“Mathematical formulas translated into beautiful and convincing music” In 2022 we celebrate the centenary of the birth of Iannis Xenakis (1922-2001), an artist of fierce originality who produced some of rawest and wildest music in history. He belonged to a

I talk to French-Canadian bass-baritone Philippe Sly just before his final appearance as Leporello in a run of Don Giovanni at the Wiener Staatsoper. Hailing from Ottawa, Philippe won first prize at the renowned Concours Musical International de Montréal, and

“I am an eclectic spirit” Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) was one of the leaders of the French musical renaissance during the later part of the 19th century. He was a scholar of music history and tolerant of a wide range of

“Master of the Notes” In 2021, we commemorate the death of Josquin des Prez (c. 1450/1455-1521) who passed away 500 years ago in what is now western Belgium. For a good many scholars and historians—despite some current revisionist tendencies—he was the

“Paganini of the Organ” Marcel Dupré (1886-1971), who passed away 50 years ago, was one of the greatest organists of all time. He had complete technical command over his instrument, and his brilliant technique accentuated his extraordinary talents as an

“Everything in the World is an Inspiration” I talk to young Franco-Belgian cellist Camille Thomas mid-hotel quarantine for a concerto appearance in Seoul, giving the Asian premiere of a piece written for her in 2018 by Fazıl Say about the

French tenor Stanislas de Barbeyrac has performed in opera houses all over Europe, including Covent Garden’s Royal Opera House, the Opéra National de Paris, Staatsoper Berlin and the Teatro Real in Madrid. He talks to me from his home in

On Conducting: “I am risky, but not insecure” Not only is Nathalie Stutzmann one of the most renowned contraltos in the world, she is also highly in demand as a conductor, having worked with groups including the Los Angeles Philharmonic,