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Vijay Gupta is a violinist for the Los Angeles Philharmonic whose life's work has been to make music accessible to all. That passion caught the attention of others and this year he was awarded a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship.

Classical

Music Interviews

MacArthur Fellow Vijay Gupta On Making Music Accessible For All

Oct 13, 2018

Violinist and social justice advocate Vijay Gupta, one of the 2018 winners of the MacArthur Fellowship, speaks about his work in under-resourced communities in Los Angeles and what's next.

Classical

Deceptive Cadence

Rachmaninov in the Rockies: Pianist Daniil Trifonov dreams of playing the composer's Fourth Piano Concerto on a train.

Dreaming Of Rachmaninov On A Train

Oct 11, 2018

The celebrated young pianist Daniil Trifonov steals aboard a steam locomotive, chugging through the Rockies to the strains of Rachmaninov's Fourth Concerto.

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Music News

Violinist William Preucil (left), taking a bow with the Cleveland Orchestra at a 2016 performance in Miami.

Two More Women Accuse Violinist William Preucil Of Misconduct

Oct 10, 2018

Two female violinists allege that the Cleveland Orchestra concertmaster — currently suspended from his job due to a previous allegation — acted inappropriately towards them during lessons.

Classical

Deceptive Cadence

Soprano Montserrat Caballé, in concert in Marbella, Spain, in 2012.

One Mesmerizing Moment With Soprano Montserrat Caballé

Oct 09, 2018

The revered Spanish soprano, who died Saturday, spins out silvery threads of tone in her recordings, the likes of which no one has ever matched.

Classical

National

From left to right, the Totenberg-Ames Stradivarius at the start of its restoration; in a mold being prepared to have the edge reinforced; and after the restoration.

The Tale Of The Stolen Totenberg Stradivarius Ends With A New Legacy

Oct 09, 2018

When the FBI recovered virtuoso violinist Roman Totenberg's stolen Stradivarius after his death, his daughters wanted the instrument to be played everywhere. Ensuring that was not so simple.

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Deceptive Cadence

"Every time I learn something new about the music, I then bring [that] into the next performance," Hilary Hahn says.

Back To Bach: Hilary Hahn Rekindles An Old Love

Oct 07, 2018

When the violinist was just 17, a stunning Bach debut album launched her career. Over two decades later, she returns to finish up the set of pieces she started as a teenager.

Classical

Deceptive Cadence

Matthew Aucoin, 28, has been awarded a MacArthur "genius" grant for his work as a composer and conductor.

MacArthur Fellow Matthew Aucoin Talks Composing And Donating His 'Genius' Money

Oct 04, 2018

The 28-year-old polymath from Boston discusses his new award, his precocious youth and how he perceives all human language as a form of musical communication.

Classical

Favorite Sessions

Watch Yo-Yo Ma Perform 'Song Of The Birds' Live In The Studio

Oct 04, 2018

The world-renowned cellist performs the delicate piece both gently and with absolute surety.

Classical

Deceptive Cadence

Pianist Conrad Tao and dancer Caleb Teicher perform music from J.S. Bach's <em>Goldberg Variations.</em>

Bach On Tap Shoes: Tiptoeing Through The 'Goldberg Variations'

Oct 03, 2018

Watch Caleb Teicher tap his way through Bach's Goldberg Variations with pianist Conrad Tao at the Steinway factory in New York.

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Deceptive Cadence

Our solar system is the subject of composer Gustav Holst's <em>The Planets</em>, which premiered 100 years ago on Sept. 29, 1918.

'The Planets' At 100: A Listener's Guide To Holst's Solar System

Sep 28, 2018

Take an interplanetary trek through the English composer's symphonic blockbuster with the help of a conductor and an astronomer.

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Discover Music

Deceptive Cadence

Magos Hererra's new album, <em>Dreamers</em>, with the string quartet and Brooklyn Rider, is steeped in Latin American culture.

Erasing Genres En Español: A Smoky-Voiced Jazz Singer Meets Classical Strings

Sep 28, 2018

The resourceful Mexican jazz singer Magos Herrera partners with the string quartet Brooklyn Rider, creating an album that's steeped in Latin American culture.

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Deceptive Cadence

New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera Struggle To Find Their Way

Sep 24, 2018

The Philharmonic launches its season with a new music director and executive director. The Metropolitan Opera's season starts with a young music director.

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Deceptive Cadence

"I found that I feel more empowered and stronger singing with this strange voice that I have," Anthony Roth Costanzo says.

Anthony Roth Costanzo: A Countertenor For The 21st Century

Sep 21, 2018

The resourceful singer is unafraid to bring opera — and his high-flying top notes — to unlikely places, from sixth-grade classrooms to the offices of NPR.

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Music News

Liang Wang, playing with the New York Philharmonic at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2013.

New York Philharmonic Musicians In Limbo After Investigation

Sep 17, 2018

After a five-month investigation, the New York City orchestra took action against oboist Liang Wang and trumpeter Matthew Muckey over unspecified misconduct.

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American Anthem

Sixteen-year-old McKenna Howard and her mother, Amy, at the Little League Softball World Series in Portland, Ore. this August. McKenna sang the national anthem at the event.

How Sports Met 'The Star Spangled Banner'

Sep 06, 2018

"The Star Spangled Banner" has been played at major sporting events as far back as the Civil War, even before it was officially named the national anthem. How and why did the tradition stick?