Stradfest

Stradfest, The Strad’s new event designed to help string players develop a rewarding career, took place yesterday, in association with J & A Beare. Held at the Royal Institution of Great Britain in London, it featured a programme of talks and workshops, delivered by professionals from leading orchestras, competitions, record labels and conservatoires. Advice was offered on impressing at auditions, working on stage presence, improving social media skills, succeeding in competitions, creating a digital portfolio and looking after physical and mental health. There was also guidance from luthiers and dealers on finding, acquiring and looking after instruments - as well as the opportunity to see, and even play, a selection of fine instruments - among them some by Antonio Stradivari. Attendees took part in interactive sessions, not least a ‘silent quartet roulette’, playing on Yamaha electric instruments, and a relaxed introduction to improvisation. In addition, the day featured a number of stands and exhibitions, including The Strad Exhibition, which comprised photographs of some of the world’s greatest string players from our archive; and a gallery showcasing the works artist and violinist Leonardo Frigo, who has been transforming stringed instruments into pieces of visual art for the past decade. Frigo himself was there too, working on a new piece during the event. Prizes were awarded: to violinist Iona Allan, who won a Gewa instrument case, and to Casey-Joan Whyte, who won the iClassical Academy Grand Prize of a video recording for a free promotional piece on their MusiXange platform. Furthermore, there were a number of performances, from violist Timothy Ridout, The Dover Quartet, and finally, violinist Anne Akiko Meyers playing on her c.1741 ‘Vieuxtemps’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ – the world’s most expensive instrument. Her programme with pianist Gordon Back, which also included music by Mozart and Rautavaara, culminated in a barnstorming performance of Ravel’s Tzigane. (Taken from The Strad website, 25 March 2019)