Dr. Luis Dias is a physician, musician, writer, history enthusiast and founder of Child's Play India Foundation www.childsplayindia.org. He blogs at www.luisdias.wordpress.com.
Reviews
The Piano in the Forest is a compelling anime series that blends classical music with a touching story of a disadvantaged child’s rise to greatness. Through a Chopin competition, it explores themes of talent, rivalry, and passion.
Features
Billy Joel’s “Vienna” blends classical inspiration with life lessons. This feature explores the song’s roots, Vienna’s rich musical history, and how the city helped Joel—and the author—find deeper meaning in slowing down.
Features
Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto for the Left Hand, written for one-armed pianist Paul Wittgenstein, continues to inspire. Nicholas McCarthy’s journey from rejection to triumph proves that creativity, resilience, and determination can transcend even the greatest challenges.
Features
A tribute to pianist Alfred Brendel (1931–2025), celebrating not only his legendary musical legacy but also his incisive, absurdist poetry that skewered concert etiquette, musical dogma, and the human condition with equal flair.
Features
Dr. Luis Dias reflects on the magic of moonlight, Debussy’s haunting Clair de lune, and its poetic roots in Verlaine, urging us to pause, look up, and listen under the night sky.
Features
Angelina Jolie channels the legendary soprano Maria Callas in Pablo Larraín’s Maria. From operatic training to emotional nuance, the film explores Callas’s final days and legacy with depth, drama, and reverence.
Features
From child prodigy to international legend, Midori’s violin mastery has captivated audiences for decades. Her performances blend technical brilliance with profound emotion, making her one of classical music’s most revered and enduring virtuosos.
Reviews
Zubin Mehta’s powerful interpretation of Richard Strauss' masterworks captivated audiences in Mumbai. With Angel Blue’s sublime vocals and the Symphony Orchestra of India’s stellar performance, it was an unforgettable evening of virtuosity and profound emotional depth.
Features
From Olympic grandeur to cinematic brilliance, Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue' continues to captivate audiences, embodying the essence of the Jazz Age and America's cultural metamorphosis. Discover the story behind this timeless musical masterpiece.
Know Your Composer
This is the 150th birth anniversary of English composer, arranger and teacher Gustav Theodore Holst (1874 – 1934). Although best known for his orchestral suite ‘The Planets’ (1918), this year presents an appropriate opportunity to revisit the rest of his vast oeuvre. This is precisely what is happening at the ongoing
Opinion
Did you stay up to watch the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics on Friday 26 July? I preferred to watch it at leisure a couple of days later. I thought the weather played spoilsport to what would otherwise have been a truly magnificent spectacle. But I am rather surprise
Features
I remember Saturdays in Don Bosco being somewhat festive, because at 11 o’clock the school intercom would play music from the Radio Ceylon station. I’m not sure if this was for the whole school, but this was certainly true for the primary section which I was in, during