These are the best backstage tours of concert halls around the world – which you can join
What secrets lurk behind the stages of the world’s great concert halls? To find out, Brian Wise takes backstage tours of five leading concert halls and venues in London and New York
Irish classical music: how it originated and developed and Ireland's best composers
Terry Blain explores the richly varied classical music history of Ireland, from its folk roots in the 17th century to the brilliant young composers working today
Best Irish folk songs: 6 beautiful traditional Irish songs you can't help singing along to
Self-confessed folk obsessive Freya Parr shares her favourite 6 Irish folk songs
New research shows surge in mental health concerns among musicians and performing artists since Covid-19
The British Association for Performing Arts Medicine has revealed that its mental health consultations have quadrupled since 2019
Violin bows: how to hold them, what they are made of and where to buy the best violin bows
We all know that a bow is an essential part of playing a string instrument, but that's just the beginning. We're here to answer all your questions about violin bows and the different types and styles to choose from
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra announces new chief and principal guest conductors
Mark Wigglesworth and Chloé Soeterstède have been appointed as Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra's new chief conductor and principal guest conductor respectively
Composer James MacMillan receives Ivors Academy Fellowship
MacMillan joins a list of 25 Fellows, including John Rutter, John Adams, Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney, Judith Weir CBE and Sting
All the Right Notes Podcast: How do you play the French horn?
Listen to this episode of BBC Music Magazine's podcast, All the Right Notes, featuring Royal Opera principal horn player David Pyatt
The best music for the accordion
The accordion is one of the most versatile instruments to write for, appearing most prevalently in South American music, but also cropping up in jazz and more traditional forms of classical music. We have rounded up a varied selection of the best accordion music for you to discover
How many female and non-binary film composers have won Oscars?
Just three female film composers have won an Oscar since the Academy started giving composers awards in 1934. Michael Beek explains who they are, from the most recent female recipient to the first
Meet the most fascinating figures from classical music
Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason on the music that shaped him
The brilliant cellist guides us through the classical music that has guided and defined his career so far
Famous trumpet players: 5 of the most influential trumpeters from the modern era
From Wynton Marsalis to Håkan Hardenberger, we look at 5 leading trumpeters from modern times
Angela Gheorghiu interview: the challenges and delights of Puccini – and the one role she'll never sing
Angela Gheorghiu reflects on a lifetime dedicated to the music of the great composer, Giacomo Puccini, and why there is one Puccini role she's avoided throughout her career
The great composers
Explore the lives and works of classical music's finest composers
Five composers with synaesthesia
From Scriabin to Sibelius, we list five composers who claimed to see music as colour
How Queen Elizabeth II inspired Britten to start composing again after he almost died
When Benjamin Britten was at his lowest ebb, the encouragement to start composing again came from no lesser person than Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, as John Bridcut reveals
The best female composers of all time
Our guide to the best female composers from history, many of whom have historically been wrongly excluded from the canon. Let's put that right – get to know their music now!
The wives of the great composers: behind every great man is sometimes an even better woman
If composers’ wives could be the ultimate muse, some were coerced into giving up their own careers to support their husbands
Greatest Recordings
Our recommendations of essential additions to your listening library
La Nativité du Seigneur: a guide to Messiaen's Christmas organ cycle and its best recordings
In his nine-movement depiction of the birth of Christ, La Nativité du Seigneur, Messiaen produced one of the 20th century’s great organ works, says Paul Riley
A guide to Copland's Appalachian Spring and its best recordings
The 1940s ballet Appalachian Spring has become one of Copland’s most popular works. And its true American spirit has inspired many great recordings, finds Anthony Burton
The best recordings of Mahler's Rückert-Lieder
Whether reflecting on the scents of spring or the darkness of night, Mahler’s five settings of Rückert poems inspire Hilary Finch as she chooses the best recordings
The best recordings of Elgar's Falstaff
From inn to battlefield, Elgar’s symphonic portrayal of Shakespeare’s rotund knight Falstaff is one of his most colourful creations. Jeremy Pound raises a toast to the best recordings
Albums of the week
A selection of the best reviewed albums from the latest issue of BBC Music Magazine
Audio equipment reviews and advice
A selection of the best reviewed albums from the latest issue of BBC Music Magazine
Best hi-fi systems 2024: best all-in-one options on the market
An all-in-one hi-fi system is a good option if you don't want a separate amplifier, speakers and CD player. Here are some of the best hi-fi systems on the market today
The best DAB radios 2024: digital radios tested and reviewed
Whether you're a music fan or regular talk radio listener, digital radios and DAB radios are the way forward. Here, we suggest some of the best DAB radios on the market at different budgets
Best bathroom speakers 2024: how to enjoy music in the bathroom
Like listening to music in the bathroom? Chris Haslam reviews the best bathroom speakers, whether they're ceiling speakers or waterproof luetooth speakers