Life in Teaching: Stefan Popov
Stefan Popov has been professor of cello at London’s Guildhall School of Music & Drama for 40 years, and before that taught at Boston...
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Aug 26, 2016
Review of Alexey Stadler Prom
Alexey Stadler‘s unexpected Proms debut last night was such stuff as careers are made on Performing at the Proms on a day’s notice is the...
Jan 26, 2016
Jacqueline du Pré – a terrible premonition
On what would have been the 71th birthday of Jacqueline du Pré, the words of János Starker sound a provocative warning Jacqueline du Pré...
Oct 8, 2015
The Freewheelin’ Yo-Yo Ma
Yo-Yo Ma turns 60 on 7 October, 2015, and to celebrate one of the world's best-loved classical music heroes, here is an interview I did...
Sep 4, 2015
Thomas Demenga: ‘Sometimes I think we’re producing too many musicians at conservatoires’
The Swiss cellist Thomas Demenga discusses the fierce competition in today’s music world, how students should spend less time online and...
Jul 10, 2015
No prize given at Fournier Award
The jury of the Pierre Fournier Award hands out no main prize but two Incentive Grants in the prestigious cello contest at Wigmore Hall...
May 12, 2015
Gergiev looks to Asia for string talent
Valery Gergiev was optimistic about the rise of Asian musicians but sounded a note of caution about the pressure on young competition...
Nov 19, 2014
‘When you play Bach you should speak about us all’
Anner Bylsma has some advice for players who want to express their own feelings through music While I was at the Amsterdam Cello Biënnale...
Nov 11, 2014
The unbearable lightness of being Gary Hoffman
Gary Hoffman is one of the music world’s best-kept secrets, a fine and uncompromising cellist whose rare appearances mesmerise. For him,...
Oct 30, 2014
Written by Mrs Bach?
A new documentary suggests that Mrs Bach was behind the greatest works by her husband Johann Sebastian. But does it ring true? You know...
Oct 21, 2014
Why togetherness is over-rated
At his masterclass on Monday, Jean-Guihen Queyras challenged the notion that playing chamber music is all about playing exactly together...
Oct 20, 2014
Mischa Maisky: ‘Bach is turning in his grave’
Mischa Maisky challenged the traditional notion of authenticity in his masterclass at the Amsterdam Cello Biënnale If any classical...
Aug 22, 2014
The real secret of Stradivarius?
I had a lovely morning yesterday talking to cellist Natalie Clein for two forthcoming articles – about her new Saint-Saëns disc, for...
Jul 28, 2014
Swedish cellist and Tunisian violinist are among Womad highlights
I’m just back from Womad: three days of camping in a field and listening to music from all over the world. I’m sunburnt and have sore...
Jun 30, 2014
Kopelman Quartet offers lesson in chamber music playing
I'm just back from Wigmore Hall, where I watched the Kopelman Quartet demonstrate chamber music playing at its best: exquisite...
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