By The Numbers: Orchestral Soloists
A look at the pecking order of instruments for headliner opportunities, the gender balance of instrumental soloists, the most popular soloists and where they come from.Read More
By the Numbers: The 2016-2017 Orchestra Season
A look at the trend lines and numbers behind what 85 American orchestras will perform this season.
Can "Excellence" Sometimes be an Excuse?
Aaron Dworkin, founder of the Sphinx Organization and head of the Michigan School of Music talks about the challenges of promoting diversity in classical music.
Seeing Music
Five fascinating projects that look to capture the essence of music in visual art and design
Caroline Shaw has Many Appetites as a Composer... One of Those is Berger Cookie Pie
Pulitzer Prize winner Caroline Shaw is at home having her music performed at an orchestra gala as she is performing arena shows alongside rapper Kanye West. Shaw talks about her varied musical outlets and her new piece that was inspired by Berger Cookie pie.
In Germany, wearable tech allows you to feel an orchestra concert
Designer Ryan Genz talks about the Sound Shirt, an innovative garment that allows a deaf audience to experience music in a new way.
The Spider Silk Luthier
Italian designer Luca Alessandrini talks about his radical spider silk violin prototype and a future where we might better customize instruments to the musicians who play them.
Pentathlon of the Muses
A brief look at some composers of note and the (at one time competitive) history of music at the modern Olympic Games.
The Orchestral Imitation Game
What does it mean when people have trouble telling the difference between a computer-generated orchestra and the real deal?
A 500-year-old melody finds new life in a very 21st century way
A new project by the studio Filmelodic looks to capture what people imagine while listening to the centuries-old La Folia melody in 24 short vignettes.
Baseball, Apple Pie... and Walter Piston
Americans love celebrating their own, but some have argued that we largely neglect an important group of great American symphonists who wrote at a time during the 20th century when the United States classical music world was developing a distinct voice.
After Brexit, the fallout for classical music is hazy, but the reaction is fierce
Classical musicians and institutions in the UK have voiced near-unanimous dissent over a vote for Britain to leave the EU, saying the loss of free movement is a blow to their livelihoods and financial viability.
Composers in Uniform
Since US Armed Forces ensembles are in the news, take a look back at some of the important classical figures who spent part of their career making music in the American military.
Margin Notes
Principal Librarian Michael Ferraguto explains the hidden world of inside jokes, strange musical markings and doodles that is sometimes found in the margins of musicians' sheet music.
Rethinking the Modern Music School Training
To Peabody Institute Dean Fred Bronstein, the traditional music conservatory education isn't preparing music students for the modern classical landscape. Since his appointment as the head of one of America's oldest conservatories two years ago, that's something he's devoted himself to changing.
Hazards of the Trade
Raymond Wittstadt specializes in performing arts medicine and talks about the physical strains and chronic injuries that are often a part of being a professional musician.
Joan Tower on her Sixth Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman
Trailblazing composer Joan Tower talks about the musicologist who changed her life and the sixth and latest installment in her "Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman" series after a two-decade break.
Elemental Sounds
Percussionist Christopher Lamb talks about working with composer Tan Dun for Water Concerto, a percussion feature work that channels the elemental and theatrical sounds of water.
Anna Clyne on channeling contemporary art in Abstractions
Composer Anna Clyne talks about the process behind her new work, Abstractions. Something of a modern take on Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, Abstractions is inspired by five pieces of contemporary art at the Baltimore Museum of Art and the private collection of Rheda Becker and Robert Meyerhoff.
An Idea worth Importing: Instrument Lending Libraries
Across Canada, the model of musical instrument lending libraries is growing and lowering sometimes expensive barriers to making music.
Six Degrees of Ernst Bacon
Researchers in the field of network theory are using metadata to map out communities of classical artists and composers, which might help us better see how they relate to one another or help newcomers navigate the extensive web of classical music.
Bearing Witness
A year after the death of Freddie Gray, two Baltimore composers talk about how those events shaped their music and the need for music of the day to acknowledge and engage in the issues of the day.
Classical Music Coming to a TV Talent Competition Near You… Maybe
In Hungary, an American Idol-styled show called Virtuosos televises young musicians performing classical music. Now there are plans to take the show global. Is a Bach partita on primetime American television in our future?
The Function of Listening to Music
The question of "why music?" has been around since we first started making it. A new study looking at the function of listening to music might not answer that, but it should remind us that we have many new and emerging ways to consider a very old question.
ICE founder Claire Chase on the "Disastrous" and "Hopeful" Future of New Music
Speaking to music students at the Peabody Institute, International Contemporary Ensemble founder and flutist Claire Chase said musicians are going into an artistic and job landscape their mentors can't prepare them for and must interpret the future for themselves.
Conducting Behind the Scenes
University of Maryland Concert Choir Director Edward Maclary talks about the collaborative process of working as a preparation conductor on a concert where he will ultimately watch his ensemble perform from the audience.
The 15-Second Harpist
London musician Olivia Jageurs talks about 15 Second Harp, her new project that is part 21st century creative collaboration, part musical tech support for those writing for her instrument.
Colin Currie talks new MacMillan Percussion Concerto
Colin Currie discusses James MacMillan's Percussion Concerto No. 2, what makes good music for percussion and the choreographed movements of moving between a stage full of instruments.
Composer Kristin Kuster on MOXIE, Marin and Musical Ciphers
Kristin Kuster wanted her piece MOXIE to have an immediate festive atmosphere that grabs an audience, but inside the piece she also built a musical cipher tribute to Maestra Marin Alsop that audiences might not catch at first listen.
Q&A with Composer Mason Bates
Mason Bates talks about performing his piece Mothership with the BSO, balancing composing with his other artistic interests and his work on a new Steve Jobs opera.
Practice Makes Perfect
Repetition is a key component in music mastery, but a growing body of scientific literature suggests that a dose of variation is just as important.
Do We Need a New Word for Classical Music? Maybe We Need Several.
It's not a new debate, but a recent proposal would retire the beleaguered term "classical" for "composed music." Perhaps we shouldn't stop there.
Snow Exit: A Classical Playlist for the Blizzard-Bound and Stir Crazy
A little Alexander Mosolov for your shoveling with a side of György Kurtág for your cabin fever.
The Musical Thaw Between the US and Cuba
With diplomatic relations easing, artists from both the US and Cuba talk about their experience at a recent contemporary music festival in Havana and what musical possibilities they think the future holds.
The Strange and Wonderful World of Composer-Performer Speed Dating
In new music where relationships are key, composers and performers try their hand at "speed dating" to jump start those collaborative connections.
Infographic: The Hierarchy of Solo Instruments
All instruments in the orchestra get their chance to shine from time to time, but some get their moment in the sun more often than others.
What New Works are Finding a Place in the Repertoire?
Each year, orchestras premiere a mountain of new music. Some will catch on while a lot won't. Here is a look at newer pieces that are starting to find a place in the orchestral canon.
How Do You Conduct a Live Movie Score?
BSO Assistant Conductor Nicholas Hersh talks about the challenges and systems that he uses when conducting the score of Home Alone in a live performance.
Music Lessons Linked with Better Social Behavior
A recent study measured how students scored in prosocial behavior measurements before and after participating in group music lessons.
A Look at the Most Performed Works of the 2015-2016 Season
Much of the top repertoire performed by 89 American orchestras this season is to be expected, but there are a few interesting wrinkles.Read more
A Data-Driven Look at the 2015-16 Orchestra Season
From most-performed composers to how living and female composers are faring, here's an overview of the music being performed this year by American orchestras.
A Classical Thanksgiving Playlist
Thanksgiving isn’t a popular muse for composers, but here is a slightly off-the-beaten-path look at some music to put you in a pumpkin pie kind of mood.
Songs of the Earth
An organ that turns the sea to haunting music, and a look at several other installations that feature nature as the musician.
Alsop: More Women on the Podium is about Conditioning
Speaking at Loyola University as part of the Sister Cleophas Costello lecture series, Alsop talks about getting her start as a conductor and a continued need to give that opportunity to others.
Brian Greene on Icarus at the Edge of Time
Physicist and author of Icarus at the Edge of Time talks about his collaborative piece with music by Philip Glass and why he wanted to rewrite the moral of the ancient Greek myth.
How We Use Music to Cope, and Why It Might Not Always be Good for Us
Researchers are looking into how we use music to regulate our mood and how that information might further the field of music therapy.
After the End
Classical commentator Norman Lebrecht spent many years predicting and writing about the struggles of the industry, but at a recent forum he said the future of classical music is still bright if it is willing to change.
A Conversation with Composer Christopher Rouse
Baltimore-native Christopher Rouse talks about his Edgar Allan Poe-inspired piece, composing and expressiveness in music.
Yeezy: featuring C. Sheezy
Kanye West and Pulitzer-winning composer Caroline Shaw have recently started collaborating to make some very interesting music together. What does that mean exactly?
With Regards to Taylor Swift and Ryan Adams, What Makes a Good Classical Cover?
The rules that make a good cover of a pop song work also apply when one composer rewrites another.
Study: Fewer People Saying They “Dislike” Classical (Well… it’s a Start)
Researchers compare what kinds of music Americans say they dislike across two decades.
Conductor Markus Stenz on Jazz, German Repertoire and Settling in with a New Orchestra
Principal Guest Conductor Markus Stenz started a three-year term in his new role with the BSO with a performance of Don Giovanni, and he recently stopped down to talk about working with the orchestra.
Edward Berkeley talks about combining Prokofiev and Shakespeare
Director works to adapt and pair Prokofiev's ballet with Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet drama.
Digital Classical Music might (Finally) be Getting Easier
Start up company looks to solve the inadequate artist/song/album metadata problem for classical recordings, and the fact they see it as a problem worth solving should be encouraging news for the state of the industry.
For Concertmaster and Conductor, a 20-Year Bond is all about Flexibility
BSO Concertmaster Jonathan Carney and conductor Juanjo Mena have worked together for two decades and on two continents, and they talk about that collaborative relationship ahead of their latest shared performance.
An Instrument is Turning Cryptocurrency Fluctuations into Music
A closer look into the strange and fascinating world of data sonification.
Q&A with Composer Anna Clyne
Anna Clyne talks about her visual style, collaboration and a new commission for the BSO.
Why Virtual Reality and a Symphony Orchestra are a Natural Fit
A new generation of virtual reality headsets will be looking soon for content to show off its potential.
Your Ear is Smarter than You Think
Researchers compare how well professional musicians and musical layman judge a performance.
If a Concert Controversy tells us anything, it’s that Classical Music is Still Powerful and to some, Dangerous
Conductor Daniel Barenboim's plans to bring his orchestra to Tehran for a concert were protested by both Israel and Iran officials before being shut down.
You Can Now Watch a Pulitzer Winner on a Purse
And 5 unusual classical music merchandising ideas.
Reconsidering Our Assumptions about New Music
Contemporary classical music has changed a lot in recent years, but a lot of us are still bringing 20th-century expectations to the 21st-century new music concert.
How Should We Talk about New Music?
Labels are convenient. They help create context for an audience trying to process new sounds in contemporary music. But often times, composers and musicians aren't fans.Read More
Yes, Even Composers Struggle with Checking Facebook at Work
For composers, the Internet’s lure is both a blessing and nuisance.
Why Composers need Conductors (and Vice Versa)
At the Cabrillo Festival, the relationship between composer and conductor takes center stage.
What Does Your Music Taste Say about How You Think?
Researchers look into how music taste differs for empathizers and systemizers.Read More
Touch Pianist and the Emerging Place for Classical Apps
The “creative coder” and composer behind Touch Pianist talks about his popular app and the power of allowing users to interact with music.Read More
Where Woodwinds and Woodshop Meet
A new public-private partnership brings musical instrument repair to the high school classroom and aims to teach students a skill and address a national shortage of repair techs.
U.S. Senate Designates Music as a Core Subject, What Does That Mean?
A primer on the Elementary and Secondary Education ActRead More
In Defense of the Passive Listener
There is active and passive listening in music, and each might have their place.Read More
A Non-Traditional Independence Day Playlist
The classics are classics for a reason, but there is plenty of great music for Fourth of July off the beaten path.Read More
The Mash-Up Debate
If you mix Radiohead and Brahms, is it “cultural violence” or an intriguing musical experiment?Read More
Video Game Folk
Composer Chad Seiter talks about reimagining video game themes for the symphony orchestra.Read More
Performance Attire
Newly designed concert attire blends a modern take on the tuxedo and black dress with high-end athletic wear.Read More
The Best of Two Possible Worlds
Bernstein's Candide falls in that murky territory between musical and opera. Is the distinction between the two worth making?
What Good are Genres?
Genres have been an important part of how we find and listen to music, but that might be changing, which could be good for classical.
The Meerkat and Periscope Effect
Livestreaming apps might offer an unpolished and approachable window into classical music and musicians outside the concert hall.Read More
What Network Theory Can Tell Us About the World of Classical CDs
Researchers looked at more than 63,000 classical CDs featuring work by nearly 14,000 composers to map the world of classical recordings, which is growing "exponentially."Read More
The Role of Arts in Making Peace
Peacebuilding expert Chic Dambach talks about the impact cultural exchanges like the Minnesota Orchestra's recent trip to Cuba can have in fostering peace.Read More
No Dessert Until You Finish Your Symphony
When it comes to getting children interested in classical music, is a soft touch or a firm hand best?
5 Things You Can Do With a Trombone (and One You Probably Shouldn’t)
From flamethrowers to floor lamps, the trombone is more versatile than you think.Read More
The Piano Man
Piano Technician Greg Hudak talks about the craft he's refined with decades of experienceRead More
Amid Conflict and Pain, there's Music in Baltimore
For a city in a declared state of emergency, music takes on new roles.
Listening Guide: Julia Wolfe
Julia Wolfe won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Music. Here’s a closer look at what you should know about one of America’s top composers.
Boys Play Trumpet and Girls Play Flute, but Why?
Research shows gender stereotypes still have a significant influence on what instruments children choose, but today’s music teachers aim to shed those biases and open up musical possibilities.
Painted Sounds
5 Classical Works and the Paintings That Inspired Them
When Does Homage Become Plagiarism?
From Robin Thicke to Sam Smith, plagiarism lawsuits have been rampant for pop music. Is that a concern for classical composers who historically have borrowed more than anybody?
Fate Redux
BSO Playwright-in-Residence Didi Balle talks about her new Symphonic Play, Tchaikovsky: Mad But For Music that explores what led the Russian composer to explore the idea of fate in not one but two of his symphonies.
Happy (Belated) Piano Day!
You might have missed the first annual celebration of the piano, but the plans behind Piano Day and the two-story piano the holiday hopes to bring to fruition are worth giving some attention.Read More
Composing is now a Spectator Sport
On the gaming website Twitch, one composer has made her craft a form of live entertainment.Read More
Sopranos in Space (and Other Unusual Concert Venues)
From cattle ranches to caves and now in orbit, some are taking the "play outside the concert hall" movement to an extreme.Read More
A Classically Minded Preview for South by Southwest
When genres bend and musicians experiment, the festival where rock bands hope to break through can be an interesting place for classical music.Read More
Studies Suggest Dogs like Beethoven, Cats not so Much
Two recent scientific studies looking into the effect of music on animals show that dogs respond positively to classical music and that cats might also like music, just not our music.
5 Radical Redesigns of the Violin
The violin has a much celebrated shape, but have you ever wondered why it couldn't look a little more like a squid or space ship?
Loiterers Beware, Vivaldi is on Duty
A convenience store in Dallas was just the latest to employ the “classical music strategy” as loitering and crime deterrent.
Listening Guide: George Walker
A guide to the music of George Walker, celebrated concert pianist and the first African-American composer to win a Pulitzer Prize.
Timeline: Black Classical Music History in Baltimore
A look at the notable figures and historic milestones in classical music for Baltimore's African-American community.
What is the Internet asking Google about the Orchestra
From whether orchestra conductors are necessary to whether trumpet players are good kissers, Google’s autocomplete gives an interesting look at what questions the Internet wants to know about orchestra musicians.
Listening Guide: Florence Price
A closer looked at the first African-American woman to be recognized as a symphonic composer.
In the News: At Baltimore Symphony, a Cello and a Violin Make More Than Music
Marin Alsop talks with the New York Times about her parents and the instruments that belonged to them which she loaned to BSO musicians.Read More
Is There Inherited "Genius" in the Bach Family Tree?
Was it nature or nurture that made seven generations of Bach musicians?
Bringing an Orchestra to Baltimore
BSO oboist, Michael Lisicky, talks about the early history of symphony concerts in Baltimore (which included an African monkey and several Chinese dogs) and the first BSO concert 99 years ago.
The Power of Musical Repetition
The science behind the earworm and why we find repetition so compelling.
Listening Guide: William Grant Still
A look back at the music of the “Dean of African-American Composers.”
Terms of Service
What does the standoff between a classical cellist and YouTube mean for small artists?Read More
We Might Be Playing Classical Music the Wrong Way
Musicologist Clive Brown says we’ve lost a traditional freer interpretation of the notes on the page.
The History Behind Mahler’s Post Horn Solo
Andrew Balio talks about the tradition of post horn playing in Europe and the instrument's starring role in Mahler's Symphony No. 3.Read More
Shades of Brass
Gabrielle Finck talks about playing the uncommon and enchanting Wagner tuba.Read More
All About That (Subcontra)Bass
Richard Bobo has a quest to build the first subcontrabassoon.Read More
Out of the Pocket
For Victor Holmes, whether he's playing jazz drums at a church or classical bass with the BSO, music is music.Read More
The Great Carry-On Debate
Musical instruments are now a carry-on according to Department of Transportation rules, ending a regular standoff between musicians and airlines at the airport gate.
5 Cuban Composers to Watch
What a thaw in US-Cuban relations could mean for classical musicRead More
The Instrument Behind the Sugar Plum Fairy
A tribute to the heavenly tones of the celesta
Recording Orchestras in the Internet Age
Digital concert recordings may never replace the income of CDs, but Leon Botstein says that isn’t the point.
By the Numbers: Female Composers
Where are the women in orchestra repertoire?
5 Things You Might Not Know About Handel's Messiah
The controversy, tradition and backstory of a Christmas orchestral staple
By the Numbers: Living Composers
Mason Bates talks about the orchestra landscape for new music and living composers.
Adolphe Sax's Invention and 5 New Instruments to Watch
How does an instrument catch on?
By the Numbers: Top Repertoire of the Orchestra Season
A list of the top 10 most performed works of the 2014-2015 season.
The Notorious Ph.D.
Rap and hip-hop are beginning to find a place in traditional music higher education.
Five Questions with Christopher Rouse
Composer talks about process, working with conductors and the first piece he ever wrote.Read More
The 2014-15 Orchestra Season by the Numbers
Living composers account for a little more than 11% of repertoire, female composers less than 2%Read More
So What is Next for Classical Music, Anyway?
Symposium at Peabody tackles the future of classical music.
What's in a Shape?
An analysis by a plant researcher describes the evolving shape of the violin.
Classically Crowdsourced
For young composers in search of a break, crowd funding may offer a new avenue
Report: Music is Top Form of Entertainment
For Americans, listening to music is more popular than television.Read More
Are Modern Concert Halls Forbidding?
Architect Léon Krier thinks so and calls for a return to Classical design.Read More
Timeline: Classical Lost and Found
The classical world is abuzz after the original manuscript to a famous Mozart piano sonata was found in Budapest, but the discovery is actually one of many classical finds in recent years.Read More
Do Visuals Help Classical Music?
A new UK music initiative aims to connect students to classical works through the silver screen.Read More
Thinking about the Future of the Symphony
A new think tank focused on the future of classical music and the orchestra is holding its first conference in Baltimore.
Ferde Grofé and the Unusual Suspects
How a collaboration between a cartoonist, neuroscientist, researcher and historian brought an unpublished piece of music by composer Ferde Grofé back to the concert hall after 82 years.
A Jazz Man Never Satisfied
Marcus Roberts' drive to learn has helped him overcome a disability and become one of the greats in his field.
Marin Alsop Awarded Royal Philharmonic Society Honorary Membership
BSO Music Director honored at BBC Proms concert.
Music of the (Tennis) Spheres
An effort to turn data from US Open into music is part of the growing world of “sonification.”Read More
Why the 10,000-Hour Rule is Wrong and Why We Love it Anyway
New and continued research shows it takes more than just practice to get to Carnegie Hall.
An Opera for Cars
New mobile opera to take place simultaneously in 18 cars.
Music in Za'atari
A weeklong fellowship by Music For Life International will bring music and music lessons to Syrian refugees in a Jordanian camp.Read more
Finding a Place for American Composers
The newly founded American Music Project aims to get more American music into U.S. concert halls.
Take it Slow
Millennium-long piece of music turns to Kickstarter to develop a portable 1,000-minute version for the shorter attention span.Read more.
Five Examples of Tech in Classical Music Performances
From robots in opera to hologram piano duets, there are plenty of high tech experiments in classical concerts.
The Musical DNA of Video Game Music
Music analysts from Pandora describe what makes video game music distinct.
Five Video Game Composers Who Know Their Way Around an Orchestra
As games get more complex, so does the music written for them.
Viral Violins
Classical album sales continue to slide, but a viral video of fireworks and the success of Lindsey Stirling show the opportunities online.
Five Questions with Ben Folds
Folds talks about his piano concerto, covers and bridging rock and classical music.Read more
BSO remembers Lorin Maazel
“He just handed the score to you on a silver platter.”
Classical Music’s Soccer Problem
Turning students into orchestra musicians and concertgoers is a challenge for music educators, and where classical institutions should help.Read more.
From Russia With Love
The 1812 Overture celebrates a Russian victory over the French, but it is a Fourth of July tradition. How does that work?
The Act of Conducting
Damon Gupton is both an accomplished conductor and actor, and he finds his role on one stage helps him on the other.Read more
Six Hip-Hop/Orchestral Collaborations That Could Actually Work
Here are six ideas for hip-hop/classical collaborations featuring artists and orchestras at the top of their game.
What Can Casablanca Teach Us About Breakups?
Just what is it about Casablanca, a film over half a century old, that continues to resonate with audiences today?
What Gives You Joy?
In honor of the orchestra's performance of Beethoven's Ninth, we want to know!
QUIZ: What Fairy From A Midsummer Night's Dream Are You?
From King Oberon and Queen Titania to their many minions, find out which creature you are!
This Man Wants To Play With Your Hair
Really. And he’ll make beautiful music in the process…Read more
Needs More Cowbell!
On the eve of this weekend’s concert, “Percussion Strikes Again!,” BSO percussionist John Locke talks about run-ins with the cops, soundproof rooms and what all percussionists have in common.Read more
Party Like It’s 1799
Could live classical music at house parties be the answer to turning millennials onto a new genre of music? A Boston-based startup called Groupmuse thinks so.Read more
Spreading Like a Virus
Haven’t seen the latest classical music videos to go viral? Here are five to forward to friends.Read more
In the Folds
When Ben Folds performs with the BSO this summer, it won’t be the first time the musician has teamed up with some unlikely collaborators.Read more
5 Times Mahler Blew Our Minds
Mind=Blown.
What Composer is Your Soulmate?
Do you belong with Bach, Mozart, Beethoven or Chopin? Find out which of these eight most legendary composers is your soul mate!
It’s a “Mad Men” World
As the AMC hit show enters its final season, we look at what was happening in the world of classical music in 1969.Read more
Candy Wrappers, Cell Phones and Hacking Coughs
Is bad behavior by concertgoers driving you nuts?
Young Geniuses
The Internet loves a musical prodigy. Here are a few we think just might succeed as adults, too.
Kids, Classical Music and I.Q.
Will playing Mozart for your baby really help improve intelligence?Read more
