The Sound of Good Books
Gandhi Ashram School, Kalimpong is a free school with a musical twist in the Eastern Himalayas. 300+ children from low-income...
What are your irrational stage fears?
Mine is falling onstage. Now, I’ve never had a major wipeout, and I’ve never fallen off a stage. But still,...
Joseph Szigeti: The Aristocrat Among Violinists
An exponent of the classical tradition and champion of contemporary music, the Hungarian-born musician’s oeuvre bears the stamp of his individuality and formidable technique. By Cavas Bilimoria By the mid 1920s it seemed as if the zenith in bewitching sound, charm,...
Do we need to Practise?
Pupils always find it perplexing that their teachers should ever need to do any actual practise. ‘You’re a professional– you...
Poetry in Prose
The inseparability of art and human existence, the civilising impact of the visual and performing arts, and the humaneness that...
How to Play Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata’s 3rd Movement
If you play the piano, you’ve probably played the first movement of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. Beginners can’t wait to play all three pages, and advanced learners can’t wait to get into the last movement. Many can play the first movement, but...
Famous Composers as Subjects of Opera II
The life of Alessandro Stradella (1639-1682) was characterised by turbulence, adventure and amorous escapades. In fact, in 1677 an attempt...
What is a sonata?
Sonata refers to a particular structure or form of music in which composers have written works ever since the 16th...
