On what would have been the 71th birthday of Jacqueline du Pré, the words of János Starker sound a provocative warning Jacqueline du Pré...

To mark the UK's National Poetry Day, 8th October, here's George Eliot's great poem about violin making and the obsession with which...

A recent performance of the whole of Homer’s epic Iliad offered an opportunity to observe actors close up and to understand what their...

The great violinist, former leader of the Lindsay Quartet, and one of the unique and most charismatic voices in chamber music, died on...

Observing masterclasses can be a brilliant way to learn and find inspiration, and yet students rarely turn up to watch. They may be too...

Coffee experts and barristas have a whole language for describing their craft. Can it help violin makers? I visited the London Coffee...

The former Vermeer Quartet leader and Curtis Institute professor discusses the negative sides of Ilona Fehér's 'tough love' school of...

In honour of Pinchas Zukerman's performance tonight of the Elgar Violin Concerto with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at London's...

I have an article in today's Financial Times about music philanthropy, for which I spoke to some of the legion of generous souls who help...

Violinist Benjamin Baker has just been selected for the final rounds of the Queen Elisabeth Violin Competition. Such contests are...

As two top violinists are forced to give back the classic instruments they've been borrowing, should more performers consider modern...

How often do you leave a concert feeling as if you've experienced something special? As often as you'd like? If not, why not? My latest...

The Russian violinist is forthright about Baroque rules, the narrow-mindedness of only listening to classical music, and allowing...

A weekend in Madrid provided the perfect opportunity to view some unusual Stradivarius instruments There is a lot to do in Madrid –...

A historic letter from Isaac Stern to Henryk Szeryng offers fascinating insight into his thoughts about raising a violin prodigy ​​...

An exhibition at Dulwich Picture Gallery will replace a classic painting with a Chinese fake and ask visitors to spot the copy. What can...

Today's classical music business may be competitive and tough, but there are also more opportunities than ever. Success lies in knowing...

Jazz violinist Regina Carter, interviewed here, offers some advice on exploring the genre Transcribing ‘If it’s not your language you...

2014 was another busy year on the London concert scene. Here (in chronological order) are my favourite concerts of the many I went to,...

This year, my first as a freelance writer and journalist, I've had the privilege to meet some amazing musicians during my assignments for...