Few composers have made such a mark on the world of modern music as Unsuk Chin. Born in South Korea, she studied in Seoul and Hamburg and is currently based in Berlin. Her music has been performed by prominent orchestras

It’s been all over the news lately. Members of a group called “Last Generation,” a student-led organization focused on raising awareness for climate change and environmental injustice, have been gluing themselves onto busy roadways or works of art. They believe

The artistry of Jean-Guihen Queyras, born on 11 March 1967 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, is characterized by insatiable curiosity, diversity and a firm focus on the music itself. A musician completely dedicated to his art, his humble approach and unpretentious

The original Chinese poet of the keyboard Fou Ts’ong, born on 10 March 1934 in Shanghai, was always reluctant to talk to journalists about his personal affairs and his relationship with the China he had left behind. “I tried to

Soon after the successful première of Giuseppe Verdi’s first opera Oberto, Bartolomeo Merelli, the impresario at La Scala commissioned three further operas. The comic opera Un giorno di regno was a disastrous failure, and contemporary critics considered the question of

To start with, I have to confess that although I have long been fond of Schubert, he hasn’t been among my “favourites” (if such a term is appropriate). Somehow, I have found a barrier between Schubert and me that prevented

Celebrating his 60th birthday in 1863, Hector Berlioz was overcome by a “despair and disillusionment of appalling intensity.” Mourning the loss of two sisters and two wives, he became morbidly conscious of death. In 1864 he writes, “I am in

Georgian-born violinist Lisa Batiashvili made her dreams become a reality. Ever since she was a little girl, she wanted to become a violinist, live in Europe, and have a family. And that’s exactly what she has accomplished. She was born