Soprano saves the day by singing two roles in ‘La traviata’
Claudia Rosenthal, a soprano at the Pittsburhg Opera, stepped in at the last minute to sing two roles in La traviata after the lead soloist … Read more
CLASSICAL
Montreal Symphony becomes first orchestra to own an octobass
Audiences in Montreal got to see a world first: the Montreal Symphony Orchestra became the only ensemble to welcome an octobass into its ranks. The … Read more
Watch striking Pittsburgh Symphony musicians give free performance
Musicians at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra remain on strike in opposition to plans by management to cut pay and reduce the size of the ensemble. … Read more
Franz Liszt was born on this day in 1811
The great pianist, composer and conductor Franz Liszt was born today in 1811. Liszt’s musical talents were legendary. He could reportedly make grown men weep … Read more
11-year-old composer compared to Mozart gets ready for opera premier
Alma Deutscher has composed her own version of Cinderella, which takes place in an opera house. Cinderella is transformed into a young composer, who offers … Read more
Take a look at how a violinist plays Habanera one-handed
Habanera has been interpreted in various ways, but it’s doubtful many have been able to equal this effort in terms of hilarity. It comes from … Read more
See how Pocket Concerts brings classical music to the living room
Toronto-based Pocket Concerts is promoting a new and exciting way of experiencing classical music. Rather than playing in the concert hall, they bring the music … Read more
Do blind auditions help increase diversity in orchestras?
Chi-chi Nwanoku, a double bassist and founder of an orchestra for black and ethnic minority musicians, recently called for blind auditions at British orchestras to … Read more
Bells silenced at York Minster after ringers are fired
The bell ringing team at York Minster, one of the oldest cathedrals in Europe, was disbanded last week in a move that will leave the … Read more
Meet the composer behind The Great Human Odyssey soundtrack
The Great Human Odyssey, an epic tale of the emergence of our species and how we survived, will be broadcast for the first time this … Read more
Itzhak Perlman speaks out on value of music education
World-famous violinist Itzhak Perlman spoke recently to stress the importance of music education and encouraging children to take up music at a young age, even … Read more
A pop-up concert in the most unlikely place
It seems whenever we report here about the interaction between musicians and airlines the story always ends on a sour note. But at long last … Read more
Neville Marriner, who conducted Amadeus soundtrack, dead at 92
British violinist and conductor Sir Neville Marriner died this weekend at the age of 92. He is best known for conducting the soundtrack to the … Read more
Strikes spread at US orchestras
Musicians at orchestras in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia went on strike last Friday as disputes deepened with management over plans to cut budgets. Philadelphia Orchestra musicians … Read more
Sergei Prokofiev and his composition for children: Peter and the Wolf
The orchestral suite Peter and the Wolf was written in 1936 by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev to encourage young children to cultivate an interest in … Read more