classical music
Anne-Sophie Mutter, Reluctant Goddess
(The Washington Post) "I look pretty grim and gruesome when I play," admits the violinist. "But I'm not in the mood to smile while I'm playing. I'm there to transmit the music!" more >>
Is the Classical Guitar Ready for its Closeup?
(The Washington Post) Long neglected in the classical world, the guitar is heading into bold new territory, say guitarists -- and the instrument may never be the same ... more>>
"The Universe Resounds": Mahler's Final Triumph
(The Washington Post) Passionate, transcendental and unabashedly joyous, Gustav Mahler's Eighth Symphony is a full-throttle affirmation of life ...
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Leila Josefowicz: The Dharma of the Violin
(The Washington Post) Is it possible to be a top model for Chanel, and one of the great violinists of the day? Leila Josefowicz has managed both with aplomb ... more>>
new music
The Second Childhood of Margaret Leng Tan
(The Washington Post) Margaret Leng Tan was one of the most gifted avant-garde pianists on the planet. Then she discovered the toy piano, and things just got weirder from there... ... more>>
Roger Reynolds: The Oracle in the Sanctuary
(The Washington Post) Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Roger Reynolds turns his attention to the origins of music -- and transforms the National Gallery of Art ... more>>
The Post-Classical Ensemble, Storming the Ramparts
(The Washington Post) Is the symphony orchestra dead? The most unusual chamber orchestra in Washington thinks so, and its out to create the alternative ... more>>
Mason Bates: Bringing Techno to the Concert Hall
(The Washington Post) During the day, Mason Bates is one of the most accomplished young composers in the country. But by night, he heads for the dance clubs of San Francisco, where he spins electronica as the DJ "Masonic" ... more >>
In Conversation: Jefferson Friedman
(The Washington Post) In the latest section of his trilogy on outsider artists, composer Jefferson Friedman delves into the strange, disturbing world of Henry Darger ... more>>
Composer Mark Adamo, Wild at Harp
(The Washington Post) He's the fastest-rising opera composer in the country. So why is Mark Adamo back at the Kennedy Center, premiering a harp concerto? more >>
Opera: Taking a Chance on Sophie's Choice
(The Washington Post) William Styron's searing novel is nothing if not operatic. The story is almost unbearably tragic, careening through passion, cruelty and death ... more >>
Del Tredici's "Final Alice" Returns
(The Washington Post) Composer Dave Del Tredici turned the music world on its ear in 1976, with an utterly contemporary work that was also utterly ...tonal? ... more>>
jazz, world and pop
Salif Keita: From Outcast to Icon
(The Washington Post) After making his name in Paris over the pats two decades, Afropop superstar Salif Keita has returned to his native Mali to fight for the rights of Africa's albinos ... ... more>>
The New Face of Afrobeat
(The Washington Post) The music of African political revolution pioneered by Fela Kuti is having a surprising revival -- in white, suburban America ... more>>
Matmos, Electronica's Glamour Couple
(The Washington Post) From performing with Björk to collaborating with the Kronos Quartet, the electronic duo known as Matmos are breathing new life into musique concrète ... more>>
In Conversation: Eartha Kitt
(The Washington Post) She's been setting men on fire for more than fifty years -- but the original sex kitten, now 80, shows no sign of slowing down ... more>>
In Trinidad, Beating the Steel Drums of War
(Insight) Popular "pannists" enjoy the status of rock stars, the tabloid headlines scream rumors about their romances, and at Carnival time the excitement turns into fever ... more >>
(The Washington Post) The band's leaders call themselves "musical archaeologists" -- digging up neglected treasures from the past and reinventing them for the 21st century ... more >>