Classical Interviews
-
Kateřina Kněžíková on Strauss and Janáček
7th Oct 2024
The Czech soprano discusses her new recording of the 'Vier letzte Lieder' with her friend Jakub Hrůša, and reflects on her recent transition into more dramatic repertoire - beginning with Káťa Kabanová at Glyndebourne in 2021.
-
Antonio Pappano on Mendelssohn's Elijah
3rd Oct 2024
The London Symphony Orchestra's recently-appointed Chief Conductor talks about his latest recording on LSO Live of Mendelssohn's oratorio, including how his experience as an operatic conductor helped him to bring out the drama and sense of narrative contained within the work.
-
Dalia Stasevska on her Mixtape
26th Sep 2024
The Finnish conductor discusses her first project on Platoon, featuring orchestral music by contemporary composers including Anna Meredith, Caroline Shaw, Noriko Koide and SØS Gunver Ryberg - and explains her mission 'to become the Koussevitzky of my generation'...
Featured product
Dalia's Mixtape
BBC Symphony Orchestra, Dalia Stasevska
-
Michael Spyres on In The Shadows
25th Sep 2024
Ahead of next week's Gramophone Awards and International Opera Awards, the baritenor discusses his shortlisted album (released on Erato in March) exploring early Wagner and the composers who influenced his writing.
-
Huw Montague Rendall on Contemplation
18th Sep 2024
The British baritone discusses his debut album on Erato (released earlier this month), getting under the skin of Count Almaviva in the recent revival of David McVicar's production of Le nozze di Figaro at Covent Garden, and the joys of sharing a profession with his parents...
-
Antonio Pappano on the London Symphony Orchestra
11th Sep 2024
Ahead of the opening concert of his first season as Chief Conductor of the LSO at the Barbican tonight, Sir Antonio Pappano talks about his history with the orchestra as well as his future plans with them, including his commitment to English music and new commissions.
-
Carlos Simon on art and activism
10th Sep 2024
GRAMMY-nominated composer, activist and curator Carlos Simon has just released an album of orchestral works with the National Symphony Orchestra (where he's been Composer-in-Residence since 2021), and has a new commission being premiered at the 2024 Last Night of the Proms, on 14th September.
-
James Heather on Pulse Music
28th Aug 2024
Ahead of his performance at Presto Music tonight, the British composer-pianist talks to us about forging his own creative path, how a near-death experience affected his relationship with the piano, and his musical inspirations (ranging from Nirvana to Michael Nyman).
-
Lahav Shani on Prokofiev, Bruckner and Rotterdam
22nd Aug 2024
Ahead of his performance of Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Rotterdam Philharmonic at the BBC Proms tomorrow, the conductor and pianist discusses his dual career, musical upbringing and mentors.
-
George Li on Movements
15th Aug 2024
The American pianist discusses his new album Movements, released on Warner last month and featuring Schumann's Davidsbündlertänze, Ravel's Valses nobles et sentimentales, and Stravinsky's Three Movements from Petrushka.
Featured product
Movements
George Li (piano)
-
Catriona Morison on Mahler, music education and mental health in the music industry
6th Aug 2024
Ahead of her performance of Mahler's Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen at the Edinburgh Festival tonight, the Scottish mezzo talks about navigating the 'overwhelming' impact of winning Cardiff Singer of the World in 2017, and her new album Echoes (with Katharina Konradi and Ammiel Bushakevitz).
-
Aigul Akhmetshina on 'Fifty Shades of Carmen'
5th Aug 2024
The Bashkir mezzo talks about tapping into Carmen's vulnerability in Damiano Michieletto's recent production at Covent Garden, how she recharges between performances of such an emotionally-demanding role - and why she wishes casting-directors would give her more opportunities to quite literally wear the trousers...
-
Jaime Martín and Sophie Galaise on the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
1st Aug 2024
The Chief Conductor and the Managing Director of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra discuss how their associations with the orchestra first came about, the reasons behind setting up their own record label, and the importance of the touring work that the orchestra undertakes.
-
Anna Clyne on SHORTHAND and Augmented Orchestra
30th Jul 2024
Ahead of the world premiere of her new work The Gorgeous Nothings at the BBC Proms tonight, the British composer discusses the Augmented Orchestra technology involved in the piece - and her forthcoming album SHORTHAND, out on Sony next month and featuring Avi Avital, Yo-Yo Ma and The Knights.
-
Andrew Nethsingha on his Magnificat series
24th Jul 2024
The conductor discusses his acclaimed series of canticle recordings with the Choir of St John's College Cambridge on Signum Classics, and reflects on his recent move to Westminster Abbey (where he has served as Organist and Master of the Choristers since the beginning of last year).
-
Mishka Rushdie Momen
23rd Jul 2024
Choosing to play Renaissance keyboard repertoire on the piano is a brave choice - especially for an emerging talent making their debut on Hyperion, a label famed for having a roster of fine pianists. Mishka Rushdie Momen discusses why she did exactly this, and some of the things that shape her as a musician.
-
Aziz Shokhakimov on Prokofiev (and Strasbourg)
16th Jul 2024
Now firmly settled in his role as Music Director of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, the young Uzbek conductor reflects on the challenges and rewards involved in building a relationship with a new orchestra - and their recent recording of Prokofiev (released last month on Warner Classics last month).
-
Pavel Kolesnikov and Samson Tsoy on Piano Duos by Schubert and Desyatnikov
11th Jul 2024
The piano duo explore the 'hall of mirrors' created by Schubert's Divertissement à la hongroise and Fantasie, and Desyatnikov's Trompe-l'œil inspired by both works.
-
Guy James on Queen of Hearts
10th Jul 2024
Countertenor and musicologist Guy James of the Gesualdo Six talks about the vocal group's new album of early-Renaissance works dedicated to the Virgin Mary as 'Queen of Heaven', as well as to earthly queens compared to her during their lifetimes and beyond.
Featured product
Queen of Hearts
The Gesualdo Six, Owain Park
-
Kirill Gerstein on Music in Time of War
8th Jul 2024
The Russian-American pianist discusses his new album of music which Debussy and Komitas composed in the wake of the outbreak of World War One and the Armenian genocide respectively - exploring why music written in dark times so often contains 'an incredible amount of exuberance, kaleidoscopic colour and life-affirmation'.
