There is abundant evidence of the physical and mental benefits that accrue from singing with others. “Sing with Us,” a pre-pandemic study in London, for example, found that participation in a choir reduced stress hormones and … » Read

Pregnancy can be an opera singer’s best friend if she is allowed to perform. Too often opera companies have cited a pregnant artist’s well-being when canceling her appearance, despite widely accepted evidence that pregnancy and … » Read

LONDON—Inspired by Nawal El Saadawi’s novel of the same name, Bushra El-Turk’s multimedia opera Woman at Point Zero is powerful, poignant, and frequently painful. Seven years in development, it received its U.K. premiere on June … » Read

Catherine Larsen-Maguire, bassoonist-cum-conductor, is to be the music director of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, a newly created position borne of the group's successful performances under her baton. Her term is effective in 2024 for … » Read

The Hungarian State Opera (HSO) has chosen 27-year-old Martin Rajna as principal conductor, starting next season, and he didn’t train at the Sibelius Academy, like most recent wunderkinds. Rather, he a graduate of the Ferenc Liszt Academy … » Read

A recent honor bestowed upon a music professor at Milligan University in Tennessee may carry no international profile but is nonetheless notable for the high impact its recipient has had on a generaton of young musicians. The Arts Alliance … » Read

Classical accordion virtuoso Ksenija Sidorova has returned to HarrisonParrott after a quick tenure under a different management. Born in Riga, educated at London’s Royal Academy of Music, she is fluent in repertoire from J.S. Bach to the … » Read

The Phoenix Symphony, which self-defines as the largest performing arts organization in the state, has reached a new contract agreement with its musicians. The orchestra’s new President and CEO Peter Kjome is undoubtedly an experienced … » Read

It’s no secret that the decline of newspapers, from international to local, has dealt a particularly severe blow to arts coverage. Today, only a handful of newspapers and their websites employ writers—staff or free-lance--with a … » Read

It’s hard to believe that ten years have passed since Carnegie Hall launched its laudable National Youth Orchestra USA (NYO-USA) program, eight years since the younger, NYO2 followed suit, and six since NYO Jazz got underway. Encompassing … » Read