News Flash

2024-04-29

Nobuyuki Tsujii Signs with DG

Famous pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii, known as "Nobu," has signed a special contract with Deutsche Grammophon to release his debut album in 2025, featuring Beethoven's "Hammerklavier" Sonata. DG will also reissue and promote his past classical recordings from Avex Classics International in various formats.
Read more at gramophone.co.uk

2024-04-28

Sony Signs Kanneh-Mason

Jeneba Kanneh-Mason, a talented pianist and finalist in the 2018 BBC Young Musician competition, has been signed by Sony Classical. She is currently recording her debut recital album for release in spring 2025.
Read more at gramophone.co.uk

2024-04-27

Montero's Cliburn Return

After nearly 15 years, Gabriela Montero is back at Cliburn Concerts. She will join the 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition jury and compose a piece for all 30 competitors in the Preliminary Round.
Read more at fortworthreport.org

2024-04-26

Artist-in-Residence Cho

Renowned pianist Seong-Jin Cho has been appointed as the artist-in-residence at the Berlin Philharmonic for the upcoming 2024-25 season. The announcement on the orchestra's website detailed his plans to perform five diverse programs including collaborations with orchestra members and chamber music concerts.
Read more at berliner-philharmoniker.de

2024-04-25

The Incomparable Sokolov

Sokolov carefully selects half of each concert season's programme, replacing it with new works to create a completely fresh programme for each city visit. In reality meaning that he plays one half recital program during a whole year. Announcing his programme just before the season starts can cause difficulties for organisers.
Read more at interlude.hk

2024-04-24

Schumann in Chamber Size

The Schumann Collection by pianist Theo Fouchenneret features two new recordings: "Works With Wind Instrument" and "Trios and Quartet For Piano and Strings (live)". These albums delve into Schumann's artistry, imbued with passion and emotion in his chamber compositions.
Read more at gramophone.co.uk

2024-04-23

Q + A with Pianist Vignoles

Roger Vignoles is a renowned piano accompanist and a leading figure in the world of song over his five-decade career. He has performed at prestigious venues and festivals worldwide, collaborating with top artists like Sir Thomas Allen, Barbara Bonney, Dame Felicity Lott and Dame Kiri te Kanawa.
Read more at meettheartist.online

2024-04-22

Sensational Pianist Lim

At just 20 years old, piano prodigy Yunchan Lim has launched his first album featuring Chopin Etudes on a prestigious classical music label known for producing legends like Luciano Pavarotti and Vladimir Ashkenazy. His popularity is likened to K-pop sensations with merchandise bearing his image and viral YouTube performances.
Read more at classicfm.com

2024-04-21

Pianist Stott Retires

British pianist Kathryn Stott, aged 65, shared on her website that she will be retiring from public performances as a concert pianist by the end of December 2024. She will focus on working with young musicians in the future.
Read more at theviolinchannel.com

2024-04-20

Rana and Hammerklavier

During the serious lockdown in Italy, Beatrice Rana focused on studying and practicing Beethoven's Hammerklavier Sonata. With no concerts and plenty of time on her hands, she took a single-minded approach to master the challenging piece.
Read more at gramophone.co.uk

2024-04-19

Piano Playing Gloves..?

An experimental pair of gloves, crafted from thin cotton and stitched in just 20 minutes, may not be considered stylish or practical for keeping hands warm. However, these gloves are uniquely designed with tactile sensors woven into the fabric, serving a different purpose altogether: to assist in learning piano and other hands-on skills.
Read more at scientificamerican.com/

2024-04-19

Perahia in Perspective

American pianist Murray Perahia is renowned for his exceptional technical skills, creativity, and poetic eloquence. Widely praised as one of the greatest living pianists, his interpretations are known for their depth, spontaneity, and lyrical focus.
Read more at interlude.hk

2024-04-18

Hardest Music to Memorize?

Performers have different preferences when it comes to memorizing music. Factors such as the performer's preference and the complexity of the work influence the decision. We interviewed three performers about the most challenging piece they've memorized.
Read more at classical-music.com

2024-04-17

Pianist Diehl Between Jazz and Classical

Combining jazz and classical music presents a challenge as it requires capturing the essence of Black American music while incorporating the beauty and complexity of orchestral music. This balancing act is difficult due to the diverse backgrounds of musicians involved.
Read more at createastir.ca

2024-04-16

The Global Lang Lang

At Lang Lang concerts, fasten seat belts for an exhilarating ride. The 42-year-old pianist loves to excite audiences, showing a full picture of himself on stage. Experience his passion and talent firsthand, unlike recordings.
Read more at chinadaily.com.cn

2024-04-15

Glass' Etudes Everywhere

Philip Glass' complete set of 20 etudes has become indispensable, with numerous recordings including the latest by Polish pianist Maciej Ganski. Renowned pianists like Yuja Wang have turned these pieces into popular encores, loved by both pianists and choreographers.
Read more at latimes.com

2024-04-14

Lang Lang on Walk of Fame

Chinese piano star Lang Lang has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, acknowledging his exceptional live performances. He is the first Asian pianist to earn this prestigious honor.
Read more at chinadaily.com.cn

2024-04-13

Pianist Trifonov Teaching

On March 21, piano students from Rice University's Shepherd School of Music had the opportunity to learn from Grammy Award-winning pianist, Daniil Trifonov. Known for his virtuosic performances, students experienced his profound interpretations during a public master class.
Read more at rice.edu

2024-04-12

When Glenn Gould Quit Performing

On April 10, 1964, Glenn Gould delivered his final concert at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles. This marked the end of his performing career at just 31 years old, making him a pioneer in choosing to solely release his music through recordings and videos.
Read more at latimes.com

2024-04-11

100 Pianists Vote Greatest Pianists Ever

Legendary Arthur Rubinstein would have hated this list famously claiming "there's no best pianist, only different". Read and hear Classical Music's take on the 20 greatest pianists of all time.
Read more at classical-music.com

2024-04-10

The Augmented Pianist

Pianist Kelly Moran demonstrates a distinctive interplay between herself and a programmable piano, with the digital instrument sometimes seeming to overshadow the real one. Despite this, her latest album maintains a graceful and accessible sound.
Read more at theguardian.com

2024-04-09

Pianist Confronting Illness

This week marks the New York Philharmonic debut of the daring pianist Alice Sara Ott, who is challenging traditional concert norms and breaking down stereotypes surrounding multiple sclerosis.
Read more at google.com

2024-04-08

Strong Talent but No Prodigy

Child prodigy is a term used in psychology for individuals under age ten, but it also refers to talented youths in various fields. Pianist Li Churen, 27, shares her early inspirations, sacrifices, and handling criticism as a full-time pianist.
Read more at tatlerasia.com

2024-04-07

Meet Olga Scheps

Pianist Olga Schep's innovative programming style has garnered a loyal fan base. She has collaborated with orchestras and performed at top venues worldwide. Scheps believes in the unity of music styles and her inclusive approach has inspired her to explore a varied array of genres in her recordings.
Read more at interlude.hk