Wadada Leo Smith’s String Quartets Offer Players the Chance to Find Their Own Way
Presenting a roiling assortment of people, events, and landmarks in American history, composer Wadada Leo Smith’s string quartets have been gaining wider notice.
Stories
A ‘Song’ in His Heart: Sheku Kanneh-Mason Releases an Eclectic, Personal Album
The cello and its vocal qualities explain the title of Sheku Kanneh-Mason's album, Song, but this very individual collection of pieces reflects Kanneh-Mason’s personal interests.
The Sphinx Organization Marks 25 Years of Pushing to Increase Ethnic Diversity In the Classical Music Industry
For 25 years, the Sphinx Organization has advanced the careers of young Black and Latinx classical string players through programs that include a prestigious national competition.
Remastered Ed Haley Recordings Reveal the Many Delights Found in His Fiddle Playing
Appalachian fiddle player Ed Haley performed for nearly half a century and forever altered the landscape of American fiddle music, but never produced a commercial recording.
Amy Beach’s Beautiful Duo Deserves To Be One of the Violin’s ‘Greatest Hits’
Amy Beach’s violin duo Romance takes you on a real emotional journey. It is not just a melodious piece of music with one mood all along. It is complex, passionate, and delicate.
Indie-Pop Violinist Andrew Bird Surveys the Nature of Things On His New Album ‘Inside Problems’
Indie-pop violinist Andrew Bird has a freewheeling performance style that has earned him the sobriquet “a one-man orchestra of the imagination.”
Ukrainian Composer Leonid Hrabovsky’s EQVIN Recalls the Past with Haunting Echoes of the Present
EQVIN (for violin and piano), by Ukrainian Composer Leonid Hrabovsky, is dedicated in memory of his father, a violinist who was shot by the KGB in 1937.
Alisa Weilerstein and Thomas Mesa Find a Fresh Approach to the Beethoven Cello Sonatas
Beethoven’s 5 cello sonatas are perpetually embraced by new generations of cellists. Alisa Weilerstein and Thomas Mesa share their fresh approaches to the works.
Yo-Yo Ma and Silk Road Ensemble Members Team Up with Maestro Long Yu on Youth Music Culture Guangdong
Yo-Yo Ma and maestro Long Yu founded Youth Music Culture Guangdong to help coach young musicians in chamber music and orchestral settings.
‘The Day I Learned How to Teach’: Bassist John Hamil’s Favorite Lesson
Bassist John Hamil recalls his favorite lesson: "I take this story with me to every lesson and never undervalue the student’s time and effort."