“A Renaissance artist for modern times” Born on 21 October 1973 in Chelyabinsk, a city in the Ural Mountains near the border with Siberia, Lera Auerbach is considered one of the most exciting new voices among today’s composers. Her music

“I set down a beautiful chord on paper—and suddenly it rusts” The music of Alfred Schnittke (1934-1998) is marked by an intense expressiveness, an unpredictable flow of ideas, an innate sense of drama, and a natural lyricism. Turning his back

“Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music” On 28 March 2023 we commemorate the 80th anniversary of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s death. After a concert career as a pianist that lasted fifty years, Sergei Rachmaninoff

Playing Is ‘Your Reflection Of Your Soul’ Andrey Gugnin Plays Chopin’s Sonata No. 3 Russian pianist Andrey Gugnin has toured all over the world, performing across Europe, America and Australia, and makes his Hong Kong debut on 16 September, giving

“My music is best understood by children and animals” Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) graced the cover of Time Magazine in 1948. The supporting article described him as a “Master Mechanic,” a man to be hired, on his terms, to write music

Anton Stepanovich Arensky (1861-1906), born in Novgorod 160 years ago, never considered himself a musical rebel. He was not particularly interested in musical folklore or Russian musical identity, but rather combined his native musical influences with a much more cosmopolitan

Practice what you Preach The Russian composer and critic Alexander Serov (1820-1871) never held an official position, he never taught a student, and he never belonged to any organized group or faction. Regardless, he was one of the most significant

Born in Siberia, young Russian pianist Pavel Kolesnikov – now based in London – is wowing audiences all over the world with his blend of effortless technique and unique musical voice. I talk to him ahead of his upcoming concerts