News Flash

2025-06-30

Musical Prodigy Myths

As a child, Kim favored TV and books over practice. Though she loves piano and performing, she admits practice was boring. Now, she views giftedness as part of neurodiversity, not just exceptional talent.
Read more at abc.net.au

2025-06-29

Standby for 40 Years

Terry Harper, who started tuning pianos at 19, has dedicated 40 years to perfecting the sound of grand pianos at the Sydney Opera House, working with renowned musicians like Vladimir Ashkenazi, Gary Burton, and Chick Corea.
Read more at abc.net.au

2025-06-28

Lockwood's Piano Works

Pianist Xenia Pestova Bennett releases "Annea Lockwood – The Piano Works," featuring four compositions spanning decades. While not as radical in 2025, their transformative quality arises from the interpreter's compelling performance and connection to Lockwood’s innovative spirit.
Read more at journalofmusic.com/

2025-06-27

Hewitt Celebrates 50th with Mozart

Canadian pianist Angela Hewitt concludes her Complete Mozart Piano Sonatas project with her final album, Mozart Piano Sonatas. This milestone marks her 50th album for Hyperion Records, showcasing works from the accessible K. 545 to Mozart’s profound late sonatas.
Read more at theviolinchannel.com

2025-06-26

Pianos at Expo 2025 Osaka

Pianos have long featured at Expos, symbolizing innovation since 1851. At Expo 2020 Dubai, notable models included “The Flying Piano” and “The Big Beleura.” Osaka’s Expo 2025 showcases a more modest but intriguing piano display.
Read more at worldpianonews.com

2025-06-25

Stolen Pianos

During WWII, nearly 8,000 pianos were looted by Nazis from Jewish families in France. Historian Caroline Piketty’s "Harmonies volées" recounts their story, with many returned post-liberation, though some remain lost.
Read more at france24.com

2025-06-24

Eight Composers Who Saw Sound

For a rare group of composers, synaesthesia is reality, blending senses to create extraordinary music. Olivier Messiaen, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Duke Ellington famously experienced colors, textures, and hues influencing their compositions in unique and vivid ways.
Read more at classical-music.com

2025-06-23

Chopin: The Teacher

In his pupils’ memoirs, Chopin appears as a dedicated, authentic teacher attentive to emotions and abilities. Demanding yet encouraging, he inspired students. Technically, he revolutionized fingering and hand movement, respecting each finger’s natural capacity.
Read more at nifc.pl

2025-06-22

The Best of Brendel’s Recordings

As the musical world mourns the renowned pianist, The Guardian explores his extensive recording legacy, highlighting 12 top selections from Russian rarities to Beethoven. His prolific career of over 100 albums ensures his enduring influence for future generations.
Read more at theguardian.com

2025-06-21

Pletnev in Hong Kong

Legendary pianist Mikhail Pletnev captivated a full house in Hong Kong on June 17, immediately performing on the Shigeru Kawai grand piano. His recital featured contrasting halves: the introspective Beethoven sonatas and lively Grieg Lyric Pieces.
Read more at scmp.com

2025-06-20

Inside a Pianist's Brain

For the first time, researchers will showcase musicians' minds using advanced neural imaging from UC and the Brain Dynamics Lab, projecting a pianist’s real-time brain activity through the innovative Glass Brain visualization tool.
Read more at classicfm.com

2025-06-19

Pedalling Chopin?

Chopin’s generation of pianists sparked a musical revolution with the damper pedal, but his unique approach combined technological advances with his distinct technique and creative use of musical color, transforming both musical expression and perception.
Read more at nifc.pl

2025-06-18

Alfred Brendel dies aged 94

The celebrated pianist, poet, and essayist, died peacefully on June 17, 2025, at his London home. Renowned for his profound interpretations of Beethoven, Mozart, and Schubert, his six‑decade career left an enduring mark in the classical music world.
Read more at theguardian.com

2025-06-17

Argerich's Cultural Vision

Martha Argerich emphasized the importance of cultural exchange and dialogue as key to world peace during a press conference at her 25th-anniversary music festival in Beppu, Japan, where she serves as general director of the festival.
Read more at mainichi.jp

2025-06-16

A Khachaturian Celebration

Pianist Kariné Poghosyan’s hour-long all-Khachaturian program at Carnegie’s Weill Hall showcased the composer’s vibrant rhythms, Armenian harmonies, and optimism, highlighting how his style helped him navigate Stalin’s criticisms better than some of his contemporaries.
Read more at blogcritics.org

2025-06-15

Jazz Pianist Awarded

Contemporary jazz pianist Sylvie Courvoisier, born in Lausanne and based in New York, received the Swiss Grand Prize for Music 2025, honoring her innovative contribution. Her albums include Chimaera (2023) and To Be Other-Wise.
Read more at theviolinchannel.com

2025-06-14

French School Pianists

This is the third release in APR’s ‘The French Piano School’ series within a year, featuring 14 pieces for piano and orchestra recorded between 1930 and 1949, performed by composers or expert interpreters, following earlier collections of French piano pioneers and Chaminade’s music.
Read more at .gramophone.co.uk

2025-06-13

Pianist's Stage Fright Fix

In recent years, Simone Dinnerstein began bringing a tablet on stage, which she credits with revitalizing her career. She finds reading scores on an iPad freeing and comforting, even though she still memorizes her music for performances.
Read more at wrti.org

2025-06-12

Symphonic Sounds on Two Pianos

Vanessa Wagner and Wilhem Latchoumia understand their different piano techniques and appreciate how their touches complement each other. They embrace Debussy’s orchestral textures, seeking finesse and shimmer to evoke early 20th-century sound, inspired by his call for a mellow, instrument-like tone.
Read more at interlude.hk

2025-06-11

Most Popular Piano Piece in Australia?

Almost 140,000 votes were cast in the 2025 countdown, a record high in 24 years. The list features diverse works, including 11 by female composers, 27 by living composers, 11 by Australians, and 19 piano pieces for film or TV.
Read more at artshub.com.au

2025-06-10

Izik-Dzurko in Interview

Jaeden Izik-Dzurko, back in Hanover, Germany after performing in Japan, told CFJC Today about upcoming tours spanning 10 months, including stops in the U.S., England, France, Canada, Peru, the Netherlands, the Dominican Republic, and more.
Read more at cfjctoday.com

2025-06-08

Lipatti The Composer

Dinu Lipatti’s legacy as a composer, though overshadowed by his legendary piano career, showcases a remarkable talent blending neoclassical clarity, Romanian folk elements, and deep lyricism. Despite a brief life, his small yet impactful works hint at vast creative promise.
Read more at interlude.hk

2025-06-07

Aristo Sham Wins Cliburn

Hong Kong's Aristo Sham, 29, became the city's first pianist to win the prestigious Cliburn competition. He secured the gold medal, a US$100,000 prize, and the audience award, defeating five other international finalists.
Read more at theviolinchannel.com

2025-06-06

Pianist on Song

Working with Uchida was a truly special experience for Kožená. Though she had played the piece with others, Mitsuko's effortless, cosmic approach, paying meticulous attention to every note and harmony, made it profoundly inspiring and unique.
Read more at gramophone.co.uk