THE MAGAZINE
A Brief Introduction to the Wonderful World of Classical Saxophone
The saxophone. An iconic instrument, from pop culture’s epic sax guy and Lisa Simpson to jazz legends like John Coltrane and Charlie Parker. However, a parallel history exists of the saxophone as a classical instrument.
The Art of Conversation: From the Private Salon to the Public Art Cafe
What do the private salons of the past have in common with today’s public art cafes? The need for people to come together, exchange ideas, stoke their passions and inspire one another.
Letter from Istanbul: Where Are You Understood?
Join our correspondent at a hip art spot in Istanbul.
Guest Artist: Long YuJun, Tokyo University of the Arts
Guest artist Long YuJun explores gender and sexual diversity through a deeply personal, emotional lens.
Gilles Rico, Stage Director: “I Consider Myself First and Foremost a Storyteller.”
Opera is not just about the music – it is also a spectacle, a theatrical performance that speaks as much to the eyes as to the ears. But who is responsible for the overall theatrical interpretation and look of a specific opera production? TWoA talked to Gilles Rico, a French stage director who has staged and assisted staging operas at prestigious opera houses across Europe.
The Secret World of Musical Spies
What kind of person makes a good spy? Nowadays, recruiters from agencies like the CIA or MI6 might look for people who can pass unnoticed in various cultures and who are smart enough to collect and transmit secret information. In Europe 450 years ago, spymasters were looking for people with those exact same qualities–and many professional musicians fit the bill.
From London With Love: The Power of Abstraction
Ever wondered why many people react differently to abstract works of art? You are not alone. Join data scientist Louisa von Siemens as she wonders around the Tate Modern.
Interview: Zenaida Yanowsky, Coach and Former Principal Dancer, The Royal Ballet
For many years, Zenaida Yanowsky was one of the most beloved principals of London’s The Royal Ballet. She now coaches at The Royal Ballet and many other international companies. If you want to learn about the importance of speaking up (politely), directing the audience’s eye like a magician, and the wisdom of the words “not everything that shines is gold,” read on.
Happy World Ice-Cream Day: Rachmaninoff’s Cherry Malted Milk Float
It’s world ice-cream day on July 20, 2025, which feels like the right time to celebrate one of history’s most unexpected sweet tooths: Sergei Rachmaninoff, and his favourite dessert, the cherry malted milk float.
Bites of Luxury: From the Renaissance to the Kardashians
What do Renaissance painters, your favorite influencers, the Flemish masters, and the Kardashians have in common? They represent the trend in positioning food as a luxury commodity.
From New York With Love: Reflections on Life, Ballet and Becoming a Doctor
Powerful live performances can trigger unexpected thoughts and reflections about our own lives. Get ready for some introspection and find out about American Ballet Theatre’s “Woolf Works,” a ballet inspired by twentieth-century modernist writer Virginia Woolf.
Composing Abstract Expressionism: On Jazz and Jackson Pollock
Ever thought about the convergence of sight and sound in post-war America? As it turns out, the Abstract Expressionists, with Jackson Pollock above all, adopted the spontaneous logic of jazz musicians. How, why, and when? Read the full article to find out.
Ballet Across the Globe: Marius Petipa
Ballet isn’t just one style of dance - it is spoken with many different accents. Read on to find out about Marius Petipa, the choreographer of great classics such as Swan Lake, Don Quixote, La Bayadère and The Sleeping Beauty which are central to the Russian school of classical ballet.
Guest Artist: Mikako Ohmatsu, Tokyo University of the Arts
Go down memory lane with our guest artist Mikako Ohmatsu, Tokyo University of the Arts.
Are Orchestras in Need of an Update?
Is the symphony orchestra a doomed relic—or is it simply overdue for reinvention? As classical institutions across the UK grapple with funding crises and dwindling audiences, ensembles like the Aurora Orchestra and Manchester Collective are challenging the old rules and reimagining what a concert can be. With more young people engaging with classical music than ever before, the future may lie not in clinging to tradition, but in breaking it—just as Leonard Bernstein suggested decades ago.
Sargent’s Madame X: The Portrait That Hurled Painter and Sitter into Scandal
John Singer Sargent’s Portrait of Madame X didn’t just scandalize the 1884 Paris Salon—it rewrote the rules of modern portraiture. In addition to depicting Paris’ “it girl,” Madame Gautreau, it rendered quiet power struggles: between artist and subject, authenticity and artifice, tradition and ambition. Read more to learn about the portrait’s reception and long-term cultural influence.
From London With Love: A Night with Vivaldi
Last night at St James’ Church, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons filled the space with something magnetic—urgent, aching, tense, and frenzied. It wasn’t Rachmaninov, but it pulled me in all the same. Don’t you want to know more? Check out our new article for another unforgettable night in London, experienced from any corner of the globe…
Taking the Scenic Route: A Timeline of Landscape Painting
Landscape painting is nothing new. It’s one of the most beautiful genres of painting to gaze at and artists have been painting their surroundings for as long as we have been experiencing it. How, though, has it changed throughout time, and what does our stylistic representation of the world say about how we view it?
Encrypting Secret Messages in Music: Mercury, or, the Secret and Swift Messenger
Imagine that you are a musician in a royal European court in the 1600s–but you’re also a secret agent for a different government’s intelligence services. How will you transmit sensitive information to your contacts without getting caught? All you need is a musical cipher: a system for turning text into music. Find out more.
Ballet Across the Globe: Bournonville and the Danes
Contrary to popular belief, classical ballet isn’t just one style of dance that functions the same way across the globe. The art form is comprised of many schools of technique that vary in style, choreographic emphasis, and pedagogical frameworks. Read on to find out about Bournonville and the Danes.