allow all violin experts, including instrument dealers, researchers, and collectors, equal access to an invaluable archive.

To purchase Antonio Stradivari: The Complete Works, click here. The book is available as a Deluxe Edition and as a Library Edition.

We caught up with Simon Morris of Beares Publishing to find out more about the collection.

Why did you embark on this project?

We recognized a unique opportunity to make greater use of a rare collection of records from J&A Beare, W.E. Hill & Sons, and others, to which we had exclusive access. Our aim was to create a definitive record of all Stradivari’s work, bringing transparency to his output and the market. But it was more than just that. We wanted these books to be a work of art in themselves; a worthy testament to Stradivari’s legacy.

What were the greatest challenges to completing this release?

Well, to be completely frank, if we had known how big the challenge would be – the enormous mountain we would have to climb – then we would have thought twice about starting. We initially thought there were about 650 instruments, but tracking down each 'Strad' mentioned in literature and archives led us to almost two hundred more. Many instruments have been recorded under different names and dates, making research even more complicated. In the end, we included 845 provenances, which took us nine years due to historical mix-ups and embellishments.

On a related note, at the end of the sixth and final volume, we included two indexes—one lists all the different names given to the instruments. We hope this will help readers find the right instrument across the volumes.

Who is the publication for?

I would describe "Antonio Stradivari: The Complete Works" as a thorough celebration of Stradivari’s genius, tailored for anyone eager to understand his legacy. It’s crafted for connoisseurs, violin makers, players, collectors, and researchers looking to explore every detail of Stradivari’s instruments. Alongside the photographs, we’ve included the history and provenance of each instrument, giving readers insight into Stradivari’s craftsmanship and the remarkable journeys these violins have taken over the centuries.

This publication addresses gaps left by earlier works, providing an organized and accessible format that casual enthusiasts can enjoy, while also ensuring seasoned experts find the detail they need. For anyone connected to the world of fine violins, it is more than just a reference; it’s a chance to fully engage with Stradivari’s artistry.

What is the difference between your publication and other collections like it? And in today's digital age, what makes this collection stand out?

We were fortunate to access original reliable sources that previous publishers simply didn’t have. This allowed us to piece together many instruments’ histories without relying solely on existing literature. The ability to cross-check information with various sources was essential.

We also aimed to include photographs of as many examples as possible. Most are high-quality color images, but in some cases, when instruments were no longer accessible or their whereabouts were unknown, we couldn’t photograph everything ourselves. To address this, we filled the gaps with archive photographs whenever we could. Ultimately, this publication offers the most comprehensive photo archive of Stradivari’s work, and we hope this record will help prevent any future confusion. The instruments are listed chronologically, making it easy to compare different years and periods of his craftsmanship.

We’re living in an era of unprecedented technological change. Most of the archival material we used to trace provenances is based on paper records from past and present dealers — none more valuable than the notes and ledgers of W.E. Hill & Sons, which provide incredible information. However, as we shift to digital accounting and constantly changing formats, it may become very challenging, if not impossible, for future generations to trace provenances for instruments made after the late 1990s. Additionally, confidentiality surrounding current owners further complicates tracking these instruments as they move across countries and continents. To assist future researchers, we included the names of the dealers involved in transactions, offering them a starting point for their searches.

Is this the reason for choosing the print format? Are you planning to make the book digitally accessible?

It is somewhat anachronistic, but we intended these volumes to serve as a timestamp. As they stand, the books reflect the state of knowledge in 2024. While the market is always changing and instruments frequently change hands, the print format helps safeguard the provenances from being altered or embellished.

Though we might consider adapted versions in the future, there are no immediate plans for a digital release.

In regards to Stradivari’s legacy, could you explain why after 300 years this is still a relevant topic of research?

There is no other piece of technology that I know of that is 300 years old and still in use today. I’m referring to the actual object—not just the design or idea, like the wheel (the sundial is the only exception I can think of). It’s the magical blend of craftsmanship and acoustic science that makes Stradivari so captivating. The sheer output during his 93-year lifetime and the exceptional quality he maintained can never be equaled. Even now, today’s violin makers continue to copy his instruments, trying to replicate their wonderful tone and visual beauty, just as they have for centuries.

Stradivari’s legacy remains a relevant topic because his violins are the pinnacle of craftsmanship, celebrated for their rich, complex tones and projections that suit large concert settings. His instruments are regarded as masterpieces and cultural treasures, holding unmatched value in musical, historical, and financial terms. Despite modern advancements, researchers and luthiers still find it challenging to replicate his techniques, which adds to the mystique surrounding his work.

Moreover, the appeal of Stradivari’s instruments goes beyond music; collectors view them as links to history, investing in them as works of art and heritage. This unique blend of musical excellence, cultural significance, and ongoing scientific inquiry ensures that Stradivari’s violins continue to captivate us, even after 300 years.

The disclaimer at the beginning of the book mentions that the editorial team is not acting as an authentication committee. Could you explain how you decided which instruments to include?

Given the sheer volume of instruments attributed to the Stradivari workshop, it would be impossible for anyone to personally inspect each one. However, it was never our intention to act as an authentication committee. Instead, we relied on certificates and histories provided by leading experts throughout the history of the instruments. We categorized the included instruments into three distinct groups:

· Featured Instruments: This group highlights particularly interesting examples for which we had a complete set of photographs.

· Standard Format: Most instruments fall into this category, which includes three views to provide a comprehensive visual representation.

· Additional Format: This category covers instruments with limited or incomplete archival sources, allowing us to acknowledge their existence while clarifying gaps in documentation.

This structured approach helps us present a well-rounded view of Stradivari’s work while maintaining transparency about the sources and documentation associated with each instrument.

Have you included the work of Stradivari’s sons?

Absolutely. Antonio Stradivari's sons, Francesco and Omobono, play an essential role in his legacy. Our head of research, John Dilworth, believes that, although Stradivari’s workshop included his sons as well as other craftsmen. every instrument leaving the workshop until Antonio’s death would have been thoroughly vetted by him. He was clearly in charge, aware of his dominant position in the market and committed to maintaining quality for his elite clientele.

While some entries may indicate attribution to one of the sons (or "showing the hand of" their work), we have chosen to classify all instruments produced while Antonio was alive as part of his body of work. We believe that future scholars will be better positioned to explore the contributions of his sons and analyze their impact on the Stradivari legacy.

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