Inside the score

A Style of One’s Own: What Classical Musicians’ Clothes Say on Stage

What should classical musicians wear on stage? From Dalia Stasevska to Yuja Wang, Andrew Mellor examines how fashion, individuality, and representation are reshaping the look of performance.

By Andrew Mellor

Reading time estimated : 10min read

Serge Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes: The Groundbreaking World of Modern Ballet

Impresario Serge Diaghilev brought together some of the 20th century’s greatest artists. Celebrate International Dance Day with the composers, choreographers, and designers who brought the world of the…

By Andrew McIntyre

Reading time estimated : 12min read

The Sound of Silence in Classical Music: 5 Powerful Compositions That Use Pause and Stillness

From Arvo Pärt to Debussy, these five classical works show how silence in music can create suspense, grief, wonder, humor, and reflection.

By Nadya Miryanova

Reading time estimated : 7min read

Raising Emotionally Resilient Children in the Digital Age: Why Music Matters More Than Ever

In a world shaped by screens, speed, and constant stimulation, music offers children something increasingly rare: emotional grounding. This article explores how classical music can help children name their feelings,…

By Leslie Merritt

Reading time estimated : 11min read

Sergei Rachmaninov: The Scowl, the Spell, and the Comeback Concerto

Sergei Rachmaninov had the hands, the nerve, and the glare—until one disastrous premiere broke him. What followed was silence, hypnosis, exile, and a concerto that conquered the world.

By Jack Pepper

Reading time estimated : 12min read

Leitmotif Explained: From Wagner’s Ring to John Williams’ Star Wars

A leitmotif is a recurring musical idea that represents a character, place, object, or concept—and evolves as the story changes. From Berlioz’s idée fixe and Wagner’s Ring cycle to the film scores of Max Steiner, John…

By Andrew McIntyre

Reading time estimated : 20min read

Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique

Dive into Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique: a love obsession spirals into hallucination, execution, and witches’ sabbath. This guide follows the idée fixe from first sight to final parody, revealing how Berlioz’s…

By Andrew McIntyre

Reading time estimated : 21min read

What Are You Laughing At? Humor in Classical Music

Classical music possesses the power to move us to heights of joy or the depths of despair. But its power to amuse often goes overlooked.

By Andrew McIntyre

Reading time estimated : 8min read

Composers Recomposed: From Bach to Richter

Recomposition has long shaped classical music, from Baroque masters to Max Richter, blending respect for the past with inventive reinterpretations that breathe new life into familiar works.

By Andrew Mellor

Reading time estimated : 13min read

Listen Closer: Vivaldi’s Four Seasons

On the first day of spring, we return to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, one of classical music’s most joyful tributes to nature. The small creatures that inhabit “Spring”—some more realistically depicted…

By Alix Haywood

Reading time estimated : 5min read