“A Vision of Eternity” Such was the enormous musical talent of Charles-Marie Widor (1844–1937) that he successfully competed for the job of organist at the lycée in his hometown of Lyons at the tender age of 11! Having received his

Pioneering past and future Accordion legend Richard Galliano is appearing with the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong in June. We take a moment to talk about his creation of new styles, and respect for the past.

‘Don’t be afraid to go out there and sing’ Our conversation resumes after a brief lapse in signal. ‘The signal is terrible sometimes,’ she exclaims. ‘You’d think in a big city like Paris there’d be no problem, but sometimes it

Let’s dance! The reputation of Léo Delibes (1836-1891) rests almost exclusively with his two 90-minute ballet scores Coppélia and Sylvia. For the first time in the history of music, Delibes had crafted ballet scores of symphonic proportions. Full of memorable

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

‘Take care of yourself because nobody is going to do it for you’ Recently returning from her Paris Opéra debut, singing La Folie in Rameau’s Platée, and finding a moment of respite before a run of Il viaggio a Reims

On Nature vs Nurture How do you manage to sustain a career as a harpsichordist and jazz pianist? For 23-year old Jean Rondeau it’s no problem. Equally at home on the concert stage in a chamber music recital of Rameau

“Memoirs of an Amnesiac” When eccentricity and classical music are used in the same sentence, Erik Satie (1866-1925) immediately comes to mind. Irreverent, disrespectful, contemptuous of tradition, forcefully direct and brutally honest, Satie famously wrote underneath his self-portrait, “I have