I had no idea that chamber music could still draw such a huge crowd. Well, when it is part of the biggest and most prestigious piano competition in Asia, the 12th Hamamatsu International Piano Competitions, I probably shouldn’t be surprised.

Deutsche Grammophon. Or DG. Even those who are not familiar with classical music recognise it as a gauge of quality. It is recognisable instantly, thanks to its yellow stamp, but mostly thanks to the impressive catalog of works that it

On 21 November 2024, we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of Frank Martin, one of the foremost composers of the 20th century. Born in Switzerland, Martin had access to both French and German musical traditions, and he eventually

Lithuanian pianist Rasa Vitkauskaite, a prize-winning Steinway Artist, is celebrated for her “poetic and observant sensitivity” (Gramophone) and hailed as a “Beethoven interpreter of penetrating insight” (Fanfare). Performing across 30 countries, her career highlights include a recital at the Dame

Composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky had complicated relationships with women. On one hand, for many years, his career was financed by a single wealthy woman, who he poured his heart out to in letters. On the other hand, his gayness meant

Anton Rubinstein, Russian pianist, composer, conductor and teacher, was one of the greatest pianists of the 19th century. His playing was compared with Liszt’s, and he combined a prodigious technique with musicianship, scholarship, and a richly poetic temperament. Anton Rubinstein

Canadian composer Emilie Cecilia LeBel has emerged as one of the country’s most acclaimed musical voices, known for her atmospheric and introspective compositions that captivate listeners. Following the success of her JUNO-nominated debut album, field studies, LeBel’s latest release, Landscapes

It might come as a surprise, but Franz Schubert wrote almost as much piano music for four hands as for two. His thirty-four compositions in this medium range from his earliest surviving music, the Fantasie D. 48, to his Rondo