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From instruments played with water to early electronic devices promoted by the Nazis, we take a look at the surprising history of instruments named after their creators.

From fulfilling funerary functions, to eulogising friends and fellow artists, or lamenting the waste of war: here are some of the finest examples of music written in mourning.

While London can often seem daunting, the Southbank Centre offers a heady mix of culture – music, theatre, film and contemporary art – within easy walking distance of under a mile.

Kings Place, of the most successful new additions to the London music scene, sits in a rapidly changing King’s Cross – an intersection of new architecture, culture and heritage. 

Take a guided tour in 3/4 time through Vienna as Mark and Elisabeth visit some of the key Strauss locations in the city. 

As Ballet Teatro Colón celebrates 100 years, Julio Bocca, its new artistic director reveals how he wants to tour the company internationally, broaden the repertoire and encourage new audiences.

A look at some major composers who did not receive any formal musical training and followed their own non-traditional paths into Western classical music.

We respond to an article by Gabriel Kahane in which he laments the loss of music listings in New York City's cultural magazines.

The prestigious flute competition returned this year, with over 350 applicants from around the world, this competition is a true civic occasion, with music-making embraced by the wider city of Kobe.

The undulating sweep of The Glasshouse International Centre for Music makes it one of the most distinctive cultural spaces in the country. We take a wider cultural ramble through Gateshead, and Newcastle beyond...

Visit one of Amsterdam’s best-sounding concert venues and premier site for contemporary classical music – and take a wander around significant points of interest in this new area of the city.

With many new full-length dance works to look out for in the new season, we preview several anticipated new creations from leading choreographers – including a number with newly commissioned scores.

With so many talented young artists appearing in this season, editor Mark Pullinger selects ten we’re particularly excited to follow this year.

Bachtrack’s Dance Editor Deborah Weiss picks ten young dancers who made a deep impression last season, and what to expect from them in 2025–26.

Contemporary music theatre seems to be in a state of rude health, and we preview several new stage works soon to hit the boards this coming season at venues and opera houses around the world.

The bespoke streaming platform, launched by Opéra national de Paris in 2023, boasts a wealth of fine opera performances – and many standout ballet performances as well.

With fifty years passing since his death in 1975, what does Shostakovich’s music mean for us today? Stephen Johnson outlines six lessons from this multifaceted composer – who might just be playing with us...

This summer, Myung-whun Chung leads one of Asia’s leading orchestras on its first ever tour through Europe, with an energetic programme featuring young piano soloist Bruce Liu.

Ravel’s first ballet Daphnis et Chloé is an overwhelming sensory experience – but its birth as a production choreographed by Mikhail Fokine for the Ballets Russes was not without complications...

Born 200 years ago, we explore the hypnotic and seductive qualities of Johann Strauss II’s music, and what allows the Blue Danube to so capture the never-ending dance of humankind.

In the shadow of the capital’s great institutions, we discover exceptional places where not everyone comes to listen to classical music.

In the forest, in a truck, above the clouds or at the waterside, a wine glass in hand, walking, singing, dancing or improvising: there's something here for every style and every taste.

The father of Czech music, Bedřich Smetana’s music is indelibly tied to the landscapes Bohemia. We take a journey through locations and memorials to this essential figure of Czech culture.

We take a trip to Antonín Dvořák’s birthplace, the composer summer hideaway Vysoká, and other spectacular cultural destinations in Central Bohemia.

Bachtrack’s 25,000th review marks 15 years of global classical music and dance coverage. Discover in-depth, professionally edited reviews in multiple languages from 37 countries – and tip your hat to our wonderful editors and reviewers.

The Cascais Opera Competition successfully concludes its second edition – establishing itself as a springboard for emerging singers from all over the world.

With an unusual format and lucrative prize pot – first prize being €200,000 – the Classic Violin Olympus International Competition poses a unique break to the usual state of affairs in the competition circuit.

The uber-glitzy classical music festival opens with performances by Franz Schubert Filharmonia and the Tokyo Philharmonic, and soloists Edgar Moreau and Giuseppe Gibboni.

This year’s Borealis festival in Bergen presented a mix of at times bizarre new ensemble, theatre and operatic works from Jason Yarde, Okkyung Lee and Bastard Assignments.

2024年のクラシック音楽界にはどのような変化があっただろうか？　これまでの傾向は維持されただろうか、それとも下火になっただろうか？　48ヶ国、30,000を超える掲載件数にもとづき、Bachtrackはクラシック音楽界の有益な見取り図をお届けする。

What changes did the classical music world see in 2024? Are existing trends continuing, or slowing? With more than 30,000 listings across 48 countries, Bachtrack offers a valuable snapshot into the classical music world.

Lord Byron’s influence on musicians was immense – with Rossini, Verdi, Berlioz, Liszt, Tchaikovsky and Schoenberg among the many composers to create works inspired by his writings.

Some of the most familiar Christmas carols have melodies derived from folksong – which might have been lost altogether if not preserved in the early 20th century.

What do you buy for the culture lover in your life who seems to have everything? Here are some music and dance-related gifts that Bachtrack staff are giving or hoping to receive for Christmas this year.

A tribute to a much-loved and highly respected principal of the Mariinsky Ballet, who died at the tragically early age of 39.

Buffetted from symphonies, opera and ballet to West End musicals, film scoring sessions, and maybe even Glastonbury, the life of the freelance musician can be as chaotic as it is thrilling.

Deutsche Grammophon’s STAGE+ has assembled a comprehensive archive of Karajan’s recordings, concert films and opera performances – which did much to define the sound of classical music in the 20th century.

Kornilios Viktor Michailidis is awarded 1st prize in this year’s competition, which gathered 18 talented young conductors from around the world in the Japanese capital.

Anton Bruckner, nicknamed “Tonerl”, spent his childhood in rural Ansfelden, Upper Austria. Tracking his life from there to Sankt Florian and Vienna, Bruckner would leave a lasting impression on musicians and listeners alike.

With so many talented young artists appearing in this season, editor Mark Pullinger selects ten we’re particularly excited to follow this year.

One of the standout contemporary music festivals anywhere in the world, Ultima Oslo is a model for musical meetings across boundaries, and radical open-mindedness.

Both Swiftie and opera fan, Isabella Steppan spends her summer between Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and the Salzburg Festival – two worlds apart, but on a second glance connected by more than just music.

With the dance world currently awash with some seriously exciting talent, Bachtrack have picked out a few thrilling names from around the world who we're looking forward to watching next season.

Germany is truly a land saturated with orchestras and opera houses – and it has a vibrant and extensive festival scene to boot. This guide presents a handful of the country’s many standout musical offerings.

With the arrival of summer, we select some of the best music festivals that can be found in Spain and tell you what makes each of them special.

The glamour of music competition finals results from a hive of activity. Reporting from the World Federation of International Music Competitions in Parma, David tells us what it looks like from inside the industry.

Puccini, who died 100 years ago this year, had a lasting fondness for his native Tuscany – and despite his wealth and fame in later life never moved far from his birthplace in Lucca.

During World War 2, the ghetto of Terezín (or Theresienstadt) became home to many Jewish artists and musicians, whose works have been increasingly recovered and celebrated in recent years.

The north German city offers a plethora of fabulous music venues. We give a rundown of the city’s most important and most elegant locations for classical music, large and small.