Lessons Learned from Decades of Handel’s ‘Messiah’ Performances
I have performed Messiah almost every December over the last 30 years, and I never tire of playing it. Each conductor brings something different to the production.
Stories
Music Writer Tully Potter on the Importance of Historical Knowledge in Music Performance
Tully Porter takes his role as a music critic seriously; it is a profession that requires deep knowledge of music and its history, he says.
Lincoln Trio Celebrates the Composers and Culture of the Windy City on ‘Trios from Contemporary Chicago ‘
On Trios from Contemporary Chicago, Lincoln Trio features some of Chicago’s greatest living composers, many of whom they have had strong working relationships with over the years.
8 Adult Amateurs Talk Transcendent Moments & Finding the Time to Keep Playing
We spoke with eight string players from various camps or schools of study about challenges and what keeps them coming back to the practice room for more.
Fiddler Sara Watkins’ ‘Family Hour’ is one of L.A.’s Best-Kept Musical Secrets, on Record and on the Road
Fiddler Sara Watkins' album, The Watkins Family Hour, Vol. II, provided an opportunity to stretch musically with many guests while staying true to her bluegrass roots.
It’s Never Too Late to Pick Up an Instrument—Here are 5 Tips for Adult Beginners
It takes bravery to start taking music lessons, but according to the mature beginners I interviewed, no one is ever too old.
The Power of Unconditional Support in Musical Learning and Development
Unconditional support doesn’t mean freely accepting negative or harmful behaviors, but rather treating people as fallible human beings regardless of what they do.
Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers Continues Passionate Advocacy of New Music with Recent Concerto Commission Inspired by Amelia Earhart
For two decades, Anne Akiko Meyers has made it a hallmark of her artistic mission to expand the literature for violin by commissioning new works and championing them.
“Her Name Was” by SistaStrings Comes from a Place of Personal Reflection
Sisters Chauntee (violin, vocals) and Monique (cello, vocals) Ross of SistaStrings have recorded two albums with Peter Mulvey, most recently Love Is the Only Thing on Righteous Babe records.
After 50 years, the Rebelliously Democratic Orpheus Chamber Orchestra is Still Looking Forward
The 2022–23 season will mark the 50th anniversary of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, a democratic creative home where everyone has a say in how the music is made.