This year’s BBC Proms continues an encouraging trend by featuring numerous living women composers and new commissions. Yet one area remains comparatively unchanged. Within the nineteenth-century Romantic orchestral repertoire, the familiar names still dominate: Beethoven, Brahms, Schumann, Mahler, Berlioz and Scriabin, while composers such as Clara Schumann, Louise Farrenc and Emilie Mayer remain rare in … Continue reading “Women composers are finally being rediscovered – so why is the Romantic canon still so hard to change?”
Why was one of the world’s greatest composers so passionate about football?
Although football is once again capturing the world’s attention during the latest World Cup, it is easy to forget that some of the sport’s most devoted fans came from a wide variety of professions. One of them was the composer Dmitri Shostakovich. Today, Shostakovich is remembered as one of the greatest composers of the 20th … Continue reading “Why was one of the world’s greatest composers so passionate about football?”
How Grand Piano Is Rethinking the Meaning of Competition
In June, Moscow welcomed the latest edition of the Grand Piano Competition, an international event for young pianists founded by renowned Russian pianist Denis Matsuev. Over the past decade, the competition has grown from a personal initiative into one of the most prestigious opportunities for exceptionally talented, young musicians. What makes the competition particularly remarkable … Continue reading “How Grand Piano Is Rethinking the Meaning of Competition”
Mikhail Glinka’s Unrealised Italy
Glinka spent three years in Italy from 1830 to 1833. He arrived in Italy as an accomplished musician. Glinka would always remember the musical evenings held in the salon of the Russian envoy, Vorontsov-Dashkov. Here, the composer met the renowned musical family of the Counts Bellgioioso. His main residence was Milan, the capital of opera … Continue reading “Mikhail Glinka’s Unrealised Italy”
Ballet in Motion: Darius Milhaud’s Le Bœuf sur le Toit and the Cinematic Influence on Modern Dance
For those who regard classical ballet as untouchable and ideal, French composer Darius Milhaud (1892–1974) challenges convention with his bold and eccentric one-act pantomime ballet, Le Bœuf sur le Toit (The Bull on the Roof) [1]. Inspired by his time in Brazil, Milhaud composed this vibrant work in 1919, embracing a playful mix of farce, … Continue reading “Ballet in Motion: Darius Milhaud’s Le Bœuf sur le Toit and the Cinematic Influence on Modern Dance”
Review on the Siemens–Hallé International Conductors Competition 2026
There are rare moments in classical music where you can quite literally witness a career begin. Sitting in the hall this spring, listening to the finalists of the Siemens–Hallé International Conductors Competition 2026, it felt very much like one of those moments. Held at the iconic The Bridgewater Hall, the competition has quickly established itself … Continue reading “Review on the Siemens–Hallé International Conductors Competition 2026”
Report on CamTAGS 2026 at Trinity College, Cambridge
On 30–31 March 2026, the historic courts of Trinity College, Cambridge, hosted the annual Theory and Analysis Graduate Students (TAGS) Conference, organised by the Society for Music Analysis (SMA). Bringing together postgraduate researchers from across the UK and beyond, CamTAGS 2026 offered not only a platform for presenting cutting-edge research, but also a welcoming and … Continue reading “Report on CamTAGS 2026 at Trinity College, Cambridge”
Rediscovering Celtic Heritage in Dublin: Musical Legacies across the Irish Sea
On 26–27 February 2026, I had the pleasure of participating in the international symposium Rediscovering Celtic Heritage: Musical Legacies across the Irish Sea, hosted at Trinity College Dublin . Set within the inspiring surroundings of the Trinity Long Room Hub Arts & Humanities Research Institute, the event brought together scholars, performers, and postgraduate researchers for … Continue reading “Rediscovering Celtic Heritage in Dublin: Musical Legacies across the Irish Sea”
Le Temps retrouvé: Reanimating Princess Zinaida Volkonskaya’s Salon in Paris
On 6 February 2026, in the elegant surroundings of the Conservatoire Rachmaninoff in Paris, the past felt startlingly close. Le Temps retrouvé: Salon Volkonskaïa was not simply a concert, but a carefully crafted reanimation of an early nineteenth-century world: the salon of Princess Zinaida Volkonskaya — writer, composer, singer, intellectual and one of the most … Continue reading “Le Temps retrouvé: Reanimating Princess Zinaida Volkonskaya’s Salon in Paris”
Reflections on Boris Godunov at the Royal Opera House
Attending Boris Godunov at the Royal Opera House in February 2026 felt less like witnessing a revived production and more like undergoing a prolonged psychological examination. This staging presented Mussorgsky’s original 1869 version, performed without an interval or the later additions that softened or expanded the opera’s architecture. The result was an uncompromising, concentrated experience … Continue reading “Reflections on Boris Godunov at the Royal Opera House”