There are certain pieces of music that have a special place in my heart and one of them is Antonio Vivaldi’s Concerto RV 443. As a young flute player, I learned this Concerto and even performed it publicly a few times. Today I’m thrilled to share with you an exciting, virtuosic performance of this Beautiful […]

If you’re not deeply familiar with the instruments in an orchestra, you may be a little fuzzy on which one is the bassoon. You may even know the SOUND of the instrument, thanks to Serge Prokofiev’s PETER AND THE WOLF (whose gruff Grandfather theme was played by the bassoon) and the famous opening theme of

Happy Earth Day! On this important annual occasion, we celebrate the big blue marble that is our home and focus on preserving and protecting its natural resources. This is Beautiful Music by Franz Josef Haydn — his oratorio THE CREATION. The performance from 2009 features three German soloists: soprano Annette Dasch, tenor Christoph Strehl, and

Today is Day 2 of 3 celebrating Earth Day with Beautiful Music inspired by nature. You can read more about Earth Day 2021 using the link below. Animals often give us important clues and warning signs about the environment, whether it’s genetic abnormalities with frogs or the classic “canary in the coal mine” signaling danger.

Earth Day has been celebrated annually around the globe since 1970. The official date of Earth Day is April 22, and this year it’s a three-day celebration beginning today: April 20. You can read more about Earth Day 2021 using the link below. And you can listen to Beautiful Music inspired by nature — today

Today’s Beautiful Music is played on an unusual instrument that may be new to you: lirone.   So you can begin with an introduction to the lirone by an expert, Emilia Benjamin. Then you can enjoy a performance by members of Catacoustic Consort for lirone, harp and voice.         Introducing the Lirone

This piece — CUMBEES — by Spanish baroque composer Santiago de Murica, has long been a personal favorite. So I was especially happy to find this new performance of it to share with you — Beautiful Music to put a spring in your step today! It’s performed by the Latin-Baroque Fusion Ensemble RumBarroco. (81) Cumbees,

Here’s a lovely, serene bit of Beautiful Music to give your Saturday a relaxing pause. It’s an excerpt from a 2018 concert performance of Jean-Philippe Rameau’s Entrée de Polymnie from Les Boréades. The performers are Julie Andrijeski & Adriane Post, violins Steuart Pincombe, viola da gamba and Mark Edwards, harpsichord. (80) Rameau: Entrée de Polymnie

As April’s observance of International Guitar Month continues, here’s another performance to inspire you to pick up that guitar you know you’ve been meaning to learn/practice! Kanahi Yamashita has been playing with the Kazuhito Yamashita Family Quintet since she was a childhood. She has performed internationally as a soloist and chamber musician, and has even