Music for a dark winter morning
On this dark morning, we need Heine and Schumann, arranged by David Matthews
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Music from the Ashmolean Museum
Here is the (first draft) of the documentary film that Malene Skawerved and I made about the 1722 ‘Rode’ Stradivari at the Ashmolean Museum as…
The ‘Francesca’ Stradivari at the Metropolitan Museum
Knowledge Exchange Violin films building at pace now. Here are Vilsmayr, Matteis, and Eccles on the Metropolitan Museum of Art 1693 ‘Francesca’ Stradivari in modern…
David Matthews Quartets in the Studio
On December 4th, the Kreutzers went back into the studio with David Matthews’ 16th & 17th Quartets. It has been my joy to work with…
Robin Holloway Solo Sonatina
Celebrating Robin Holloway’s birthday. One of his two tremendous works for violin alone
Kreutzer Quartet at the Aldeburgh Festival June
My reflections on three days playing quartets at the Aldeburgh Festival – there will be more tomorrow! Some thoughts about Kreutzer Quartet Britten-Pears Arts/Aldeburgh Festival…
1700 Stradivari at the Library of Congress Washington DC
Just a glimpse of what I have been doing at the Library of Congress for my Knowledge Exchange Violin project this autumn (find out more…
On the Road in the USA – Knowledge Exchange Violin in Wisconsin – Minnesota – DC – New York – Connecticut – Illinois – Maryland!
I am in the midst of a welter of wonder – new music in the Midwest Fall colours, filming at the Library of Congress and…
Premiering Robert Saxton’s Solo Sonata – Nicosia, London, Cambridge
It’s been a very busy week, and I will write about it more this weekend. But here’s a picture of the premiere of Robert Saxton’s…
Sadie Harrison on the practice desk and in the rehearsal room
‘Moonstone Fire’, the first movement from Sadie Harrison’s exquisite ‘… An Amaranth from the Shade …’ which Roderick Chadwick and I premiere in Carmbridge on…
A Glimpse of work with James Turrell SkySpace
Knowledge Exchange Violin: Part 3 – Autumn 2023
. The
Robert Saxton meets Samuel Dushkin
This afternoon at the Metropolitan Museum, I could not resist the chance of playing the music of Robert Saxton, on this wonderful Voirin bow owned…
Bartok in New York City
It’s not possible to be in New York City, practising and writing about Bartok, and NOT play the great sonata he wrote here. So here…
Jonathan Harvey – Flight Elegy (live)
Over the past few days, watching California Condors over buttes and ravines of the South Rim of the Canyon, I found this wonderful piece by…
Thinking about John Cage by the Grand Canyon
At the end of this extraordinary day, Malene Sheppard Skaerved Garrison Keillor and I were looking at this view and talking about music. The conversation…
Honouring Gloria Coates!
I was thinking about my dear friend Gloria Coates’ wonderful quintet on the train over the Rockies, and into New Mexico yesterday. There was the…
Conversations with Bartók – Violin in hand August 2023
Conversations with Bartók – August 2023 It’s not possible to be in New York City, practising and writing about Bartok, and NOT play the great…
‘I met a traveller from an antique land’ Some thoughts about scratches, bumps and wear
Some thoughts about wear patterns on violins and violas …A letter to a fellow musician (August 2023) Your fascinating letter offers so many…
Thoughts from the practice desk
Dialogues: Bartok on the practice desk. I studied this piece with Manoug Parikian when I was 18, and it is fascinating to work on the…
Preparing for concerts, workshops and more at the Deal Festival 2023
Composer and Deal festival director Luke Styles sent me these photos of Mihailo Trandafilovski & Joanna Jones’ linked paintings and composition, hanging at the Linden…
Films from the Metropolitan Museum – Out Now!
Just up on the Metropolitan Museum Website. So grateful for everyone who made this possible! @RoyalAcadMusic Follow the link! Here’s some Eccles to get you…
Films for the Metropolitan Museum – (Knowledge Exchange Violin)
Five Great Instruments at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City This video was the result of a collaboration between Peter Sheppard Skærved ,…
Back to the practice desk – July 2023 [IN PREPARATION/STUB]
Why do we practise? At about 230 am this morning, as I wrapped up the violin and put it away, I realised that I was…
Deal Festival 2023 – Thinking my way back to a much-loved place IN PREPARATION!!!
On Thursday 22nd June, after the wonderful day recording David Matthews and Edward Cowie in the Chiltern Hills the day before, I got on the…