Brush Up Your Bow Hold Special Focus: ADULT AMATEUR PLAYERS Be Brave! Write Your Own Songs LEONARD BERNSTEIN: Celebrating the String Works Enter JOSHUA BELL’s ‘Fantasy’ World ELENA URIOSTE Finds her Violin Soul Mate August 2018 No. 280 StringsMagazine.com Ascenté violin strings elevate the sophistication of my students’ tone. -Dr. Charles Laux, Alpharetta, GA D’Addario Ascenté is the first synthetic core string designed to elevate your craft. It’s the only string that combines the sophisticated tone, unbeatable pitch stability, and superior durability required by the progressing player. The next-level string for the next-level violinist. I started my musical journey twelve years ago, continuing to love what I do. I am extremely elated that snow violin has fulfilled my life with its intensity, power and beauty. Yaas Azmoudeh www.snowviolin.com 1-800-645-0703 [email protected] 16 SPECIAL FOCUS FEATURES Adult Amateur Players 16 Leonard Bernstein at 100 36 Celebrating the legendary A New World composer-conductor’s string works On the benefits and unbridled loyalty to the music of starting cello By Thomas May lessons at age 63 By Judy Pollard Smith 23 Journey to the Highlands 38 Joshua Bell’s new recording with Lifelong Wish the Academy of St Martin in the It’s never too late to pick up Fields pairs Bruch’s Violin Concerto an instrument—here are No. 1 with ‘Scottish Fantasy’ 5 tips for adult beginners By Inge Kjemtrup By Miranda Wilson 28 41 Prized Possessions Better Together String players and makers Encouragement and advice on their most sentimental for advancing amateur string-related items orchestral musicians Compiled by Stephanie Powell By Emily Wright & Megan Westberg 44 How to Start an Adult Chamber-Music Ensemble AUGUST These tips can help ensure 2018 a successful experience VOLUME XXXIII, NUMBER 1, ISSUE 280 By Greg Cahill COVER: ELENA URIOSTE BERNSTEIN—WILLIAM P. GOTTLIEB BERNSTEIN—WILLIAM P. PHOTO: ALESSANDRA TINOZZI StringsMagazine.com 5 STR13781 The Best of the Future SV-200.qxp_Layo DEPARTMENTS 9 50 Editor’s Note Your Instrument The Best of A well-made peg is a thing of beauty, 10 not just function News & Notes the Future Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason performs 52 at the royal wedding; plus Milestones; New Products In our ever-changing digital world, 5 Minutes with Roberto Díaz, and more Gewa partners with Ray Chen musical instruments, like everything on a signature case, and more else, evolve. Yamaha has combined 10 its expansive 100-year acoustic PLAY experience with its unrivalled technological leader- 56 ship to produce a On My Music Stand unique hybrid of Violist Clifton Harrison on the timeless qualities of Ives’ String Quartet No. 2 classical style and modern function: the 58 SV-200. It’s ideal for silent Tech Support practicing, spectacular Developing structure and flexibility performing and serious in your bow hold recording. Learn all about 14 60 the SV-200, and every Letter From India My Studio other Yamaha modern Violinist Cassandra Sotos on touring in Achieving all my professional goals and classical violin, India and South Africa with Bollywood made me realize I had chosen the at 4wrd.it/SV200 star Arijit Singh wrong profession 70 62 Shop Talk Stage & Studio Violin and viol maker Gabriela Songwriting advice from Carrie Rodriguez, Guadalajara on her varnishing process Amanda Shires, and Carla Kihlstedt WORK BENCH REVIEWS 48 65 What’s in the Case? For the Record Violinist Elena Urioste discusses Duo Gazzana on the premiere recording her 1706 Alessandro Gagliano of Ligeti’s ‘Duo’ for violin and piano 48 67 In Print Gershwin’s ‘Lullaby’ blends classical and jazz for string quartet, and more KANNEH-MASON—LARSBORGES 6 August 2018 / Strings 1st prize of the 2018 Menuhin Competition Diana Adamyan playing her MÄCHLER violin U M URS W. MÄCHLER String Instruments for Soloists URS W. MÄCHLER String Instruments for Soloists Hinterlandstrasse 62 Tel.: +49 (0) 64 68 - 91 76 777 www.maechler.de D-35232 Dautphetal / Holzhausen Fax: +49 (0) 64 68 - 91 76 778 [email protected] STAMELL ONLINE STRINGED INSTRUMENTS RENT WITH US! Zuill Bailey Top quality instruments. Excellent service for 30 years. New students always get 50% off their first rental payment. What we sell is Sound. SINCE 1989 stamellstring.com (800) 766 0936 STRINGS SESSIONS Your favorite artists perform the music they love in our exclusive video series, Strings Sessions. Watch them all at StringsMagazine.com/Sessions BISCHOFBERGER VIOLINS Professional Repairs, Appraisals, & Sales DOWNLOAD THIS MAGAZINE, FOR FREE Visit store.StringsMagazine.com/digital-edition 1314 E. John St. and enter code AUG280FR at checkout Seattle, WA to get a free PDF version of this issue! 206-324-3119 www.bviolinsltd.com @StringsMagazine @stringsmagazine @stringsmagazine 8 August 2018 / Strings EDITOR’S NOTE StringsMagazine.com CONTENT DEVELOPMENT Editor Megan Westberg Managing Editor Stephanie Powell Associate Editor Anna Pulley Copy Editor Ariel Adams Production Manager Hugh O’Connor Contributing Editors Cristina Schreil, James N. McKean, Darol Anger, Sarah Freiberg, Inge Kjemtrup, Louise Lee, Laurence Vittes, Brian Wise, Thomas May, Patrick Sullivan, Emily Wright Creative Services Creative Director Joey Lusterman Production Designer Olivia Wise SALES & MARKETING Chief Revenue Officer Lyzy Lusterman Sales Director Cindi Olwell Sales Managers Ref Sanchez, Amy-Lynn Fischer Marketing Services Manager Tanya Gonzalez Sales Associate Vanessa Averbeck Product Marketing Manager Kelsey Holt Subscription Marketing Manager Lauren Boyd Amateur Chamber Music Players (ACMP) home coaching workshop Single Copy Sales Consultant Tom Ferruggia little part of me that had Fantasy.” He’s paired this lesser-known work been on hold for years with Bruch’s ever-popular Violin Concerto unlocked with every pull No. 1. While Bell has recorded that piece of the bow.” Judy Pollard before, and with the Academy as well, it was Stringletter.com Smith wrote that about about 30 years ago, giving Bell plenty of time her experienceA of beginning cello lessons at to refine his interpretation. Inge Kjemtrup Publisher and Editorial Director David A. Lusterman “ age 63. And I just loved it. It’s so easy, as chats with him about his rapport with the adults, to postpone the things we want, but Academy, his love for the “Scottish Fantasy,” FINANCE & OPERATIONS Chief Operations Officer Anita Evans feel we can’t justify amid the swirl of profes- and how 30 years has changed his approach Accounting Associate Raymund Baldoza sional and personal obligations that make up to Bruch’s famous work. Bookkeeper Geneva Thompson a busy life. Once Pollard Smith found that she I hope you enjoy these stories and the oth- had the time to reinvest in herself, she found ers in this issue, including a feature story General Inquiries [email protected] that music had been waiting for her all along. about Leonard Bernstein’s contributions to Customer Service [email protected] Advertising Inquiries [email protected] You’ll find her story in this issue’s special the string world (visit StringsMagazine.com Send e-mail to individuals in this format: focus on adult amateurs, where we celebrate on August 25 for an online exclusive feature [email protected] the dedication and generosity of this group of by cellist Barbara Bogatin about her experi- players who practice so diligently and share ences working with Bernstein); a round-up of Front Desk (510) 215-0010 music freely without the allure of a paycheck. string-related items that mean the most to Customer Service (800) 827-6837 General Fax (510) 231-5824 You’ll also find some advice there for amateur string stars and violin and bow makers; Secure Fax (510) 231-8964 players looking for new musical experiences. songwriting advice from Carrie Rodriguez, Speaking of new musical experiences, Amanda Shires, and Carla Kihlstedt; a bow- Mail & Shipping 501 Canal Boulevard, Suite J, Richmond, CA 94804 Joshua Bell’s new release with the Academy hold brush-up; and so much more. of St Martin in the Fields includes a work As always, I’d love to know what you think. Printed in USA he’s never recorded before: Bruch’s “Scottish —Megan Westberg, editor TO SUBSCRIBE to Strings magazine, call (800) 827-6837 or visit us online at StringsMagazine.com. As TO ADVERTISE in Strings, Strings Notes, and on StringsMagazine.com and connect with more than a subscriber, you enjoy the convenience of home delivery and you never miss an issue. You can take care 200,000 string players, teachers, and members of the trade, please contact sales director Amy-Lynn of all your subscription needs at our online Subscriber Services page (StringsMagazine.com/subscriber- Fischer at (510) 215-0016 or [email protected]. services): pay your bill, renew, give a gift, change your address, and get answers to any questions you may have about your subscription. A single issue costs $7.99; an individual subscription is $40.00 per DISTRIBUTION Music retailers please go to Stringletter.com/Retailers. year; institutional subscriptions are also available. International subscribers must order airmail delivery. articles are indexed in The Music Index and The Music Article Guide. Except as noted, all con- Add $15 per year for Canada/Pan Am, $30 elsewhere, payable in US funds on a US bank, or by Visa, Strings tents © 2018 String Letter Publishing, Inc., David A. Lusterman, Publisher. No part of the contents may MasterCard, or American Express. COURTESY AMATEUR CHAMBER MUSICPLAYERS be reproduced, in print or electronically, without prior written permission. StringsMagazine.com 9 NEWS & NOTES “I was bowled over when Ms. Mar- kle called me to ask if I would play during the ceremony, and of course I immediately said yes!” Kanneh- Mason said in a press release. “What a privilege to be able to play the cello at such a wonderful event.” Kanneh-Mason isn’t crowd-shy— the 19-year-old cellist made a name for himself, alongside his musical sib- lings, on Britain’s Got Talent in 2015.