Category: Music

Louis Ballard, the ‘Father’ of Native American Composers, Hasn’t Gotten His Due

Louis W. Ballard paved the way for a booming generation of artists. But his works have been too little performed and recorded.
So You Think You Can Be a Cabaret Star

Workshops at the 92nd Street Y and other New York institutions are helping performers of all ages connect with the art of storytelling through song.
Trump Seeks More Sway in Picking Kennedy Center Honorees

The president, who recently had himself installed as the center’s chairman, has called a meeting of its board to approve changes that would give him more input in the process.
Dudamel Leads a Premiere by a Youthful Ravel. Not Bad for a Kid.

The New York Philharmonic and its next music director gave “Sémiramis” its first public hearing, alongside other Ravel pieces and works by Varèse and Gershwin.
JD Vance Is Booed at a Kennedy Center Concert After Trump’s Takeover

The vice president and his wife were booed as they took their seats for a National Symphony Orchestra concert of music by Shostakovich and Stravinsky.
Sofia Gubaidulina Was Both Fully Modern and Sincerely Spiritual

Sofia Gubaidulina’s work, with its thorniness and religious themes, put her at odds with the Soviet government.
Sofia Gubaidulina, Composer Who Provoked Soviet Censors, Dies at 93

Blacklisted at home but finding acclaim abroad, she sought to bridge East and West, the sacred and the secular, in vivid, colorful compositions.
A Ravel Work Premieres at the New York Phil After Nearly 125 Years

A prelude and dance by the French master recently surfaced in a Paris library. Gustavo Dudamel and the New York Philharmonic will give the world premiere.
The Sea Shanty Singer is Singing His Own Songs Now

Nathan Evans was working as a mail carrier when he uploaded his cover of an old whaling tune. Now he has a folk-inspired album of his own songs, which he promises people can still “sing in the car.”
New York Philharmonic Announces Its 2025-26 Season

Our critics choose highlights from a lineup that includes Joshua Bell, Nathalie Joachim, Barbara Hannigan and more.
Sony Gives N.Y.U. $7.5 Million for an Audio Institute

A multifaceted new program at the university’s Steinhardt School will train students (on Sony equipment) for jobs in music and audio “that don’t exist yet.”
Inside the Detail-Obsessed, Essential World of Music Editing

When composers publish their scores or prepare them for performance, they need an editor — a role that rarely enjoys the classical music limelight.