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Bringing opera to the ethnic masses

A major musical project which aims to encourage black and Asian people into opera – as performers and supporters – is staged in Birmingham on Sunday as part of the city’s Black History Month celebrations. Ros Dodd reports. Read

Music societies at the thin end of the wedge

Music societies run by amateur enthusiasts have always been a vital part of the infrastructure underpinning classical music in Britain. Christopher Morley looks at their struggle to survive in changing times. Read

CBSO's Saint-Saens CD voted No.1 by Gramophone magazine

A recording featuring the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and former music director Sakari Oramo has been voted the most popular classical recording of the last 30 years. Read

CBSO/Andris Nelsons at Symphony Hall

Tuesday brought the biggest test so far for Andris Nelsons, the new CBSO music director adored by players and audience alike, with Debussy’s Prelude a l’Apres-Midi d’un Faune requiring delicacy, emotional restraint and refinement. Read

Birmingham Conservatoire talent preserved on disc

As a new academic year begins at Birmingham Conservatoire, this seems an appropriate time to survey some recent CD releases connected with it. Read

Review: CBSO/ Andris Nelsons at Symphony Hall

It’s still less than a year since Andris Nelsons faced the CBSO at a private session in Birmingham Town Hall, at the start of an instant love-affair which looks like going on for a very long time. Read

Handel's Semele by Birmingham Conservatoire & Operamus

Post reader Geoff Read writes an appreciation of Handel's Semele, as performed by Birmingham Conservatoire and Operamus. Read

Andris Nelson picks up the CBSO baton

Christopher Morley is granted a revealing audience with Andris Nelsons on the eve of the conductor taking up his full-time post with the CBSO Read

Obituary: Orchestra conductor Vernon Handley

Vernon Handley, who died at his Monmouth home on Wednesday, was probably the country’s best-loved conductor. Read

Everyone gets to sit in best seat in the house

Christopher Morley puts his feet up in the best concert venue that Germany can offer. Read

CBSO to perform piece by Turner Prize winner

Turner Prize-winning artist Martin Creed will break new ground later this month when he has a composition for orchestra performed by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Read

Plenty of gaffes at the shake of a stick

There’s more to conducting an orchestra than the BBC’s celebrity reality TV series Maestro suggests, writes Christopher Morley Read

National Children's Orchestra at Symphony Hall

Flags fluttered enthusiastically, balloons descended from the lofty ceiling of Symphony Hall and 600 youngsters celebrated the 30th anniversary of the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain. Read

Kungsbacka Trio at the Presteigne Festival, Powys

It’s not just Olympians coming in with new world records this month. This year the Presteigne Festival entertained an astonishing 86 per cent average attendance. Read

Pushing the boat out as Centre Stage continues to grow

Now in its 10th season, the popular Centre Stage programme of chamber-scale events promoted by CBSO players at the CBSO Centre is promising to be even bigger and better than ever. Read

Kungsbacka Piano Trio at Presteigne Festival

A familiar figure at the Presteigne Festival, Joe Duddell is this year’s composer-in-residence, with performances of six works during the last few days. Monday saw the world premiere of his latest, Nightswimming, for piano trio. Read

National Children's Orchestra at Birmingham Town Hall

It’s easy to make patronising allowances when you’re talking about the artistic aspirations of the very young. Read

Making a dynamic impact in New York

Susanna Mälkki made a big impact on her debut at New York’s Mostly Mozart festival, conducting the CBSO in two works by Kaija Saariaho, the festival composer-in-residence. Read

An abundance of goodies to look forward to as the nights draw in

Christopher Morley looks at a packed autumn season for the region’s classical music scene. Read

How Vass will put the prestige into Presteigne Festival

George Vass tells Christopher Morley about some of the surprises in store for this year’s milestone Presteigne Festival Read