News & features

worst things about playing the violin

The 10 worst things about playing the violin

The meeting involved Nicola Benedetti, Alison Balsom and Sheku Kanneh-Mason

Nicola Benedetti: who is the violinist’s family, what are her best recordings and what violin does she play?

Nicola Benedetti

Sean Magee plays on his Ryanair flight

Folk violinist serenades packed Ryanair flight in spontaneous jig

Dan Hodd’s violin was shattered when he was hit by a bus whilst cycling in the Middle East.

Shattered violin that ‘saved cyclist’s life’ in catastrophic collision is miraculously repaired

Classic FM welcomes the entire Kanneh-Mason family to host their first ever radio series

Who are the Kanneh-Masons? All you need to know about the exceptional musical family

Sheku Kanneh-Mason

A hand-embroidered bra was thrown at Ray Chen during applause, after his Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto performance in Munich with the RSNO.

Audience member throws bra at Ray Chen after a rousing Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto

Ray Chen

Why do orchestras tune to an oboe’s ‘A’?

Why do orchestras tune to an ‘A’?

Why are there so many violins in an orchestra?

Why do orchestras have so many violins?

Stella Chen, winner of Gramophone Young Artist of the Year, performs with the London Mozart Players

Violinist Stella Chen wins Young Artist of the Year at Gramophone Awards – watch the ceremony on Sunday!

Events

Violinist Esther Abrami and pianist Khatia Buniatishvili – beautiful and moving pieces of classical music

10 most beautiful and moving pieces of classical music

Soloist unable to board flight – after Ryanair said her 18th-century violin was ‘too big’ for the plane

Soloist barred from flight – after Ryanair claimed 18th-century violin ‘too big’ for the plane

Acclaimed violinist Itzhak Perlman, and legendary conductor Gustavo Dudamel swapped their instrument and baton in rare rehearsal insight

When Gustavo Dudamel played violin and Itzhak Perlman conducted in a reverse duet for the ages

Gustavo Dudamel

Who is André Rieu, what’s his net worth, and did he create the Johann Strauss Orchestra?

André Rieu facts: the Dutch violinist’s wife, concerts, net worth and his Johann Strauss Orchestra

André Rieu

Woman plays violin during brain surgery to save her musical skills

Woman who played violin through brain surgery gives touching tribute to her neurosurgeon

Concertmaster of the Orchestre Symphonique de Québec, Catherine Dallaire (left), performs on a violin bow made out of cancer survivor (right), Karine’s hair

Orchestra who lost conductor to cancer is gifted violin bow, made from chemo patient’s hair

Sheku Kanneh-Mason plays Elgar Cello Concerto; Alison Balsom plays Haydn Trumpet Concerto; Anne-Sophie Mutter plays Williams Violin Concerto No.2

The 20 greatest concertos in classical music

The film’s main theme uses a violin to underscore the thoughts of the father of the atom bomb, Dr J. Robert Oppenheimer

Oppenheimer soundtrack: who wrote the score and why does the violin play such a prominent role?