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

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

Johann Sebastian Bach was known as a strict disciplinarian, and apparently he never really got on well with his students. During his early professional days in Arnstadt, Bach got into a fight with a student after he called him a

Oliver Knussen (1952-2018) is regarded as one of the foremost British composers of recent times. Renowned for music ‘characterised by its crystalline concision, complexity and richness’ (Faber), Knussen wrote works that challenge the ear yet invite us on a journey;

Toni Morrison (1931-2019) was the first African-American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. Her best-selling works explored black identity in America, and in particular the often-crushing experiences of black women. She authored 11 novels, children’s books, and a

It sits there in the corner of the living room, dark, foreboding, and challenging all to make it show its true potential. The key home instrument for the rising middle class was the piano. The mark of gentility was knowing

Reynaldo Hahn: Si mes vers avaient des ailes (Dilbèr, soprano; Ilkka Paananen, piano) Si mes vers avaient des ailesVictor Hugo If my verses had wingsEnglish Translation © Richard Stokes from A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000) Mes vers fuiraient, doux

Musicians, like so many others, enjoy jokes, especially those that are puns related to music, composers, and musicians. Backstage, even onstage during rehearsals, these anecdotes, puns, and gags fly. Perhaps it’s because we spend so much time in a practice