Being a composer is not a very – how could one put it delicately – commonsense profession. Many of history’s well-known composers were larger-than-life characters who earned idiosyncratic nicknames from their erratic and memorable behaviour. In this article, we take

Have you ever wondered who the best teachers in classical music history were? Us, too. But of course, there’s no way to objectively measure who “the best” teachers are. (Surely the best teachers in your life are the incredible men

In the annals of classical music, few figures have left footprints as profound and enduring in the art of orchestral performance as Sir Roger Norrington. A conductor, scholar, and visionary, Norrington’s legacy is one of daring innovation, meticulous scholarship, and

Friedrich Wieck – Clara Schumann’s much-maligned father – is one of the great villains of classical music history, infamous for how he tried to keep Clara and her future husband Robert Schumann apart. However, Wieck had a fascinating biography apart

The German-Japanese pianist Alice Sara Ott, born on 1 August 1988 in Munich, is celebrated for her profound musicianship and innovative approach to classical music. The daughter of a Japanese pianist mother and a German civil engineer father, Ott discovered

It all started with the double problem of what to do in the summer and how to get together with your friends. And, to compound it, you have to practice. Violinist Carl Vallin, now Artistic Director, and conductor and bassist

In the spring of 1846, dashing French author George Sand began writing a novel inspired by the breakdown of her romantic partnership with pianist and composer Frédéric Chopin. She titled it Lucrezia Floriani. Lucrezia Floriani tells the story of three

The Schubertiade Hohenems, specifically the one held in July 2025, was more than simply visiting a music festival; it felt like coming home. Tucked between the rolling hills of Vorarlberg and the shadow of the Alps, Hohenems hosted a celebration