10 Classical Music Pieces for Studying and Concentration
The aim of this article is to guide students of music, or enthusiasts, towards some key pieces from Western Classical Music that are of particular … Read more
Dr Justin Wildridge
What is Music Therapy and How Does It Work?
What is Music Therapy? Music can have a profound effect on nearly everyone evoking the full gamut of human emotions often with only a few … Read more
Multiplayer Piano: 6 Piano Pieces for 4 Hands and More
Whilst we regularly see performances on the piano with a single pianist, there are a large number of astonishing pieces specially composed for one piano … Read more
What Language Is Opera Sung In?
Opera remains a hot topic not only as a genre of music but more specifically when looking into its origins. To fully appreciate the languages … Read more
Characteristics of Hector Berlioz Music: An Introduction
Characteristics of Hector Berlioz Music For many listeners, Hector Berlioz epitomizes the image of the Romantic composer. His works are often monumental in their ambitions … Read more
Beethoven Sonatas By Difficulty | Challenging Piano Music Ever
In Beethoven’s relatively short life he devoted significant time to composing for the instrument that he made his own: the piano. Even though Beethoven composed … Read more
What Makes a Good Composition?
I have often felt that trying to figure out exactly what makes a composition have lasting appeal and to be considered good, is like trying … Read more
Operatic Scandals: Controversies and Censorship in 19th-Century Opera
At the very tail end of the 19th Century arrives one of the most discussed and criticized operas. Richard Strauss’s Salomé (Op.54) is a setting … Read more
Classical Music and Virtual Reality
Despite what you may feel about technology and its advancements, the idea of an immersive experience using VR in the world of classical music is … Read more
The Influence of Nature in the Compositions of Jean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) was a composer who, like many of his contemporaries, drew deep inspiration from his natural environment. His passion for his home country … Read more
5 French Classical Music Pieces You Should Listen To
Germany and Italy as countries are often accused of dominating the world of Western Classical Music. To an extent, that is true but the effect … Read more
What Are The Hardest Instruments To Play With?
This is a question I’ve often been asked by students. It is not as easy to answer as you might think. Some people find some … Read more
Exploring Minimalism in Classical Composition
Minimalism grew organically out of a reaction to the Western creative cultures that dominated the landscape of late 1950s America. Since then, its popularity and … Read more
How Did The Renaissance Change Music?
It may be helpful when exploring the title to understand that the word renaissance broadly means re-birth. This is particularly relevant as, during this colourful … Read more
The Hardest Brass Instrument To Play
Not being a brass player myself, I have based my findings on having worked with many brass players and the comments made by them and … Read more