Suzanne Bona

Recently I attended an orchestra concert and heard cellist Alban Gerhardt performing a concerto composed especially for him by South Korean composer Unsuk Chin. It’s a sprawling, angular, technically demanding work that he nevertheless played from memory with apparent ease and command. Its piercing and insistent unisons and jarring harmonies were delivered with perfect intonation

This weekend, I will be baking. I will be carrying on a tradition my late mother began long before I was born. My sisters and niece have carried on this tradition, too. My family heritage is Hungarian, and at this time of year we make a filled cookie that is more like a pastry. It’s

We share the gift of music together every weekend when you invite me and Sunday Baroque along. Sometimes the gift keeps on giving when you continue to listen to Sunday Baroque using our online stream or app later in the week. I know you enjoy the music, and appreciate the many ways it enhances your

This is a love letter to teachers. I have been fortunate to have many excellent teachers and mentors, and they still affect my life profoundly. Good teachers not only ignite a passion for the subject they are teaching, they inspire a broader love of learning and they are role models for how to teach well

On this last Sunday of Summer, I’m feeling a twinge of disappointment. I love Summer, and I’m sad to see it end. I love the bright sunshine, and not having to wear a jacket. I love sleeping with the windows open, so I can hear the wildlife rustling around at night and wake up to

Twenty years ago, we launched Sunday Baroque (formerly known as Sunday Morning Baroque) as a nationally syndicated offering to stations across the U.S. I had originated the local version of the program 11 years earlier on WSHU Public Radio in Fairfield, Connecticut — my hometown, and my first radio job. We began with five pilot

Recently I served as MC for a concert featuring teenage musicians who had won a local orchestra’s concerto competition, an event I’ve been participating in for several years. These marvelous young instrumentalists are exceptionally talented and committed to their musical studies, and to seeking out additional opportunities to express themselves through their music. Beyond their

One of my favorite quotes is, “The more you love music, the more music you love.” A friend recently shared a YouTube video of cellist Yo-Yo Ma playing with singer-songwriter James Taylor. I enjoy both musicians immensely — their talent, charisma and repertory. I love them even more because they exemplify the above quote: they