THE MAGAZINE
Silent Stories: The Language of Style from the Old Masters to Bridgerton
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.
The Dream Ballet: Introducing the “Golden Age” Movie Musicals of the 1950s
Have you ever had a dream that made you realize something about your subconscious? What if you found out that many movie musicals of the 1950s actually expressed those dreams through dance?
Guest Artist: Joseph Cornelius, 18, Courtauld Institute of Art, London
Dive into the magic world of illustrations with guest artist Joseph Cornelius, 18, Courtauld Institute of Art, London.
Birthday Celebration: A PlayLiszt for Beginners
A very special day is coming: Franz Liszt’s birthday! And what better way to celebrate his 213th than by sight-reading through some of his best tunes.
Pianist Glenn Gould’s Radical Neurodivergent Legacy
Glenn Gould is one of the most famous classical musicians of the 20th century, and also one of the most misunderstood. We need to radically reconsider this amazing pianist and realise that his life is not the tragedy of a defective mind but the triumph of a neurodivergent one.
The Original Queen of the Fouettés: Pierina Legnani
Scared of fouettés? Here is the person you should blame: Pierina Legnani.
The Art of Pouring Milk
One of Johannes Vermeer’s pioneering works is The Milkmaid (c. 1660), at first glance a simple image of a housemaid pouring milk.
In Memory of Michaela DePrince
The dance world is mourning the sudden death of Michaela Mabinty DePrince at the age of 29. Michaela was born in Sierra Leone in the middle of a brutal civil war. By the time she was three, she was a war orphan. Michaela was adopted by Charles and Elaine DePrince and raised in America. She has been an inspiration to many, as a dancer, as an ambassador for black representation in ballet, and as an advocate for children affected by conflict and violence. Read our tribute.
Carry That Weight: Yoko Ono’s “Cut Piece,” Womanhood, and Power
Quick: what is the first, and maybe only fact you know about Yoko Ono? Almost everyone thinks of her as the groupie girlfriend who broke up the Beatles. Instead, let’s focus on what she really did do, and maybe in doing so, make her rightly famous for her transformative and powerful art.
What is Your Star Sign? “Tierkreis” by Karlheinz Stockhausen
Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928-2007) once said, “I want to live in the future.” His composition Tierkreis (Zodiac) is a vivid example of avant-garde music pushing the boundaries of what we traditionally consider music, much like abstract art, which challenges our perception of visual reality.
Why John Cage’s provocative ‘silent piece’ is still powerful today
A musical composition consisting of 4'33'' minutes of silence? Are you kidding me? Find out more about John Cage's provocative, iconic piece from someone who performed it.
Choosing the Right Variation for a Ballet Competition
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, Prix de Lausanne Prize Winner 2024: “The Love for Dance Comes First!”
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.
Bayreuth, 13th August 1876
It is a sweltering hot August day in 1876, and a mass of keen Wagner fans are crammed into the small Bavarian town of Bayreuth, spilling over the sides of the streets. Traffic jams of horse and ox carriages block the roads. Find out what happened next!
“Sleeping Beauties:” Reawakening Fashion, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s fashion exhibition “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” wants to enable museum goers to have a full sensory experience of the fashions of the past. And yes: this includes trying to recapture the scent left behind by the items’ former owners.
Celebrating NYCB’s 75th Anniversary with a Round of Dancer Doppelgangers!
In ballet, the present recalls the past. Knowledge is passed down and repertoire is preserved through memory. Combine the past and the present in a game I’d like to call “New York City Ballet - Dancer Doppelgangers”!
The Secret to Playing like Horowitz: A Look Into Classical Improvisation
Legendary pianist Vladimir Horowitz once said: “I play the way I feel at that moment. The head – the intellect – is only the controlling factor of music making. It is not a guide. The guide is your feelings.” Hector Wolff makes the case for including classical improvisation in your music making.
Spencer Rubin’s Guide to New York
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.
Meet Taylor Swift’s Muse: Dancer and Innovator Loïe Fuller
A butterfly. A petal unfolding. A dazzling prism. A snowflake. American dancer and choreographer Loïe Fuller (1862-1928) was able to evoke each of those images during her swirling, spiraling Serpentine Dance. Meet Taylor Swift’s Muse.
Did Composers Wing It? Four Piano Pieces that Imitate Birdsong
Bird calls have been firmly nested in classical piano music even as far back as the Baroque era. Here are four more recent pieces giving the well-deserved spotlight onto our feathered friends.