Celebrating Vivian Fine

by sarah | Sep 28, 2023

Today, Sept. 28, 2023, is the 110th birthday of Vivian Fine.  This blog was originally published on March 20, 2011, titled Remembering Vivian Fine. Sunday, March 20th (2011), marked the 11th anniversary of the death of Vivian Fine (1913-2000) and the loss of a truly...

Thea Musgrave at 90

by sarah | May 23, 2018

Conductors and Artistic Directors love celebrating composers anniversary years. There is always tremendous excitement around remembering the work of a beloved composer celebrating a milestone. (Any classical music enthusiast will have a hard time finding any ensemble...

Women Composers to Celebrate in 2018-2019

by sarah | Feb 7, 2018

Classical music enthusiasts love to celebrate big years – and we certainly are no exception, as we celebrated Amy Beach’s 150th in 2017. In general we are in favor of any reason to have a party and spend some time immersed in great music. But it is only fair...

HAPPY 150th BIRTHDAY, AMY BEACH!!

by Chris Trotman | Sep 4, 2017

As this year marks Amy Beach’s 150th birthday, much is being done in celebration about this remarkable woman’s life and work! Numerous orchestras, choral ensembles, chamber ensembles and soloists around the world have performed or will be performing works by the...

Composers You Should Know: Peggy Stuart Coolidge

by sarah | Jul 19, 2017

This week marks the 104th birthday of American composer and conductor Peggy Stuart Coolidge (1913-1981). She began her career as a concert pianist, but turned to composition when a student at the New England Conservatory.  Though her early works are for piano, most of...

Composers You Should Know: Galina Ustvolskaya

by sarah | Jun 14, 2017

Saturday, June 17, would have been the 98th birthday of Russian composer Galina Ustvolskaya (1919-2006). Ustvolskaya studied at the Leningrad Conservatory and was a pupil of Shostakovich who was a champion for her works, even though her style evolved to be distinctly...