No. 284, December 2018

Special Focus: Holiday Gift Guide Hot Stuff The Hot Club of San Francisco turns 30—and turns up the heat By Greg Cahill   Loss Prevention A look into the world of instrument theft By Brian Wise   Predictably Unpredictable John Harbison finds ever more creative avenues By Thomas May   Holiday Gifts Made Easy Some gift suggestions for the other string players in your life By Stephanie Powell and Megan Westberg   Season of Giving Seven players on the best gifts they’ve ever given to their string-playing friends and family Compiled by Stephanie Powell   Editor’s Note   News & Notes Sphinx Organization announces 2019 Medal of Excellence recipients; plus Milestones; 5 Minutes with . . . Ascenté Chamber Orchestra teacher Kelly Flynn, and more   Letter from #Bach333 Celebrating Bach’s 333rd birthday in 3 cities in 3 countries on 3 continents—in 5 days   Letter from Africa Looking back at the Minnesota Orchestra’s August 2018 tour of South Africa   Shop Talk Violin maker Jay Ifshin on the b