Throughout this month in honor of Women’s History Month I am continuing my celebration of female musicians.

“March” from Das Jahr by Fanny Mendelssohn feels to me like the moment when winter begins to move away and the first signs of life return. Compared to the pensive atmosphere of January, this movement has a much clearer sense of motion and direction.

The number of choices one has for highlighting great women classical musicians seems endless, but I came across a particularly beautiful performance of a work which I would like to mention today, and in so doing also talk about the soloist, Jacqueline du Pré.

Continuing my celebration of Women’s History Month, today I am looking at the life of pianist Alicia de Larrocha.

Although well-known as a composer, Nadia Boulanger is perhaps best remembered as a teacher of piano and composition. Her students included Daniel Barenboim, Elliott Carter, Aaron Copland, John Eliot Gardiner, Philip Glass, Quincy Jones, Igor Markevitch, and Astor Piazzolla, among hundreds of others.

Continuing to celebrate women classical musicians as part of Women’s History Month, I would  like to now turn my attention to pianist Mitsuko Uchida.

March is National Women’s History Month, and I am delighted to have this opportunity to focus on some of the many women musicians whose work and creativity continue to help classical music grow and evolve.

While it is very clear now how much interest and fascination I have with Fanny Mendelssohn as well as her cycle Das Jahr, there seems to be no shortage of wonderful information about the history of the work itself.

Looking over the list of people who were born today, February 24, it was interesting to me  there is no shortage of composers who share this birth date.

As I mentioned in previous posts, I’ve been working on Fanny Mendelssohn’s Das Jahr, and having a wonderful time exploring the individual pieces that are part of this cycle.

Among the many things I find so wonderful about being a classical musician are the endless discoveries I make as I examine the lives and histories of its composers. This is particularly true as I continue my study of Fanny Mendelssohn.

As one looks at the number of celebrated composers who were siblings, I think it is less important to compare them and their works, as it is to celebrate the fact that they all gave us so much wonderful music to study, perform, and share.  

As one looks at the number of celebrated composers who were siblings, I think it is less important to compare them and their works, as it is to celebrate the fact that they all gave us so much wonderful music to study, perform, and share. 

Before I begin this post I need to clarify something I wrote yesterday. Although Liberace performed the Chopin Polonaise in A major many times, and also appeared often on The Ed Sullivan Show, he did not play the work on that program.  

As I continue to explore some of the performances by classical pianists on The Ed Sullivan Show there are some interesting observations I have made about things like technique and hand position. 

All of us have to admit that technology has come a long way over the years, but there are certain aspects of it that allow us to appreciate the developments even more.

The tickets for my Carnegie Hall concert went on sale yesterday, and I could not be more excited.  Somehow an event that in the beginning was a year and a half away will now take place in less than  three months, and all I can think about is how grateful I am to have this opportunity. 

It was a great pleasure for me to work with Ms. Uno on the gowns, and her skills as a pattern maker are truly amazing. As we were speaking she told me a little about herself, and I thought I would share the information with all of you.

With tickets for my Carnegie Hall solo recital debut going on sale this week, I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am about all that is happening. There are many details that must be managed, but I am very fortunate to be working with so many wonderful people, and humbled to be surrounded by so much talent and creativity.

I continue to be amazed by the talents of Katsuya Ooe, the designer making my gowns for Carnegie Hall and Suntory Hall.  He has had a very interesting life, and his training and expertise come through in his designs.