Suzanne Bona

  Today’s Beautiful Music is an introduction to Balint (Valentin) Bakfark, a musician who lived from 1507-1576. He was a Hungarian lutenist and composer from the Transylvania region. You can listen to some of his solo lute music played by Julian Bream, Daniel Benko, and Ilja Kublicki. You can also use the link below to […]

It’s such a pleasure to discover emerging artists thanks to the availability of so many performances online. So today I’m pleased to introduce you to baritone Jamal-Akil Marshall; he gave his senior recital at Wilberforce University in 2013 with pianist Amanda Roberts. Mr. Marshall is a Cleveland-area teaching artist who instructs students in how to

Pianist Tianqi Du has a new recording of what’s described as the “Mount Everest” of music: Johann Sebastian Bach’s GOLDBERG VARIATIONS. The innovative young Chinese musician studied in Boston at New England Conservatory, where he first encountered Bach’s GOLDBERG VARIATIONS. He says that his, “… whole journey in music has found its real raison d’etre

I recently learned that June is National Accordion Awareness Month! Although the instrument is often heard in musical genres such as polkas, zydeco, folk, blues and more, it has an ancient history with its ancestors dating back thousands of years. You can read more about the instrument (and National Accordion Awareness Month) using the link

The coronation of England’s Queen Elizabeth II took place on 2 June 1953 at Westminster Abbey. Elizabeth II acceded to the throne at the age of 25 upon the death of her father, George VI. Today’s Beautiful Music is ZADOK THE PRIEST, one of the coronation anthems performed at her coronation. It was composed by

On June 1 in 1533, Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII, was crowned as Queen Consort of England. Today’s Beautiful Music was composed by her infamous husband, who was also an accomplished musician. This is some of King Henry VIII’s CONSORT MUSIC played by Sirinu. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Anne-Boleyn https://www.history.com/topics/british-history/henry-viii  

Manuel de Mesa y Carrizo was an Argentine musician who lived from c.1725 until 1773. Today’s Beautiful Music is a performance of OIGAN, ESCUCHEN, ATIENDAN by Manuel de Mesa y Carrizo. It’s a type of Spanish dance called a jácara. The form originated as secular poetic-musical form, and evolved into a form used for sacred

Bass-baritone David Pittsinger has a very personal connection to Memorial Day and to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. His late father was a Guard at the Tomb — a job of tremendous gravity, honor, and ceremony. Pittsinger commissioned composer Scott Eyerly to write the piece ARLINGTON SONS, which takes the perspective of a conversation

Francois Couperin’s violin sonata LA SULTANE is today’s Beautiful Music. This fine performance is from Ars Lyrica Houston’s “Re-Gifting with Royalty” concert in Zilkha Hall at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts in Houston from September 2018. The roster of performers featured violinists Elizabeth Blumenstock and Oleg Sulyga, viola da gamba players Mary Springfels