Natan Veng-Christensen

On Tuesday 20^th February 1816, Gioachino Rossini’s opera buffa The Barber of Seville received its premiere at the Teatro Argentina in Rome. Written in just over three weeks (with revisions added later), it is now hailed as a masterclass of the operatic canon and considered by some to be the composer’s magnum opus—put down the pitchforks, William Tell “Overture” fans. At the time, however, it wasn’t quite so clear that it would go on to so storied a reputation. Worse yet, the first performance was nothing short of a cataclysm for the then-27 year old Rossini.

January sets the stage for the Viola on both sides of the Atlantic. Whilst the instrument is celebrated in the USA openly, with performances alongside teaching initiatives set as part of National Viola Day, in Europe there are various events that happen to coincide, bringing a well-deserved spotlight to the instrument. Through no specific collaboration across the western hemisphere, January has quietly become a rather significant month for viola players and enthusiasts.

Festive lights are lighting up all over the world, and the countdown to Christmas has begun. If you’re looking for music gifts for Christmas in 2025, whether it's for a musician, music student, film fan, or someone who simply loves music, take a look at our selection to help you find the perfect present.

From diaries and notebooks to jewellery, sheet music, choral collections and official film scores, our guide features some of the best musical gift ideas for the music lover in your life this festive season.

Halloween marks the eve of All Hallows’ Day, otherwise known as All Saints’ Day, and has been a cultural fixture for the month of October for quite some time. To celebrate the spooky season, we’ve taken a trip through Western music history to highlight a handful of pieces and works whose sound and stories feel especially at home for when the nights grow darker.

The importance of daily exercises for cello players cannot be overstated. Whether to foster a deeper familiarisation with the instrument, or to incrementally develop one’s technique, Lee’s Daily Exercises provides essential material for a better approach to practising.

Among the last of Peter Eötvös' completed works before his death in 2024, 13 Haïkus is a playful composition for children's choir.

New editions of Hans Winterberg’s chamber works, including string quartets, a quintet, a suite, and a trio. Featuring first and revised editions, study scores and scores with parts, the selection spans compositions from before, during, and after the Second World War, reflecting both his artistic evolution and his experiences as a Holocaust survivor.

On July 10, 2025, we commemorate the 130th anniversary of the birth of Carl Orff, one of the most influential composers and music educators of the 20th century. Renowned for his captivating composition "Carmina Burana", and as the intellectual father of the internationally adopted Orff Schulwerk, Orff left a lasting impact on music and education far beyond Germany’s borders. To mark the occasion, we take a look at his life, musical legacy, and the continued relevance of his music education philosophy today.

Discover the latest volumes among the newly revised and corrected editions of all 15 symphonies by Dmitri Shostakovich, now available as large-format study scores from Boosey & Hawkes and Sikorski. All scores and the related orchestral parts have been newly computer typeset, and the orchestral parts are also compatible for performance use with scores in ‘The New Collected Works of Dmitri Shostakovich’.