Artists
Death at the keyboard: a pianist's final, fatal performance at Carnegie Hall
'It's simply untrue to say that women lack the stamina to play brass instruments' – trumpeter Imogen Whitehead
Britten Sinfonia principal trumpet player Imogen Whitehead on why we should challenge anti-female stereotypes in brass playing
‘My fingers were slipping all over the keys’: clarinettist Julian Bliss on his nightmare concert in the rain
Curtis Institute: inside the American school bringing on tomorrow's greatest musicians
As the Curtis Institute marks its centenary, Charlotte Smith visits the elite Philadelphian music school to discover the secrets of its success
Rostropovich: the virtuoso who redefined the cello forever
Rostropovich was the most influential cellist of any era, a force of nature who inspired many of the 20th century’s greatest works. His former pupil Elizabeth Wilson recalls his extraordinary talent, eventful life and magnetic personality
Titanic musicians: the tragic and noble tale of the performers who went down playing
On the night of 15 April 1912, one of the most heroic performances in history was witnessed, as the musicians of the Titanic carried on playing despite their inevitable fate. Andrew Green tells their story
Nazi exile, mental illness: the complex legacy of one of the 20th century's greatest conductors
For many, conductor Otto Klemperer will be remembered as the steady and reliable champion of classic repertoire, but in his youth the German was a dashing advocate of the new, writes Andrew Green
Wendy Carlos: the fearless trailblazer behind Kubrick’s most haunting soundscapes
Discover the bold, brilliant world of Wendy Carlos—electronic music pioneer, innovator, and trailblazing figure in sound and identity.
Nina Simone: how racism stopped her classical piano career in its tracks
Classical music was jazz legend Nina Simone’s first love, but she faced racism in her bid to become a leading African-American pianist, writes Roger Thomas
One night in Belfast catapulted a young Luciano Pavarotti to stardom. Here's the story
When Luciano Pavarotti got a call to perform Puccini in Belfast, he couldn't have known how career-defining his performance would be...
Meet Felix Klieser, the inspirational musician born with no arms
Horn player Felix Klieser was born without arms. His journey to the top of his profession is nothing short of inspirational
Joseph Emidy: Britain's first black composer, who travelled from kidnap and slavery to violin superstardom
Gayle Wood tells the remarkable story of the African-born violinist and composer Joseph Emidy, whose musical talent led to kidnap, life at sea and, finally, acclaim
Ranked: the 15 greatest jazz singers of all time
Who are the greatest jazz singers of all time? We name some of the best here (in alphabetical order)
These 9 films of classical music icons as children are truly inspiring
Discover the remarkable origins of some of classical music's greatest artists through these fascinating video clips of their childhood performances
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
Florence Foster Jenkins: how the 'world's worst singer' sold out the Carnegie Hall
In 2016 Meryl Streep brought the very dubious talents of history’s most wayward soprano to the cinema. But who, asks Nick Forton, was the real Florence Foster Jenkins?
Thomas Beecham: master of the waspish one-liner. But an often visionary conductor, too
He might be best remembered now for his frequently withering wit and the head start his family background gave him. But Thomas Beecham was also a conductor of rare insight and musicality
Emil Gilels: a guide to the famous Soviet pianist and his best recordings
Maria Razumovskaya digs through the archives to cast fresh light on the extraordinary life of the great Soviet pianist Emil Gilels
The singer who spat at her deadly rival: lurid tales from the 1920s' great opera divas
The Roaring Twenties saw the rise of sports, jazz and film stars, so how did opera’s leading singers stay in the limelight? By trying to beat these new celebrities at their own game, writes Alexandra Wilson
Masaaki Suzuki: one man's lifelong mission to bring Bach to Japan
As Bach Collegium Japan celebrates its 35th anniversary, its legendary music director speaks to Amanda Holloway about a lifetime devoted to the great Baroque composer
'She was so many different people': the brilliance and tragedy of Jacqueline du Pré
Jacqueline du Pré was a brilliant but complex genius whose shyness and vulnerability, particularly in the light of her illness, often left her misunderstood, says Helen Wallace
We asked 100 maestros to name the greatest conductor of all time. And the results are in
We asked 100 of today's leading conductors to vote for the best conductor of all time. And the answer is...
'She was an ambassador for tough love and we were all terrified': studying with flautist Doriot Anthony Dwyer
Composer and flautist Valerie Coleman reflects on the impact the legendary Doriot Anthony Dwyer had on her fledgling career
Opera's World Cup Final? Remembering 1989's epic Battle of the Baritones
Epic and thrilling, the final of the 1989 Cardiff Singer of the World Competition became known as the 'Battle of the Baritones'