Violinist on Russian trains soothes weary commuters
Classics, jazz, Russian folk music and children's songs all flow as Oksana glides her bow across the strings.
Don't Miss a Beat
The Truth About the “Worst Singer of All Time,” Florence Foster Jenkins, Told by Her Accompanist
Florence Foster Jenkins couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket. Yet, she made her Carnegie Hall debut to a completely sold-out house on October 25, 1944.
Tenor Javier Camarena on His History-Making Met Encore
Tenor Javier Camarena made history on March 12, 2016, when he performed an encore during a performance of Donizetti’s Don Pasquale at the Metropolitan Opera, making him one of three singers to offer encores so in the company’s recent history. He spoke about performing the encore, the music itself, and other exciting moments in his career in anticipation of his upcoming performance in ...
“Rhythm is universal”: Tabla Player Zakir Hussain on Music, Politics, & Cross-Cultural Collaboration
When Zakir Hussain, one of the world’s greatest percussionists, speaks about his childhood in Mumbai, it’s easy to understand how his career has led him to collaborations with diverse artists from Ravi Shankar to Yo-Yo Ma to Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead. “Every day I grew up studying the Quran, singing Christian hymns, and playing Hindu devotional music,” Hussain said ...
Playlist: 10 Contemporary Composers You Should Know (…Who Also Happen to Be Women)
During March, Women’s History Month, we draw special attention to the music of women composers past and present on WFMT. Here are 10 living composers who are changing music today, along with 10 albums featuring their music you might want to add to your library.
Why Mezzo-Soprano Alice Coote Would ‘Die for Music’
A life in opera may seem all glamour and glitter. But, when the curtain falls and audience members leave the opera house, they rarely think of how difficult life can be for a singer.
Why Pianist Hélène Grimaud Flooded the Park Avenue Armory with 122,000 Gallons of Water
“We could have made a program with only pieces by Ravel, Debussy, and Liszt,” Grimaud said. “But I wanted to represent as many composers as possible, which meant only one piece per composer..."
Playlist: 11 More Rossini Operas You Should Know (Beyond ‘Barber’)
Gioachino Rossini made so much money from the 39 original operas he created between 1810 and 1829 that he retired in his late 30s.
Pulitzer-Winning Composer David Lang on Composing for the Silver Screen
"One of the things I really like about film is the size of the audience. There are potentially millions and millions of people who want to see film, who are open to hearing music, and who know that music can be an important part of the film experience."
Bartlett Sher on Shakespeare in the Opera House
“Opera is deeply satisfying in a way that Shakespeare cannot be,” stage director Barlett Sher said backstage at Lyric Opera of Chicago during rehearsals for Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette.
Grammy-Winning Violinist Gil Shaham’s Advice for Young Musicians
Grammy Award-winning violinist Gil Shaham made his professional debut at age 10, an age when most are hardly even thinking about professional work of any kind.
