Artists
Meet Thomas Søndergård: Danish conductor and percussionist
Thomas Søndergård talks about his early years as a percussionist before becoming a full-time conductor – including as music director of the Minnesota Orchestra and BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Meet Nicholas McCarthy - the world’s only professional one-handed concert pianist
Following his stunning debut at last year’s BBC Proms, one-handed pianist Nicholas McCarthy tells Claire Jackson all about repertoire, technique and challenging narrow-minded attitudes
David Bowie’s surprising passion for classical music
For Starman David Bowie, classical music was one of many important influences, says Andrew Green
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We asked today's top conductors to name the best conductor of all time. Here's what they said
We asked 100 of today's leading conductors to vote for the best conductor of all time. And the answer is...
Who is violinist Rakhi Singh?
British violinist and composer Rakhi Singh speaks to Amanda Holloway about the music that has shaped her life and career
We ranked the 21 greatest pianists of all time
Who was the best pianist of all time? We asked 100 leading pianists to name the performers who have brought the most magic to the keyboard
Boos, hisses and rotten vegetables: opera’s worst behaved audiences
From boos to vegetables, opera stars have had to put up with all sorts being aimed in their direction over the centuries, as Alexandra Wilson explores
'How a traumatic memory lapse changed the way I play the piano' – Leif Ove Andsnes
What can musicians do to help tackle climate change?
Delia Stevens from percussion and harmonica/melodeon duo Stevens & Pound writes about her relationship with music and the climate
When is the right time for musicians to retire?
Put bluntly, age and experience used to be venerated much more than they are now, writes Richard Morrison
Shock impact and religious zeal: how historically informed performance revolutionised classical music
From the Middle Ages to Miles Davis, these are the 10 best trumpeters of all time
Leading trumpeter Matilda Lloyd traces the history of her instrument through ten influential players, from the Tudor era to the present day
15 bands whose lyrics we just don't understand (and we love it that way)
Some of rock’s most beloved bands sing in riddles, nonsense, or invented languages — and we love them all the more for it
These 12 iconic musicians walked away at the height of their powers
When stars vanish at their peak – Barrett, Stevens, Denny, Gould – their abrupt exits leave mystery, legend, and longing in their wake
RIP Patricia Routledge: from Bernstein to Bucket, a life less ordinary
Though known chiefly for her brilliant portrayal of a social climber on TV’s Keeping Up Appearances, Patricia Routledge was once also a successful mezzo, as the actress recalls with Michael White
‘I thought in that moment, please can I just die’ – pianist Francesco Piemontesi on his best and worst concert performances
Top Swiss pianist Francesco Piemontesi remembers the best and worst performances of his career - including forgetting what he was playing!
Itzhak Perlman: legendary virtuoso violinist and the sound behind Schindler's List
As we celebrate violinist Itzhak Perlman’s 80th birthday, the virtuoso speaks to Charlotte Smith about teaching, conducting, his famous sound – and keeping inspired over a career of more than 60 years
Comeback albums: rock's 11 most spectacular rebirths, ranked
From Bowie’s shock return to Cash’s rebirth, we rank the most dramatic comebacks in rock history — glory after silence
These 7 bands were iconic. But you'll struggle to hear their influence today
They defined eras and left timeless songs—yet these seven iconic bands were a musical full stop, their sound still strangely unclaimed today
These are the 21 most awesome cellists of all time
From Pablo Casals to Jacqueline du Pré, we celebrate some of the greatest cellists of the past 300 years
Shapeshifters: rock's 17 most radical reinventions, ranked
From Dylan’s electric shock to Bowie’s endless reinventions, these 15 acts didn’t just evolve — they transformed so radically they became almost unrecognisable
BBC Symphony Orchestra: all you need to know about the BBC Proms' busiest orchestra
Discover the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the BBC’s principal broadcasting orchestra at the heart of British cultural life since 1930
Vladimir Horowitz: the legendary pianist who retired four times and had electroshock therapy for depression
Vladimir Horowitz was one of the greatest pianists the world had ever seen. his success, however, came at a heavy price. Nick Forton charts a glittering career blighted by depression and long periods away from the concert stage
From Ziggy to Camille: rock's 15 wildest alter egos
From psychedelic parodies to gender-bending voices and cartoon bands, rock’s greatest alter egos let artists escape, experiment, and reinvent themselves—sometimes eclipsing their “real” identities entirely
