The Brooklyn Duo plays Downton Abbey
The Brooklyn Duo are a piano and cello collaboration founded in 2014. But already within the first year of their existence, they’ve made quite a … Read more
CLASSICAL
A Fascinating Piano Transcription of Ysaÿe’s Solo Violin Sonata No. 3 “Ballade”
It is self-evident that Eugéne Ysaÿe (1858-1931) wrote his own Violin Sonata No. 3, but he might not have considered himself its only author; he … Read more
These Four Little Swans From Japan Will Bring A Smile To Your Face
‘Pas de quatre’ is a French term referring to dance in ballet among four people, literally translating as “step for four.” One of the most … Read more
Is There Still Such a Thing as Classical Music?
Former cellist Julian Lloyd Webber, who was forced to retire from performing after suffering a neck injury, commented that there is no such thing as … Read more
An Interview With Taylor Davis, a Violinist and Composer With a Love of Video Game, Anime and Movie Soundtracks
When Taylor Davis was eight years old, she was sitting in an all-school Christmas assembly and saw a young girl take the stage with her … Read more
Seven Essential Things to Consider Before Becoming a Musician
Making a career choice can be tough, and it’s no different for musicians. While some will be lucky enough to have been identified as child … Read more
Ethan Hawke’s Documentary About Pianist Seymour Bernstein in Theatres This Month
Actor Ethan Hawke is paying homage to pianist Seymour Bernstein, a largely unknown artist, with his first documentary Seymour: An Introduction. As NPR Classical summarizes … Read more
Eric Whitacre gives Miley Cyrus’s ‘Wrecking Ball’ a choral makeover
During the 2014 iTunes festival, award-winning composer Eric Whitacre wowed the audience with a choral version of Miley Cyrus’s Wrecking Ball, with the participation of … Read more
Dueling Piano Siblings Perform “Frozen” Playing Backwards
Sara starts off on the piano by herself, but it isn’t long before Jason tries to get in on the act. Sara gains the upper … Read more
“Bach in the Subways” Bringing New Audiences to Classical Music
In 2010, New York-based cellist Dale Henderson began playing the cello suites of Johan Sebastian Bach in subway stations around the city. His aim was … Read more
This Is Perhaps The Youngest String Quartet Ever: The Joyous String Quartet
Based in Long Island, these kids have apparently been playing together since they were four years old, and have made TV appearances in Korean and … Read more
Seven Most Interesting Facts About Samuel Barber (1910-1981)
There are classical composers who represent the 20th century American sound more acutely and specifically than Samuel Barber does, but no other who has come … Read more
How to become a great composer in 10 steps
If you’ve been slaving over your sheet music, listening to non-stop Mozart for some inspiration, or spending hours on end at the piano trying to … Read more
Yet Another US Orchestra Faces Financial Difficulties
The American Symphony Orchestra, founded over fifty years ago in 1962, has become the latest musical organisation in the United States to confront financial problems. … Read more
Beethoven’s 5th Performed as Salsa
Norwegian musician Sverre Indris Joner leads a group of musicians to combine Beethoven’s Fifth with Salsa music, the result being a very spicy arrangement of … Read more