Ten works revealing the paradox of Chopin: a composer outwardly delicate, inwardly steely; rooted in Polish dance rhythms, yet formed in Parisian sophistication.
Vanessa Latarche, professor of Piano at the Royal College of Music and chair of Hastings’ jury, talks about what makes the competition special, working with Sir Stephen Hough, and being a stickler for fairness.
The Finnish conductor talks about becoming Music Director at Singapore Symphony from 2026 – and creating programmes for the unique cultural melting pot that the orchestra sits at the centre of.
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.
Award-winning pianist Junyan Chen talks about curating this year’s Leeds International Chamber Series, making new arrangements of repertoire, and the importance of chamber music for pianists.
Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.
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