How to inspire your children to practice a musical instrument? Make a CD! Isserlis and Hough have designed a delight of short pieces ready to lure students from beginners to mini-virtuosos. Th ere are a wealth of composers – Nelson, Boccherini, Bridge, Faure, Bryars, Blake – plus a mixture of cello classics and littleknown personal favourites. Even Isserlis’ fi rst concert performance ‘Tarantella’! And lastly Simon Callow creepily narrates Isserlis’ own ‘Haunted House’. Th is is a terrifi c and deliberately diverse compilation made to intrigue. What a great way to learn! (Double 5 stars in the June BBC Magazine).

Ruth Gould is from Readings Carlton.