17-year-old Jai Bartley used to think that opera was “really long and boring.” Now, she’s producing and performing in EMPOWER, an original opera set to have its world-premiere performance at Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Many musicians dream to perform on the stage of Orchestra Hall with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The Crain-Maling Foundation Chicago Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Competition makes this dream come true for one young musician every year. On Saturday, March 3, four young pianists competed for the opportunity to perform with the CSO during a student concert in the 2018/19 season. …

13-year-old cellist Noah Chen of Chicago recently performed on WFMT’s Introductions. Watch him perform David Popper’s Concert Polonaise, a brilliant showpiece for cello, with pianist Kay Kim.

Frédéric Chopin’s Étude Op. 10, No. 4 and Prelude Op. 28, No. 16 are notorious for being among the composer’s most challenging works to play. And when pianist Aldric Gozon learned these two pieces, he didn’t stop at getting the notes right – he played both blindfolded. Chopin wrote Étude Op. 10, No. 4 in 1830 as part of his …

“It’s quite fun to say this, but I actually hate competitions. I really can’t stand them,” Paul Lewis. His strong dislike of competitions may seem dissonant with his current role as co-artistic director of the Leeds International Piano Competition.

For many musicians, the chance to perform with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is a dream gig. The Crain-Maling Foundation Chicago Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Competition makes this dream come true for one young musician every year. On Saturday, March 11, four finalists competed in Symphony Hall for the chance to perform with the CSO during a youth concert in the …

Now in its 70th season, the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras (CYSO) recently announced that Susie Lape will serve as the orchestras’ new Executive Director. Susie is currently Executive Director of the Lake Forest Symphony. You might recall a recent WFMT series highlighting the Lake Forest Symphony’s search for a new music director in the aptly named program The Search. The CYSO …

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma is not only one of the world’s most renowned musicians; he’s also a passionate advocate for using the power of music to create community.

Many musicians have started their careers in Chicago, and some of them have also studied at the Academy of the Music Institute of Chicago. Founded in 2006, the Academy was established to serve as a training center for gifted pre-college classical musicians. The program is designed for piano and strings. “The Academy was modeled after another program, the oldest of its …

Every library could use more books! Here are our top books about music for the young and the young at heart.

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.

Chicago audiences will know pianist Conrad Tao from his time as Composer-in-Residence with Music in the Loft, and from WFMT’s airwaves.