No. 322, January/February 2025

In our cover story this issue, violinist Sarah Neufeld and cellist Rebecca Foon talk about their recent release, First Sounds, with multi-instrumentalist Richard Reed Parry. This trio has been playing together for twenty-five years, and the improvised project reflects their decades of friendship. “I feel like, the older I get,” says Foon, “the more that having that kind of musical connection is such a treasure.” Elsewhere, you’ll find a special section focusing on music and the mind, highlighting what brain scans reveal about music, focus, and emotion; how music serves as medicine; and a concert series aiming to improve its audiences’ mental health.   Also in this issue:  Violinist Rachel Barton Pine plays Corelli The lasting impact of a MacArthur Fellowship An Oxford-based violin maker turned novelist The JACK Quartet’s ode to John Zorn Brush up that spiccato And more . . .   New to the store: we are pleased to offer select sheet music related to the stories in this issue. Play the is