‘It is a huge privilege and luxury to be able to have this life’ January’s Artist of the Month is Alina Pogostkina, a Russian-born German violinist storming the international stage. 2016 saw her playing with groups including the Philharmonia, Brno

No instant results – and ‘no shortcuts’ Iskandar Widjaja’s most recent visit to Hong Kong saw him performing Tchaikovsky in a shopping mall to a total of half a million people. This time, it’s a decidedly more intimate – yet

‘energy, acceptance, openness’ Having won the Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians at age 15, and been the personal protégé of Rostropovich on recommendation of Anne-Sophie Mutter, one not need question Daniel Müller-Schott’s credentials. One of the most celebrated cellists around,

The Hong Kong International Chamber Music Festival has a reputation for attracting some of the best musical talent from around the globe, and this year is no exception. German-born Korean violinist Clara-Jumi Kang is appearing there this January, giving concerts

Delving into the unknown I talk to Nicolas Dautricourt the evening before a performance he’s giving in New York, playing chamber works by Schoenberg, Brahms, and Haydn. Concerts such as these are the staple diet of a touring musician, but

‘We need to get out of our comfort zones’ David Aaron Carpenter is a violist with a mission. As well as championing an instrument which unfortunately spends most of its time as the butt of the orchestra’s jokes, he is

The Global Perspective Few musicians manage to balance teaching and performing as well as Greek-born violinist Areta Zhulla. A recipient of the Triandi Career Grant as well as the Tassos Prassopoulos Foundation Award, a passionate chamber musician with an equally

Seeing with Fresh Eyes Charlie Siem is one of very few violinists to have undertaken solo tours to Norway and Holland, be the centrepiece of a dedicated Buzzfeed article, and have modelled for Vogue, Armani and Boss.