Beautiful Music

In November 2016, a young string quartet called Perfect Fourth performed at the White House. Today’s Beautiful Music features their concert — I love the looks of focus and intensity on these young musicians’ faces, and the rapt attention of their audience.

Today is Coast Guard Day, commemorating the founding of the United States Coast Guard as the Revenue Marine on August 4, 1790. The musicians in the United States Armed Forces ensembles are the cream of the crop. Today’s Beautiful Music features the U.S. Coast Guard Band Clarinet Quartet in a performance called MUSIC AND FEELINGS.

In 2015, violinist Hannah White was the Sphinx Competition Junior Division First Place Laureate. It’s just one of the many awards earned by this rising young star. This is Hannah White’s performance of the first movement of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Violin Concerto #5 in A Major. She’s accompanied by the Sphinx Symphony Orchestra conducted by

Violinist Thierry de Lucas Neves is from Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil. The acclaimed young musician is an up-and-coming talent who has been getting noticed for some time. Today’s Beautiful Music shows off Thierry de Lucas Neves as a child prodigy, playing Vittorio Monti’s CZARDAS with Orquestra Sinfônica Jovem de Goiás (his hometown youth orchestra) from a

Happy August! Today’s Beautiful Music celebrates the lazy days of summer with Divertimentos (meaning: a diversion, amusement, or entertainment) by 18th century Scottish musician James Oswald. He composed them for guitar, and these are played by Rob MacKillop. It’s an hour of charming, lighthearted diversion.

There’s been a heatwave, so today’s Beautiful Music is a hot performance of a super cool piece of music: pianist Frederick Rousseau plays the opening movement of Antonio Vivaldi’s WINTER Concerto from the Four Seasons.

Cellist Kendall Ramseur is a member of the crossover group Sons of Serendip. Today’s Beautiful Music features him in a solo performance of Johann Sebastian Bach’s COURANTE from Suite #1 for unaccompanied cello. Read more about the talented musician using the links below. https://www.sonsofserendip.com/our-story-1 https://www.kendallramseur.com/

Two iconic early music specialists died within the past few days, both violinists. Marie Leonhardt (93) was the widow of legendary harpsichordist Gustav Leonhardt, and Alice Harnoncourt (91) was the widow of conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt. Along with their partners, these outstanding musicians were part of the wave of renewed interest in baroque music and historically

Kebra-Seyoun Charles is a phenomenal musician whose perfect fit is double bass. And he ALMOST played the flute instead! Kebra-Seyoun Charles plays selections by Johann Sebastian Bach for today’s Beautiful Music. You can also read more about the talented instrumentalist, including his story about how he asked to play the flute but was steered to

Flutist Brandon Patrick George and harpist June Han provide today’s Beautiful Music. They are playing the Tempo Minuetto from the Sonata for Flute and Harp by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges. Joseph Bologne was born in Guadeloupe, educated in France, and was not only an expert musician but an expert fencer too! You can learn