The piano sonata is often a vehicle to express struggle or psychological depth, from heroic battles with fate to intimate expressions of despair. But throughout the history of classical music, many composers have used the sonata to convey something very

As a continuation of his first book on the animals of the Chinese zodiac (Read more from The Chinese Zodiac for Children), Canadian composer Vincent Ho (b. 1975) wrote a book 2 that builds on Book 1 and takes a

I’ve been working with London-based Chinese pianist Siqian Li, whose debut disc is a selection of transcriptions for solo piano of works by, amongst others, Maurice Ravel, George Gershwin and Alexis Weissenberg. The Weissenberg transcriptions, in particular, have really caught

You know how it goes – you’re placed on the sliding gurney, the restrainer is put on top so you don’t wiggle, and you slide into the noisy tunnel. It’s a bit loud to fall asleep, and they want to

There are times when you just want sound to remove other sounds – most often when you’re in the dentist’s chair, and that high-pitched sound for cleaning your teeth is going to start. It sets your teeth on edge, but

Throughout classical music history, ostensibly professional relationships between teachers and students have sometimes turned romantic. Some of the resulting marriages ended up being loving, long-lasting partnerships built on deep mutual admiration and respect. Others curdled rapidly due to destructive power

In music, the term potpourri refers to a composition constructed from a succession of pre-existing melodies, often drawn from operas, popular songs, or well-known dances. Like its culinary namesake, a fragrant mixture of diverse elements, the musical potpourri brings together