This week, we kick off Women’s History Month by putting two fantastic musicians in the spotlight: Teresa Carreño, “Valkyrie of the Piano,” and Ethel Smyth, Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. These amazing women composed, conducted, and performed all around the globe and made dynamic contributions to the classical music world. Read below about their unique voices and careers.

My Music. My Story. is one of Classical Music Indy’s initiatives to feature music, musicians, and music lovers in a fun way. In honor of National Hispanic Heritage month, we spoke with Camille Zamora, opera singer and founder of Sing for Hope. Music, like life, is better when we embrace more than just the familiar. You can read about Camille’s story in English or Spanish!

It’s not fake news, it’s very real. This Month in Classical Music History is a series dedicated to finding stories of the good, the bad, and the downright weird. In this article, read about a Beethoven historian who blatantly made things up, the NY Phil’s Young People’s Concerts under Leonard Bernstein, and a scandalous dance scene from an opera that was so seductive, all subsequent performances were cancelled.

For this week’s blog feature, we talked to Justin Wade, Executive Artistic Director of Young Actors Theatre, about their mission and approach to Self-Empowerment Theatre, and the role music plays in their productions. Young Actors Theatre will open two shows this weekend: Sleeping Beauty, and Twelve Dancing Princesses, at The Toby at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields.

We’ve asked composer Dr. Scott Perkins to write about his experience overseas exploring Silesia, where famed composer Olivier Messiaen was a prisoner of war during World War II. Dr. Perkins writes how Nazi guards encouraged Messiaen’s continued music-making once they realized his stature. Crowds of prisoners and Nazi guards gathered to listen to performances. Messiaen found some semblance of freedom despite the captivity. He continued communicating in the language he knew best – his music.

Orchestra musicians are often stuck in a rut when it comes to style of performances and venue. We spoke with James Ross, Director of Orchestral Activities and Professor of Conducting at the University of Maryland, about how his university is trying to change their approach to performing. Read below to learn about some of the innovations they are implementing at the University of Maryland.

For our first blog post during Black History Month, we wanted to take a look at a time in American history when the simple act of attending a classical music concert was prohibited for people of color. Renowned African-American opera baritone Robert Honeysucker, who unexpectedly died in 2017, was a student at Tougaloo College in 1963 when he decided to attend a whites-only concert in Jackson, Mississippi. His actions and the many other brave protests of the Civil Rights Movement helped to shed light on the issue of racial prejudice, but how far has classical music really come today?

My Music. My Story. is one of Classical Music Indy’s initiatives to feature music, musicians, and music lovers in a fun way. Christina Summers, from Christel House Academy, has a background in theater and education. Read below to hear Christina’s thoughts on how music affects her life, the importance of arts in education, and why students should have opportunities to be creative.

This is the story of Courtney Weaver, a professional musician, and survivor of domestic abuse and gun violence who is using her experience to create public awareness through music.

The F. Bruce Peck Jr. Music Library at Classical Music Indy contains a wealth of classical recordings, many what you would expect – Beethoven, Bach, Brahms. We are also thrilled to house a number of albums that feature works by outstanding women composers like Clara Schumann, Nadia Boulanger, Valerie Coleman, and Jennifer Higdon. See what music is in our library and why we love it!

Rebecca Clarke is a name many violists know. She was an internationally acclaimed soloist, chamber musician, and composer during post-Victorian Era England. Despite a controlling and abusive father, she was able to leave her mark on the world with her musical achievements. 

My Music. My Story. is one of Classical Music Indy’s initiatives to feature music, musicians, and music lovers in a fun way. Here we talk to Kevin Whited, the Executive Director of IndyCog, a local Indianapolis bicycle advocacy group.

For Classical Music Month, Classical Music Indy pulled out all of the stops to bring music to the community of Indianapolis. We shared music with over 379,000 people during the month of September. We hope you’ll celebrate with us again next year!