The Suzuki Approach to Education and the 10,000-Hour Rule
“He’s extremely talented.” “She doesn’t have the talent for singing.” We’ve all heard variants of these comments, even if we...
The best classical music pieces for beginners
Western classical music is a vast genre that encompasses hundreds of years of musical history, ranging from the medieval era...
Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninov (1873 – 1943): All by Himself
Canadian singer Celine Dion was in the news on account of her recent diagnosis with the crippling rare neurologic condition stiff-person disorder, causing her to cancel future concert tours. I was listening to one of her signature songs, ‘All by...
Video Games and the Rise of Symphonic Music: ‘Starfield’ and Beyond
“Starfield” is one of the most anticipated video games in recent history. The game, which was released on Sept. 6,...
Navigating the Diversity of Vocal Genres in Classical Music
The art of vocal performance in classical music is not merely a display of technical prowess; it is a profound...
Shostakovich’s Impromptu for Viola and Piano: Paul Neubauer and Wu Han
In 2017, a previously unknown work by Dmitri Shostakovich was discovered in Moscow’s Central Archives among the documents of Vadim Borisovsky (the longtime violist of the Beethoven Quartet). It was a brief, unassuming piece entitled, Impromptu for Viola and Piano, Op....
Callas – Paris, 1958: celebrating Maria Callas’ centenary
Callas – Paris, 1958: celebrating Maria Callas’ centenary In her centenary year Volf Productions and Composite Films have revealed that...
The Enigmatic Schumann: Insights from Steven Isserlis’ Performance Journey
The acclaimed British contemporary cellist Steven Isserlis is also passionate about music education for children. During my England years, much...