Québécois pianist Louis Lortie, born in Montreal on 27 April 1959, has a reputation as one of the world’s most versatile pianists. In his thirty-year relationship with Chandos Records, Lortie has produced a catalogue of well over 45 recordings, with

Pianists have an aura of mystique. More often than not, alone on the stage with just that box of wood and wires for company, stretched before the performer like a sleek black limousine, pianists seem more removed, almost other-worldly than

We all have painted by numbers at some stage of our childhood – or adult life! Painting by numbers is a wonderful invention which guides the aspiring young artist in completing a modest and amateur work of art. Without worrying

Rich contributions have been made to classical music by creators from Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries. Composers like Ponce and Albéniz, conductors in the mode of Dudamel and Payar, instrumentalists such as de Larrocha and Ricardo Morales, all testify through their

On 23 April 1948, the city of Vienna was treated to a most unusual premiere. On that day, André Jolivet stepped onto the podium and, together with his sister Ginette as the soloist, first presented his Concerto for Ondes Martenot

One of the finest violinists and most significant artists of the 20th century, Yehudi Menuhin was a gentle spirit who gave music a profound emotional resonance. The most musically gifted violin prodigy of his generation, he devoted his life to

In many ways, the career of composer Chou Wen-chung (1923-2019) established a now familiar pattern of intellectuals, artists, and musicians escaping political turmoil in their native China to find opportunities in the United States. A native of Shandong Province, Chou

French soprano Natalie Dessay is known for her unusual commitment to exploring the theatrical possibilities offered by opera. An admired interpreter of bel canto and lyric heroines, Dessay initially made her name with coloratura showpieces. For many years, she has