When a cadenza goes bluegrass
In music, a cadenza is an “improvised or written out ornamental passage played or sung by a soloist,” and it’s often where a soloist can really shine. Violinist Tessa Lark certainly improvised her cadenza at this rehearsal of Dvořák’s Violin...Quality Time with Yo-Yo Ma
NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts are such a delight. They’re often such a casual and intimate look at an artist. Who better to spend time with one-on-one than the lovely cello legend Yo-Yo Ma? Spend some quality time with Ma, enjoying his sweet cello...When Aretha subbed for Pavarotti at the Grammys
Pavarotti was too ill to perform. The story goes that Ken Ehrlich, producer of the 1998 Grammys, approached Aretha in her dressing room with a cassette. In Ehrlich’s words: “When she heard it, she said, ‘Yeah, I can do this.'” For one aria, the...
Classical music stars who weren’t star students
The musical greats weren’t always so great in an academic setting. We’ll bet you didn’t know these classical musicians were less than star students. George Gershwin, the great American songwriter and pianist, often played hooky as a hyperactive...