Six Most Interesting Facts About Bedrich Smetana (1824-1884)
“With God’s help and grace, I will be a Mozart in composition and a Liszt in technique.” – from an 1843 diary entry Feel free … Read more
CLASSICAL
Discover How Google Answers Orchestra Questions
One of the ways marketers position their content on websites is by looking to see not only what people are looking for online, but what … Read more
DIVA: Counting Down the Top 10 Sopranos of the 20th Century
Consider Juno, goddess of marriage and childbirth, antagonizing Aeneas as he tries to found Rome because she holds a grudge against the Trojans. Or Minerva, goddess … Read more
Q&A with Valentino Zucchiatti, Solo Bassoonist at Teatro alla Scala
Valentino Zucchiatti (born 1961) was only 23 years old when he was chosen by Riccardo Muti as a Solo Bassoonist of the Scala Orchestra in … Read more
Thieves of Pop: Two 1969 Tunes that Stole from Classical Masterpieces
Arguably the most well known 1960s pop song derived from classical material is Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale.” The band’s debut single was … Read more
3 Year Old Child Conductor Takes On Beethoven’s 5th
Instrumentalists who begin as children are captivating in their own right. But what about children who aspire to be conductors instead of performers of a … Read more
Munich Decides Against New Concert Hall: Bad News for Classical Music
A major debate was triggered in Germany and beyond by the announcement on 2 February that the planned construction of a new concert hall in … Read more
Violins of hope mark 70th anniversary of Auschwitz liberation
Last month was the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp by Soviet soldiers on 27 January 1945. To commemorate the occasion, … Read more
How to stop students from quitting music lessons?
“Do I have to?” Parents hear this question countless times from their kids. Parents who have children in music lessons might hear it the most. … Read more
Interview with Laura Wright, One of the Biggest Selling Classical Artists of the Decade
Laura Wright is a former athlete that has been taking over the classical crossover music scene. This young and talented 24-year-old has accomplished more in … Read more
Sydney Opera House Projects Live Orchestra On its Sails
Sydney, Australia’s opera house contains one of modern architecture’s most recognizable structures in the world. With what is compared to (and referred to) as sails, … Read more
7 Famous Classical Musicians Who Suffered From Stage Fright
Are you one of the growing number of performers who are acknowledging that they face the challenge of stage fright? It seems like the topic … Read more
New look on Iceland’s classical music scene
The music scene in Iceland has received considerable acclaim over recent years, particularly through the popularity of contemporary artists like Bjork and Sigur Rós. But … Read more
For 2Cellos and Lang Lang, the Name is Bond
When Eon Productions approached Paul McCartney to write and record a theme song for the James Bond flick Live and Let Die (1973), it was … Read more
The Most Tragic Love Stories in the Opera: an anti-Valentine’s day listicle
For our lovelorn and cynical readers, we prepared a list of the most ill-fated and unfortunate couples in opera, which include triangles, deception, incest and … Read more