Society

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The Kronberg Academy
Perhaps the most exclusive of all our institutions interviewed so far, the Kronberg Academy is based in Germany, in the small town of Kronberg in Taunus. The size of the town reflects the size of the student body, devoted solely
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Schubertiade
In Praise of Franz Peter Schubert
In the musical world, Moritz von Schwindt is primarily remembered for his famous drawing entitled “Schubertiade.” The term “Schubertiade” was actually coined by friends of Franz Schubert, and described private and informal musical gathering in the composer’s apartment. In addition
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Fazioli: The Ferrari among Pianos
When I was doing some research on piano makers, I came across a rather interesting statistic. In the first half of the 20th century, 300 piano makers plied their trade in Europe. By December 2013, only 9 makers remain. Like
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Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing
So far in my series on the great music colleges of the world, my conversation has always been with the administration departments. It was refreshing, therefore, to get in touch with a cello professor, Yibing Chu, who teaches at the
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Which musical instrument is a good fit for your child?
Nowadays, children are expected to start all sorts of extra-curricular activities even before they can utter ‘ma-ma’ and ‘da-da’. If you haven’t got your act together yet, fret not. Here is a guide to helping you choose the right instrument
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Come Holy Spirit!
Music for Pentecost
50 days after the Resurrection of Christ, the Holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles. The biblical narrative states, “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they
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Music Therapy II
Following my introduction to music therapy, I wanted a bit more detail, about what goes on in a typical session. I also wanted to figure out how people found their way to a music therapist – not literally, of course,
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Antonio Stradivari
Modern Violin Beats Stradivarius in a Blind Test
The scholarly paper “Player preferences among new and old violins,” published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in January 2012, shook the foundations of one of the longest held beliefs in Classical music. In this study, judges
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