News Flash

2026-05-30

Bronfman's Happy Hour

Classical Music Happy Hour, the new podcast hosted by seven-time Grammy-winning pianist Emanuel Ax, features pianist Yefim Bronfman in episode 11. Their conversation explores Bronfman’s life and career, alongside favourite recordings, musical games and listener questions.
Read more at theviolinchannel.com

2026-05-29

Murray Perahia Awarded

Pianist and conductor Murray Perahia has been awarded the Pomegranate Lifetime Achievement Award for Music by the New York Sephardic Jewish Film Festival. The prestigious honour celebrates his exceptional artistic achievements and contributions to musical culture and heritage.
Read more at imgartists.com

2026-05-28

The Alchemy of the Piano

Francesco Piemontesi was captivated by a rare recording of Sergei Rachmaninoff, revealing extraordinary freedom, colour and virtuosity. Seeking the secrets of great piano playing, he visited renowned musicians and mentors, exploring the artistry, imagination and alchemy behind the instrument.
Read more at parsmedia.com

2026-05-27

Two Gershwin and Lise de la Salle

Leonard Bernstein and George Gershwin, two defining voices of 20th-century American music, opened this celebratory concert by the Orchestre national de France, with pianist Lise de la Salle and conductor Stéphane Denève.
Read more at arte.tv

2026-05-26

Hamelin and Sonatas over Time

Marc-André Hamelin’s recital at Cleveland’s Severance Music Center united four contrasting piano sonatas across two centuries, highlighting the form’s enduring flexibility. Beginning with Haydn, the program traced the sonata’s evolution through an evening rich in character, contrast, and refinement.
Read more at bachtrack.com

2026-05-25

The Other Neuhaus

Stanislav Neuhaus, son of renowned pianist Heinrich Neuhaus, studied under his father before becoming his assistant alongside Lev Naumov and Yevgeny Malinin. A respected teacher himself, his students included Vladimir Krainev, Radu Lupu, Brigitte Engerer, and his son Stanislav Bunin.
Read more at interlude.hk

2026-05-24

Pianists to Birmingham

Hear Sir Stephen Hough live, watch 20 young pianists compete in the Birmingham International Piano Competition, and enjoy expert masterclasses at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire’s five-day piano festival, 14–18 June, beginning with a free Community Piano Day of recitals, lessons, and performances.
Read more at pianistmagazine.com

2026-05-23

The Best Rach2 Recordings?

After the failure of his First Symphony, Sergei Rachmaninoff battled depression before therapy with Nikolai Dahl restored his confidence. Premiered in 1901, his Piano Concerto No. 2 revived his career and redefined Romantic concerto writing for generations.
Read more at theclassicreview.com

2026-05-22

World's Largest Pianos

Though often impractical and rarely performed, the world’s largest pianos have profoundly influenced music history. With unusual origins and extraordinary designs, these monumental instruments expanded ideas of resonance, scale, and craftsmanship, becoming enduring symbols of pianistic innovation and ambition.
Read more at interlude.hk

2026-05-21

Soprano-pianist Fenlon in Schubert

British-born pianist-soprano Rachel Fenlon is celebrated for performing while accompanying herself on piano, a feat demanding remarkable coordination. On May 12, she made her Hong Kong debut with Schubert's Winterreise.
Read more at scmp.com

2026-05-20

Get to Know Zitong Wang

In her Boston apartment, pianist Zitong Wang practices beneath a photo of Carnegie Hall, surrounded by family mementos and pets. Despite recent success at the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition, she values personal connections over trophies.
Read more at globalpeople.com.cn

2026-05-19

Liszt's Great Love

A chance meeting in 1830s Paris sparked a passionate, unconventional partnership between Franz Liszt and Marie d'Agoult. Marked by artistic brilliance, scandal, ambition, and tragedy, their relationship became one of classical music’s most influential love stories.
Read more at interlude.hk

2026-05-18

Music and Multimedia Challenge

At Manhattan’s Baryshnikov Arts Center, pianist Clara Yang and video artist Xuan challenged concert traditions with Ex Machina, abandoning convention and audience expectations while raising a provocative question: who should modern concert experiences ultimately serve?
Read more at bachtrack.com

2026-05-17

Danish Award to Lang Lang

Chinese pianist Lang Lang received the inaugural Daphne Music Award in Copenhagen, honoring his artistic excellence and commitment to expanding classical music audiences. The €650,000 prize also recognizes contributions to education, public engagement, philanthropy, and cultural accessibility.
Read more at news.cn

2026-05-16

Q + A with Biss

Pianist Jonathan Biss has released Beethoven/5, Vol. 5 on Orchid Classics, concluding his acclaimed commissioning project. Following the release, he performs at New York’s Merkin Hall on May 12 with a program blending traditional and contemporary repertoire.
Read more at theclassicreview.com

2026-05-15

Van Cliburn and Sputnik at Gilmore

Celebrating its 35th anniversary, the Gilmore International Piano Festival premiered American Sputnik, a new work by Evan Mack and Mark Campbell exploring Van Cliburn’s 1958 Tchaikovsky Competition triumph, whose Cold War symbolism resonates strongly amid renewed U.S.-Russia tensions today.
Read more at classicalvoiceamerica.org

2026-05-14

Classical Music Festivals 2026

As summer approaches, many travelers pair holidays with music festivals. Europe hosts an exceptional lineup of classical music festivals in 2026, from grand opera settings to intimate concerts. Here are 25 of the finest festivals celebrating world-class performances across the continent.
Read more at classical-music.com

2026-05-13

Ten Liszt Students

Through decades of teaching in Weimar, Rome and Budapest, Franz Liszt shaped generations of pianists. His students carried his ideas worldwide, influencing composers, defining modern keyboard playing and establishing the influential “Liszt school” that endured into the 20th century.
Read more at interlude.hk

2026-05-12

A Grand Piano Concerto Undertaking

Hyperion’s Romantic Piano Concerto series, launched in 1991 to revive neglected works, has been collected in a 50-CD box set. Featuring 130 works by 59 composers, the edition celebrates forgotten repertoire and extraordinary musical exploration across generations.
Read more at theclassicreview.com

2026-05-11

Seymour Bernstein Dies at 99

American pianist, composer and teacher Seymour Bernstein has died at 99. Renowned for his international career and influential teaching, he inspired generations of musicians through decades of artistry, mentorship and unwavering dedication to classical music worldwide.
Read more at theviolinchannel.com

2026-05-10

Reconstructing Beethoven's Last Piano

The original piano remains in the Beethoven-Haus collection but is unplayable. It spans six and a half octaves and uses four strings per key, unlike three-string designs, creating higher tension; this rare Graf method was abandoned.
Read more at theviolinchannel.com

2026-05-09

Exploring Liszt

Pianist Sunwoo Yekwon once viewed Franz Liszt as merely virtuosic, but his new album reexamines the composer’s humanity and lyricism. Speaking in Seoul, Sunwoo said he wanted listeners to hear emotional depth beneath Liszt’s brilliance.
Read more at koreatimes.co.kr

2026-05-08

Azerbaijani Excellence

A commemorative evening and documentary screening honoring pianist and educator Farida Khalilova’s 90th birth anniversary was held at the International Mugham Center. Deputy Culture Minister Murad Huseynov praised her lasting contributions to Azerbaijani piano performance and music education.
Read more at azernews.az

2026-05-07

Oscar Peterson at 100

To mark Oscar Peterson’s centennial, widow Kelly Peterson organized Jazz at Lincoln Center concerts featuring Benny Green, Cyrus Chestnut, and Dee Dee Bridgewater. Green, mentored by Peterson after receiving the 1993 Glenn Gould protégé award, became family.
Read more at substack.com