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Jazz Diary: Harmonic Festival time in Birmingahm

It’s Harmonic time! Birmingham musicians Chris Mapp and Percy Pursglove mounted the first Harmonic Festival in the spring of 2010, mainly at the CBSO Centre, and it was a great success.Read

Scott Matthews playing to his strengths

Songwriter Scott Matthews has gone back to the drawing board for his third album, he tells Dave Freak.Read

Stuttgart's quiet festival turns up the volume

A fantastic celebration of music in the city of Stuttgart seems to have slipped under the radar in Britain, but not for Christopher Morley.Read

Review: Lang Lang, at Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Give him his due – Lang Lang puts on a good show, even to the extent of accompanying his playing (fabulous technique and tonal control) with an assortment of emotive grimaces and gestures designed to focus his listeners’ attention on the music – and himself.Read

Review: Apollo Sinfonia, at Adrian Boult Hall

It’s good to know that young, talented orchestral musicians are willing to create an orchestra and give their time for charity.Read

Review: Madam Butterfly, MidWales Opera at the Artrix, Bromsgrove

A dedicated handful of singers took a final curtain call after an amazing achievement in a tough tour for this small opera company.Read

Jazz Diary: Sounds of Norway coming to Birmingham

If there were a jazz equivalent of the political “special relationship” it would seem the current one is between Britain and Norway. Certainly that is the case if you look at what’s coming up in Birmingham over the next two weeks.Read

Home Of Metal exhibition in Birmingham to close at weekend

Rock fans have just a few days left to view some of music’s most iconic memorabilia before a critically-acclaimed exhibition in Birmingham closes for the final time.Read

UB40 honoured with plaque at Birmingham venue where they made live debut

Birmingham reggae legends UB40 are to be honoured with a plaque at the venue where they played their first gig in the city.Read

The sounds of Autumn in Malvern

Christopher Morley previews the classical music season ahead.Read

CBSO musicians vote for pay cut to help meet funding cuts

Musicians from the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra have taken a pay cut to help meet a £300,000 shortfall in funding.Read

Jazz Diary: Gigs with real bite

They say jazz must be like facing a shark: always moving forward, or facing death.Read

Bright future with a baton for James Ham

Ambitious Birmingham musician James Ham talks to Christopher Morley about his desires to be a full-time conductor.Read

Review: Dido and Aeneas, Operamus at Birmingham Conservatoire

Operamus is an amazing enterprise which, operating on a shoestring, offers meaningful performing opportunities to young singers and instrumentalists, and thought-provoking productions to appreciative audiences.Read

600 events on the bill for Birmingham Artsfest

Birmingham’s free Artsfest returns to the city this weekend.Read

Review: Ron Sexsmith, at Town Hall, Birmingham

While many a rock star has dabbled in the world of hard drugs, Lemsip is about as extreme as it gets for mild mannered Ron Sexsmith.Read

Jazz Diary: Jazz gets Birmingham Artsfest off with a swing

The annual showcase of all things arty in Birmingham, Artsfest, fills the city centre this weekend, and jazz plays its part.Read

NCO to hold auditions in Birmingham for young musicians

The National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain is to hold auditions in Birmingham for young musicians.Read

Second Mercury Music prize for PJ Harvey

PJ Harvey became the first artist to win the prestigious Barclaycard Mercury Prize for a second time on Wednesday night.Read

Review: Moseley Folk Festival

Normal critical rules don’t apply when it comes to talking about Moseley Folk Festival weekend. For a start, it’s not strictly a folk festival. Read