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Happy Birthday, George Frideric Handel! He was born on February 23, 1685 in Halle, Germany. Even as as child he was drawn to music, which his father discouraged, but his mother secretly helped him pursue. Read more about Handel using the link below to his biography. Today’s Beautiful Music features the extraordinary bass-baritone Dashon Burton […]

Marlene Ngalissamy is a bassoonist who started playing at age 13 in Canada. She says she quickly developed a deep passion for the instrument and was accepted at the Montreal Conservatory of Music, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree. Ms. Ngalissamy has participated in international festivals, workshops, and competitions, and has performed across Canada. She

Kalena Bovell is Assistant Conductor to the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and Conductor of the Memphis Youth Symphony. The Los Angeles native earned her Master of Music and Graduate Professional Diploma in Orchestral Conducting from The Hartt School. She also holds a Bachelor of Music Education from the College of the Performing Arts at Chapman University,

On this President’s Day holiday, today’s Beautiful Music features the magnificent contralto Marian Anderson. She was prevented from performing at Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1939 because the venue banned Black performers. Instead, Marian Anderson performed on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, in front of the massive statue of

Today’s Beautiful Music highlights the late, great conductor James DePreist. At the time of his death in February 2013, Maestro DePreist was Director Emeritus of conducting and orchestral studies at The Juilliard School and laureate music director of the Oregon Symphony. James DePreist was the nephew of legendary contralto Marian Anderson, and you can read more about him

I always get a kick out of seeing people carrying musical instruments in public places. So I was delighted when a woman with a violin case sat down next to me at the airport recently. We began chatting, and it turned out that she is a world renowned soloist! Violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins is a Naumburg

Soprano Leontyne Price recently celebrated her 96th birthday! The legendary singer was born Mary Violet Leontyne Price on February 10, 1927 in Laurel, Mississippi. The award-winning musician pursued her musical training at Central State University, The Juilliard School, and Wilberforce University. In 1961 Ms. Price began her affiliation with the Metropolitan Opera in NYC. Today’s

Daniel Bernard Roumain is a violinist and composer. Born in 1971, the Black, Haitian American musician has worked with a broad group of collaborators, including J’Nai Bridges, Lady Gaga, Philip Glass, Bill T. Jones, Marin Alsop, and Anna Deavere Smith. Today’s Beautiful Music features Daniel Bernard Roumain’s artistry both as a violinist and composer. His 2005

Happy Valentine’s Day! Today’s Beautiful Music is a selection of love songs sung by the versatile and talented countertenor Reginald Mobley! You’ll hear him with lutenist/guitarist Stephen Stubbs singing COME AGAIN SWEET LOVE by John Dowland and HERE THE DEITIES APPROVE by Henry Purcell. There’s also a lovely recording of Mr. Mobley singing George and

American composer and conductor Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson was named after the African-British musician Samuel Coleridge Taylor. Perkinson’s interests and expertise as a musician included many genres, include classical, jazz, popular music, and film & television works. Today’s Beautiful Music is the 3rd movement of Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson’s Sinfonietta performed by Sphinx Virtuosi from a 2011 concert.