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

Ludwig van Beethoven’s impact on classical music is impossible to overstate. Born in 1770, Beethoven redefined what music could be. He managed that redefinition by rewriting formal boundaries, finding new ways to express emotion, and making a living in a

As much as one can try to preserve art from being tainted with political ideologies, promotions and intentions, history has shown that it has often been objectified to serve political purposes. Particularly when it comes to music. Whether from the

Pavel Kolesnikov, born on 25 February 1989 in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, never expected to become a prize-winning pianist. In fact, he studied both the piano and the violin for ten years before focusing on the piano. He had

Jehan Alain is one of classical music’s great “what-ifs.” A brilliant French composer and organist, he grew up in a Paris household filled with music. Over the course of just a few short years, he produced more than 120 works

Writing classical music reviews can feel intimidating. After all, how can anyone possibly hope to capture what musicians do in words? The unsatisfying answer is the same advice those musicians have been given: practice, practice, practice! But there are some