Canned seafood has transformed from cheap staple to a vibrant luxury that is quickly becoming a bespoke influence on the culinary and aesthetic world. There is another element that has been snatching the attention of small businesses, social media users, and consumers: the artwork that the fish comes wrapped in. 

Rhyuhn Green is a young composer and pianist with a vision: classical music should become a melting pot of different cultures. The Juilliard student is a recipient of a prestigious Kovner fellowship and has just released his debut album, ph3onix3s. TWoA talked to the Philadelphia native about his musical journey, leadership in the classical arts, and, of course, his album.

Chloe Helimets, 15, is one of eighty-six dancers selected to compete at this year’s Prix de Lausanne taking place from 2 to 9 February 2025 in Lausanne, Switzerland. TWoA talked to Chloe about growing up in a ballet family, her ballet journey, and about the best way to approach competitions.

Fedor Dostoevsky’s dark psychological novel Crime and Punishment is a masterpiece of world literature. Last autumn, you could find it in the dance bags of many dancers at American Ballet Theatre: choreographer Helen Pickett and co-director James Bonas were turning the book into a ballet for American Ballet Theatre. The company will perform the production at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts ins Washington on 12-16 February 2025. TWoA talked to ABT dancer Joseph Markey, who created the part of Luzhin, and who will have his debut as Raskolnikov in Washington.

Curling up and watching a movie during the cold winter months is one of the best ways to unwind. For those who wish to continue to learn and indulge in dance while recuperating from stressors like Nutcracker performances or final exams, check out some of these beautiful dance films.

In our modern urban (and increasingly technological) lives, it is all too easy to feel overwhelmed. Wellbeing gurus suggest getting out, feeling our feet in the dirt, and bathing in the vibrations of nature. But a trip to the woods is not always feasible. So how about we try a form of forest bathing at home? Through art perhaps.

TWoA asked four of the artists portrayed in some of our most popular interviews about their favourite seasonal activities. Curl up with a hot drink and enjoy the spirit of this season with Eunike Tanzil, Sumina Studer, Isabella McGuire Mayes and Seokyoung Hong.

Rae Yue Pung is a 21-year-old pianist from Singapore who recently released her debut album “Piano Sonatas” on all digital platforms. TWoA talked to Rae about classical music education in Singapore, her musical journey, and the challenges and rewards of embarking on the transition from highly-gifted child musician to mature artist.

Find out from former Royal Harpist Alis Huws about the special connection between the harp and Wales, about her time as Official Royal Harpist, and about the healing power of music. Right in time for the festive season, be enchanted by Alis’s tales of blind medieval bards and the coronation of a king, of compassion and the gift of music.

There are some performances that stick with you. Paloma Livellara Vidart’s interpretation of Christopher Wheeldon’s  “You Turn Me On, I’m a Radio” at the Prix de Lausanne 2024 is one of those. TWoA talked to the Prix de Lausanne 2024 prize winner about her dance journey from Buenos Aires to Monaco and about her first couple of weeks at New York’s ABT Studio Company. Get ready for some deeply personal insights.

Do you enjoy watching classical music content on YouTube or Instagram? If the answer is yes, you are probably a fan of Nahre Sol, the Juilliard-trained pianist, composer and content creator. TWoA talked to Nahre about composing variations on an iPhone ringtone and much more.

To understand art (or Bridgerton!), you may as well start with the clothing. From the Old Masters to the TV screen, style reveals unspoken stories, offering a peek into characters’ interiority.

Are you planning to compete at a ballet competition this school year? Choosing the right variation is a key condition for success. What principles should guide your choice? TWoA talked to Inna Bayer, artistic director of Bayer Ballet Academy, and one of her students, Crystal Huang, prize winner at the Prix de Lausanne 2024, the Youth America Grand Prix 2024, 2024 YoungArts (Dance/Ballet) and of the Grand Prix at the 2024 South Africa International Ballet Competition.

Crystal Huang, 15, is having a remarkable year. Until about two years ago, Crystal was training in commercial dancing. In 2024, Crystal became a prize winner at the Prix de Lausanne, one of the most prestigious international ballet competitions. She is also a prize winner at the Youth America Grand Prix 2024, 2024 YoungArts (Dance/Ballet) and of the Grand Prix at the 2024 South Africa International Ballet Competition. TWoA talked to Crystal about her unusual dance journey, gathering some valuable tips on how to succeed at competitions.

Spencer Rubin is an oboe student at The Juilliard School in New York. He has earned numerous grand prize and first place awards in national and international competitions and has performed as a soloist with orchestras. He grew up on Long Island, just outside Manhattan. TWoA talked to Spencer about his favourite things to do in the Big Apple.

Spencer Rubin is an oboe student at The Juilliard School. He has earned numerous grand prize and first place awards in national and international competitions and has performed as a soloist with orchestras. Spencer is also a trailblazer on social media, making classical music and the oboe accessible through his channels on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. TWoA talked to Spencer about his musical journey, the oboe and much else.

Bravery requires fear: “I wish I could tell you whether the rest of the recital went well or not, but honestly I wasn’t even listening to myself, I was just thinking: Don’t fuck up. Don’t fuck up, or you’ll have wasted all of their time. Don’t fuck up, or they’ll all wonder why you were asked to play in the first place. Don’t fuck up, or they’ll find out that you’re the worst organist in Cambridge. “

This is part II of our interview with performance psychologist Noa Kageyama. Noa is on the faculty of The Juilliard School, teaching performing artists how to use principles of sport psychology to perform to their full abilities under pressure. TWoA talked to Noa about beating performance anxiety, building confidence, effective practice and building mental resilience.

Performance psychologist Noa Kageyama is on the faculty of The Juilliard School, teaching performing artists how to use principles of sport psychology to perform to their full abilities under pressure. TWoA talked to Noa about beating performance anxiety, building confidence, effective practice and building mental resilience.

Yuka Iwai is a principal soloist with K-Ballet Tokyo. Two weeks before K-Ballet’s recent revival of Giselle, she found out that she would step in for an injured dancer and dance Giselle at the production’s opening night. TWoA talked to Yuka about the special challenge of learning a principal role in two weeks.

Eunike Tanzil is a composer, pianist and producer. She writes music that tells a story and has gained social media fame with her “Hum me a melody” Instagram series. On 26 April 2024, Eunike signed an exclusive agreement with Deutsche Grammophon. TWoA talked to Eunike about composing and finding your own voice.

Who doesn’t enjoy a good scroll through some classical music content on social media? But the role of social media in the world of classical music goes beyond entertainment. Social media might help create a vision of classical music suited to modern society, and reaching a diverse audience that reflects this society.

TWoA talked to Royal Ballet soloist Mariko Sasaki about her upcoming debut in Swan Lake. It is her first leading role in a three-act classical ballet.

Good music isn’t made on an empty stomach. Discover the stories behind the culinary pastimes of three of the most celebrated composers of the 19th century, Gioachino Rossini, Giacomo Puccini, and Giuseppe Verdi through three recipes they left behind.

It starts with one harmless minute on your phone, right? Just a few minutes on Instagram, one more video on YouTube, and soon enough hours have passed and nothing you originally set out to accomplish has been done. But you can learn to turn this form of procrastination into a vital tool for your own artistic education.

Award-winning violinist and music entrepreneur Sumina Studer is a true citizen of the world who has captured the hearts of millions on her various social media platforms. She has now made London her home. TWoA talked to Sumina about her favourite music and art spaces in London, and about social media in the arts and de-pressurising classical music.

From 29 January 2024 until 4 February 2024, dance students and ballet lovers all over the world got to experience the Prix de Lausanne in daily live streams. Apart from the dancing, one of this year’s highlight were the inspiring words spoken at the awards ceremony by two former prima ballerinas, President of the Jury Darcey Bussell and Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Alessandra Ferri.

Pianist Tiffany Poon is about to launch her solo album Diaries: Schumann. Hong-Kong born, but New York-based, Tiffany is an artist with a mission: to demystify classical music by emphasising the human side of it. Her more than 323K subscribers on YouTube prove she’s on to something. TWoA talked to Tiffany about her first mini-toy keyboard, life and, of course, Schumann.

Join Thy-Lan Alcalay on a tour of her dorm room turned mini fitness studio. Thy-Lan is a dance and architecture student at Barnard College of Columbia University, New York.

Dance in NYC has a deep and powerful history; shaped by cultural fusion, rebellion, and preeminence. Below are six films in no particular order, both new and old, famous and obscure, of genres from ballet to salsa, to watch this Christmas break to relax and get in the spirit of dance in the city!