If you are looking for perhaps the most famous river journey ever sounded in music, look no further than Bedřich Smetana’s Vltava (The Moldau). The idea of turning the Vltava River into a tone poem occurred to Smetana in August

John Cage’s 4’33” is one of the most famous works in the classical music repertoire. Written in 1952, it consists of three movements. Together, the movements’ running time adds up to four minutes and thirty-three seconds. Per the composer’s instructions,

By the time Gioachino Rossini turned 38 years of age, he had composed 39 operas. He staged his first opera in 1810 in Venice, followed by productions in Bologna and Milan. Tancredi of 1813 established his international reputation, which quickly

Where do we start with embarrassing gigs? There are so many of them. One of my stories is the following: the Minnesota Orchestra plays outdoor concerts for a couple of weeks around the Fourth of July Holiday. We were set

Have you ever heard of the Romantic pianist and composer Sergei Bortkiewicz (1877-1952)? He might not be a household name, but he composed beautiful music, especially for the piano. Bortkiewicz was born on 28 February 1877, in Kharkov (now Kharkiv,

What would it take for you to dedicate your entire adult life to one orchestra? Many orchestral musicians enjoy careers that span decades, but a select few remain on stage for 60, 65, or sometimes even 70 years! The longevity

Gidon Kremer is considered one of the most original and compelling violinists of his generation. A winner of the Queen Elizabeth, Paganini and Tchaikovsky International Competitions, he has released an astonishing 120 CD albums with music ranging from the early

George Onslow (1784–1853) was a master of chamber music, and some of his best works are his string quintets, of which he wrote 34. Despite his English name, Onslow was born in France, and at his height of fame, he