The tension and pressure onstage at Orchestra Hall is formidable. Classical musicians must maintain intense concentration to attain our lofty goal—perfection. Attempting these standards night after night sometimes results in giddiness that becomes impossible to muzzle. Soon the conductor notices,

Sadly, the 2015 Tchaikovsky Competition, celebrating the 175th anniversary of the composer’s birth, ended this week. After numerous hours of intense music listening, from thousands of miles away via Medici TV, my adrenaline rush climaxed with the two final galas

It might be termed a double tragedy: one is a monumental artwork commemorating a tragic episode in French history and the other a monumental musical work that suffered from the political tensions of the day.

Le Chant de la Mer No. 2. Claire de lune au large From SAMAZEUILH, G.: Piano Works (Complete) (Chauzu) (2015) Released by Grand Piano Samazeuilh: Le Chant de la Mer – No. 2. Claire de lune au largeA pupil of

Most musicians both amateur and professional aspire to play chamber music, some of the greatest works of classical music. It would be difficult to single out a favorite but my list would include the following works— Brahms Piano Quintet, and

The orchestra is assembled, the concertmaster comes to the stage, turns his back on the audience and signals the oboist. A pure clear note sounds and then lots of other notes. What is this all about?

It is difficult to make a living as a composer at the best of times. But when you are trying to make your mark at the peak of music’s history as a cultural form, your chances of success diminish significantly.

Sergei Rachmaninoff and Natalya Satina knew each other since childhood. This is hardly surprising as Natalya was the child of Alexander Alexandrovich Satin and Varvara Arkadyevna Rachmaninoff. Her mother Varvara, as such, was the sister of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s father, Vasily