SAN FRANCISCO—The concert began with a bang, visual as well as aural. An enormous sculpted bronze head bristling with raised bronze tabs [pictured], by Japanese artist Jun Kaneko, descended from above to a narrow runway stage, where it was … » Read

LONDON—The program was billed “Oramo conducts Vaughan Williams,” and so he did, but the real reason this April 11 concert at London’s Barbican Centre created a buzz was the chance to hear a rediscovery by 20th-century … » Read

In March of 2026, Interlochen will be collaborating with the symphony orchestras of Detroit, Boston, and Philadelphia for four concerts pairing advanced students from the Interlochen Arts Academy with musicians that comprise each ensemble, many … » Read

For almost six decades, Greg Sikora tuned and voiced pianos throughout the Philadelphia region for everyone from Frank Sinatra to Lady Gaga, and was for much of that time chief piano technician for The Philadelphia Orchestra. Now 77 and retired, … » Read

Czech conductor Jakub Hruša, rising star and music director-designate of London’s Royal Opera, teamed up with violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja for her New York Philharmonic debut on April 9. On the bill were a warhorse, a world … » Read

The Oregon Symphony will welcome two new key musicians as successors to veteran performers at the beginning of the 2025-26 season. Harrison Linsey [picured] has been named principal oboe, leaving the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), where he is … » Read

On April 10, two musicians fired by the New York Philharmonic last October for sexual assault and harassment—associate principal trumpet Matthew Muckey and principal oboe Liang Wang—amended legal filings to assert that the orchestra … » Read

Any review of Das Rheingold that begins with the critic expressing relief that the production features “good helmets, with very good horns” might suggest that the musical performance itself left something to be desired. Fortunately, … » Read

David Chan, concertmaster of the Metropolitan Opera for 25 seasons—among many other endeavors—is to join the Shepherd School faculty full time next fall at Rice University. He will phase out, over the next two years, his current … » Read

Oslo-based string quartet Opus 13 [pictured] won the triennial Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition , announced April 6. In addition to the first prize of £10,000, it also won three special prizes from earlier rounds: … » Read