On 25 October, scholars from across Europe gathered at Senate House in London for the annual conference of the Study Group for Slavonic and East European Music (SEEM), held under the auspices of BASEES. The study day offered a compelling glimpse into the rich and often overlooked musical cultures of Eastern Europe, with a particular … Continue reading “Women, Archives and Forgotten Legacies: SEEM Conference Illuminates Eastern European Musical Voices”
Rossini in Love: Passion, Voice, and the Art of Bel Canto
In September 1815, Italy’s most influential impresario, Domenico Barbaja, summoned the young Gioachino Rossini to Naples with a mission: This audience needs to be stunned! There are no subtleties—only No tenderness— only boiling passion. No nuances—sing at full power. And with that command, Barbaja offered a final suggestion: “I recommend Isabella Colbran to you.” There … Continue reading “Rossini in Love: Passion, Voice, and the Art of Bel Canto”
Intimate Space in Classical Music
What does it mean for music to be intimate? Is it a matter of small form, quiet volume, or introspective content? Or is it something more elusive — an atmosphere, a feeling of being allowed into someone’s emotional world? Romanticism ushered in a new focus on subjectivity and introspection. Unlike literature, where intimacy could be … Continue reading “Intimate Space in Classical Music”
The Expansive Canvas: Rethinking Large-Scale Form in the Music of 19th-Century Women Composers
Between 25–28 August 2025, Dublin became the stage for one of the most important gatherings in current musicological research: The Expansive Canvas: Large-Scale Form in the Music of 19th-Century Women Composers. Co-hosted by Trinity College Dublin and the Royal Irish Academy of Music, the conference brought together scholars, performers, educators, and industry leaders to examine … Continue reading “The Expansive Canvas: Rethinking Large-Scale Form in the Music of 19th-Century Women Composers”
Reimagining Nineteenth-Century Music: Reflections from York
At the end of July, the University of York played host to the 14th Biennial International Conference on Music in Nineteenth-Century Britain — an event that has become a highlight in the calendar for anyone working in this field. I was delighted to attend this year not only as a delegate but also as a … Continue reading “Reimagining Nineteenth-Century Music: Reflections from York”
Clementi House: London’s Hidden Salon of Musical Legends
Nestled on Kensington Church Street in west London, 128 Kensington Church Street—the Georgian townhome once belonging to Muzio Clementi (1752–1832)—is a remarkable living tribute to one of music history’s unsung innovators. Known as the ‘Father of the Pianoforte’ Clementi composed, taught, and built his name here between roughly 1811 and 1824. Today, the house remains … Continue reading “Clementi House: London’s Hidden Salon of Musical Legends”
Dimash in London: A Night from Another World
It has been a few weeks since that unforgettable evening of 3 June 2025 when music met the divine at OVO Arena Wembley. For one magical night, the legendary Lara Fabian brought her Voices tour to London, but what truly made it historic was the special appearance of Dimash Qudaibergen, whose voice stopped time. Dimash … Continue reading “Dimash in London: A Night from Another World”
Bold, bleak, and unforgettable: Semele at the Royal Opera House
Oliver Mears’s staging of Handel’s dramma per musica offers a strikingly dark and provocative reinterpretation of Semele, now running at Covent Garden through July 18. Mears places the tale in a glitzy yet soulless the 1960s luxury hotel, where ambition and betrayal play out against sleek Art Deco backdrops and an ever-present furnace motif. This … Continue reading “Bold, bleak, and unforgettable: Semele at the Royal Opera House”
Istanbul Jazz Festival 2025: A Celebration of Sound, Soul, and the Spirit of the Times
Jazz first captivated European audiences in the early decades of the 20th century. A century later, its vibrant pulse still resonates across the continent — perhaps nowhere more powerfully than in Istanbul, where the 32nd International Jazz Festival is now in full swing. A city at the crossroads of East and West, Istanbul becomes a … Continue reading “Istanbul Jazz Festival 2025: A Celebration of Sound, Soul, and the Spirit of the Times”
Music from a time capsule: Respighi’s ‘Antique Arias and Dances’
Imagine that you have found an old, dusty music book with melodies written hundreds of years ago for a lute or harpsichord. They are beautiful, but their sounds seem distant and fragile. Now imagine that a genius artist took these melodies and coloured them with the richest and velvety tones of a modern string orchestra, … Continue reading “Music from a time capsule: Respighi’s ‘Antique Arias and Dances’”