John Adams

Composer John Adams is one of America’s most frequently performed composers. His operatic and symphonic works pioneered a compositional style harnessing the rhythmic energy of Minimalism, the orchestral colors of late-Romanticism and infusions of American pop and jazz. From 2003-2007 Adams held the Composer’s Chair at Carnegie Hall and founded the annual “In Your Ear” festival. Click here for a list of John Adams clips.

Marin Alsop

Marin Alsop is the Music Director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and continues to serve as the principal conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Alsop is a regular guest conductor of the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, the London Philharmonic and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Click here for a list of Marin Alsop clips.

Piotr Anderszewski

Pianist Piotr Anderszewski has appeared in recent seasons with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Boston, Chicago and London Symphony Orchestras and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. In April 2002 he received the prestigious Gilmore award, and was awarded the Szymanowski Prize in 1999. Mr. Anderszewski is also the subject of two short films directed by Bruno Monsaingeon. Click here for a list of Piotr Anderszewski clips.

Leif Ove Andsnes

The New York Times named Leif Ove Andsnes "the most accomplished pianist of the new generation." In addition to his recitals and concerto performances throughout the world, Andsnes is co-artistic director of Norway's Risør Festival of Chamber Music. His long association with Grieg includes a 2007 recording of the composer's rarely performed "Ballad." Click here for a list of Leif Ove Andsnes clips.

Vladimir Ashkenazy

Since winning the 1955 Chopin Competition, Vladimir Ashkenazy has become one of the most revered pianists of our time. As a conductor he enjoys ongoing associations with the Philharmonia Orchestra and the Cleveland Orchestra, in addition to making guest appearances with major orchestras around the world. He is the new Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Sydney Symphony. Click here for a list of Vladimir Ashkenazy clips.

Clarice Assad

Clarice Assad is making her mark as a pianist, vocalist and as a composer. One of her most recent compositions is a Violin Concerto recorded by Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg and the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. Click here for a list of Clarice Assad clips.

Emanuel Ax

Emanuel Ax captured public attention in 1974 when, at age 25, he won the first Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Competition. He regularly appears with major symphony orchestras, performs solo recitals and is an active chamber music recitalist. Recent performance highlights have included recital tours with longstanding colleagues, cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Yefim Bronfman. Click here for a list of Emanuel Ax clips.

Zuill Bailey

Zuill Bailey performs with the orchestras of Chicago, San Francisco, Minnesota and Dallas among other leading ensembles around the world. As a recitalist, he is a member of the Perlman-Schmidt-Bailey Trio, the Artistic Director of El Paso Pro Musica and Artistic Director designate of the Sitka Summer Music Festival and Series. Click here for a list of Zuill Bailey clips.

Manuel Barrueco

Manuel Barrueco is recognized internationally as both a superb and elegant musician. His more than thirty year career includes concerto and recital performances throughout the U.S. and Europe. In addition to performing the standard repertoire, Barrueco has recorded new music by Arvo Pärt and Roberto Sierra, and collaborated with Al Di Meola and Andy Summers (The Police). Click here for a list of Manuel Barrueco clips.

Joshua Bell

Joshua Bell came to national attention at the age of 14 with his orchestral debut with Riccardo Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra. He performs regularly with the world's leading symphony orchestras and conductors. Click here for a list of Joshua Bell clips.

Jonathan Biss

Pianist Jonathan Biss has established a highly regarded n international reputation from his concerto, recital, and chamber music concerts throughout the U-S, Europe, Japan and Australia. Biss represents the third generation of musicians, including his grandmother Raya Garbousova (for whom Barber composed his Cello Concerto), and his parents, violinist Miriam Fried and violist Paul Biss. Click here for a list of Jonathan Biss clips.

Rafal Blechacz

Polish pianist Rafal Blechacz shocked the world in 2005 when he won the 15th Chopin International Piano Competition - shocking, because no 2nd Prize was awarded that year. He was also awarded the competition's prizes for "Best Performance" of the Mazurkas, Polonaises and Concertos. Today, he performs with orchestras and as a recitalist in the world's major cultural centers. Click here for a list of Rafal Blechacz clips.

Herbert Blomstedt

The American-born, Swedish conductor Herbert Blomstedt has held leadership roles with the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Dresden State Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. Blomstedt became Music Director of the Gewandhaus Orchestra of Leipzig in 1998 and is a frequent guest conductor with principal orchestras around the world. Click here for a list of Herbert Blomstedt clips.

Yefim Bronfman

Yefim Bronfman's solo engagements include long-time partnerships with the LA Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. He is also a regular chamber music recitalist with Emanuel Ax and Gil Shaham. Bronfman is highly regarded for his performances of Beethoven, Mozart and Prokofiev. Click here for a list of Yefim Bronfman clips.

Canadian Brass

Founded in 1970, the Canadian Brass has made well over 70 recordings and commissioned hundreds of transcriptions and original works for brass quintet. Named the "world's leading brass ensemble" by The Washington Post, the Canadian Brass is known for its virtuosic skill, broad repertoire and humorous presentation style. Click here for a list of Canadian Brass clips.

Semyon Bychkov

Semyon Bychkov is currently working with the Munich Philharmonic and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. He continues to enjoy ongoing conducting relationships with most of the world's great orchestras, including the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. Click here for a list of Semyon Bychkov clips.

Riccardo Chailly

Conductor Riccardo Chailly became Chief Conductor of the Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam in 1985, a leadership tenure that ran from 1988 to 2004. He became Chief Conductor of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra in 2005. In the U-S, Chailly regularly conducts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Click here for a list of Riccardo Chailly clips.

Sarah Chang

Violinist Sarah Chang gave her first performances with the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra when she was 8 years old. Today, she performs in music capitals throughout the world, and has played with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony, the Berlin Philharmonic, the principal London orchestras and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam. Click here for a list of Sarah Chang clips.

Angela Cheng

Pianist Angela Cheng is a leading Canadian performer who has appeared with many Canadian orchestras, as well as the Saint Louis Symphony, Utah Symphony, the Israel Philharmonic and the Houston Symphony. Her recordings include Mozart Concerti, an all-Chopin recital, the Piano Concerto and solo works by Clara Schumann, solo pieces by Robert Schumann, and an all-Spanish Piano Concerto CD. Click here for a list of Angela Cheng clips.

Cistercian Monks of Stift Heiligenkueuz

The Cistercian Monks of Stift Heiligenkreuz shocked the world with their 2008 CD, “Chant: Music for the Soul.” The recording topped the international classical music charts and climbed to No. 10 on the Pop Music charts as well. Hidden in a monastery deep within the Vienna Woods, the Monks were discovered by an executive at Universal Music after he saw a video they uploaded on YouTube. Click here for a list of Cistercian Monks clips.

James Conlon

Since his New York Philharmonic debut in 1974, James Conlon has conducted nearly every major North American and European orchestra and many of the world's leading opera companies. Mr. Conlon became Music Director of Los Angeles Opera in September 2006 and is also currently Music Director of the Ravinia Festival, the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Click here for a list of James Conlon clips.

John Corigliano

John Corigliano is one of the most widely recognized American composers, the recipient of several Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize for his Symphony No. 2 and an Academy Award for his score to Francois Girard's 1997 film "The Red Violin." Mr. Corigliano's work has been performed and recorded by some of the most recognized orchestras, soloists and chamber musicians in the world. Click here for a list of John Corigliano clips.

Danielle de Niese

Soprano Danielle de Niese's career began at age 19 with her Metropolitan Opera debut in Mozart's Marriage of Figaro. Additional debuts followed with the Netherlands Opera and the Paris Opera. Her Glyndebourne Festival portrayal of Cleopatra in Handel's Giulio Cesare brought her an even broader international acclaim, and she now appears in many of the leading opera houses worldwide. Click here for a list of Danielle de Niese clips.

Misha Dichter

Now in the fifth decade of his international career, Micha Dichter's musical roots link directly to the Russian Romantic School and the German Classical style. He is widely considered a specialist in the repertoire of Liszt, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Mozart and Beethoven and is a regular performer in the leading international venues. Click here for a list of Misha Dichter clips.

Simone Dinnerstein

Pianist Simone Dinnerstein gained international attention with her 2007 recording of Bach's "Goldberg Variations." The CD earned the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Classical Chart in its first week. Click here for a list of Simone Dinnerstein clips.

Eugene Drucker

Eugene Drucker is a founding member of the Emerson String Quartet and is also an active soloist. He has appeared with the orchestras of Montreal, Brussels, Austin, Toledo and Memphis as well as with the American Symphony Orchestra and Aspen Chamber Symphony. His novel, The Savior, was published in 2007 and has recently appeared in paperback. Click here for a list of Eugene Drucker clips.

Charles Dutoit

Charles Dutoit served as Music Director of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra for 25 years and was credited with "transforming a decent regional ensemble into an internationally respected orchestra." (NY Times) He was appointed Chief Conductor and Artistic Adviser of the Philadelphia Orchestra in 2007, and subsequently accepted a leadership position with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Click here for a list of Charles Dutoit clips.

James Ehnes

Violinist James Ehnes’ recent engagements include performances with the London Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Budapest Festival Orchestra, and the major orchestras in New York, Cleveland, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. He won the 2008 Gramophone Award for “Best Concerto Recording of the Year” for Elgar's Violin Concerto. Click here for a list of James Ehnes clips.

Mark Elder

Mark Elder became Music Director of the Hallé Orchestra in 2000 after serving as Music Director of the English National Opera from 1979 to 1993. Noted for his Elgar and Shostakovich interpretations, he regularly conducts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and leads the Royal Opera, Covent Garden and the MET. Click here for a list of Mark Elder clips.

JoAnn Falletta

JoAnn Falletta is the Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, and Artistic Advisor to the Honolulu Symphony. She has guest conducted over 100 orchestras in North America. Click here for a list of JoAnn Falletta clips.

Till Fellner

Till Fellner has a philosophy for choosing his repertoire: “Concentrate on great music because life is too short.” The Viennese pianist is a former student of Alfred Brendel and primarily focuses on the Western European repertoire. Till Fellner is currently performing the complete Beethoven piano sonatas as part of an international tour he launched in 2008. Click here for a list of Till Fellner clips.

Catrin Finch

Catrin Finch is one of the very few internationally recognized harp soloists, with solo engagements with the New York Philharmonic, the Philharmonia, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and the English Chamber Orchestra. Catrin Finch is the former Royal Harpist to H.R.H., the Prince of Wales (2000-2004). Click here for a list of Catrin Finch clips.

Ivan Fischer

Conductor Iván Fischer founded the Budapest Festival Orchestra in 1983 and has appeared with them in important concert series and festivals throughout the world. He also appears regularly as guest conductor with the Berlin Philharmonic, Concertgebouw, New York Philharmonic and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and is the former Principal Conductor with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington DC. Click here for a list of Iván Fischer clips.

Julia Fischer

German violinist Julia Fischer was named the 2007 Classic FM Gramophone Artist of the Year and received the Best Newcomer Award from BBC Magazine in 2006. Julia Fischer has worked with conductors including Lorin Maazel, Christoph Eschenbach, Jeffrey Tate and Sir Neville Marriner, and performed throughout the U.S., Brazil, Japan and most European countries. Click here for a list of Julia Fischer clips.

Sir James Galway

Flutist Sir James Galway has reached near epic career heights through extensive touring, performed with the world’s leading orchestras and sold over 30 million albums. His recording of the Prokofiev and Franck Sonatas with Martha Argerich set new standards for music making and flute playing. He has performed works commissioned for him by William Bolcom, John Corigliano and Lowell Lieberman. Click here for a list of Sir James Galway clips.

Alan Gilbert

Alan Gilbert is the Music Director-Designate of the New York Philharmonic. He also serves as Chief Conductor of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of Hamburg's NDR Symphony Orchestra. He is a regular Guest Conductor with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Click here for a list of Alan Gilbert clips.

Evelyn Glennie

Evelyn Glennie is the first person in musical history to successfully create and sustain a full-time career as a solo percussionist. Ms. Glennie has commissioned one hundred and thirty three new works for solo percussion. Click here for a list of Evelyn Glennie clips.

Vadim Gluzman

Violinist Vadim Gluzman has performed throughout the U-S, Europe, Russia and Japan as a soloist and chamber musician and appeared with the Berlin Radio Symphony, the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He is a champion of new music by composer Lera Auerbach, who has dedicated several works to him and his wife, pianist Angela Joffe. Click here for a list of Vadim Gluzman clips.

Roy Goodman

Roy Goodman is Principal Guest Conductor of the English Chamber Orchestra. He was also the director and founder of the Brandenburg Consort and is the Principal Conductor of the Hanover Band. His discography includes more than 120 recordings. Click here for a list of Roy Goodman clips.

Hélène Grimaud

In 1985, at age 13, Hélène Grimaud won the Paris Conservatory First Prize in Piano. Her all-Rachmaninoff CD received the Grand Prix du disque the following year. She performs with the world’s major orchestras in addition to her numerous solo recital engagements. Her other passion is wolf conservation and she devotes time and effort to the Wolf Conservation Center (WCC) in South Salem, New York. Click here for a list of Hélène Grimaud clips.

Hilary Hahn

Violinist Hilary Hahn was named "America's Best" young classical musician by Time Magazine in 2001, and appears regularly with the world's great orchestras in Europe, Asia, and North America. Admitted to Philadelphia's Curtis Institute of Music in 1990 at age ten, Hilary Hahn made her major orchestra debut a year and a half later with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Click here for a list of Hilary Hahn clips.

Matt Haimovitz

Cellist Matt Haimovitz made his debut at age 13 with the Israel Philharmonic. He has performed with the Berlin Philharmonic and the New York Philharmonic and reaches out to new audiences by performing all-Bach recitals in bars and clubs. Other pioneering efforts include expanding the cello repertoire by inviting composers to pair the solo cello with non-traditional ensembles. Click here for a list of Matt Haimovitz clips.

Bernard Haitink

Conductor Bernard Haitink became Principal Conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 2006. He has served in a similar capacity with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and the Dresden State Orchestra. He is considered a leading interpreter of Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner, Mahler, Shostakovich and Vaughan Williams. Click here for a list of Bernard Haitink clips.

Lynn Harrell

Cellist Lynn Harrell made his debut in 1961 playing with the New York Philharmonic, and has performed internationally as a recitalist, chamber musician and orchestral soloist. He has also served on the faculties of the Royal Academy London, the Juilliard School, the Aspen Music Festival, and currently serves on the faculty of the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. Click here for a list of Lynn Harrell clips.

Angela Hewitt

Angela Hewitt has been hailed as “the pre-eminent Bach pianist of our time” (The Guardian), and has performed throughout North America, Europe, Japan, Australia, and the former Soviet Union. She devoted the entire 2008 season to performances of the complete Bach Well-Tempered Clavier. Ms. Hewitt’s international reputation is further enhanced by her award-winning recordings for Hyperion. Click here for a list of Angela Hewitt clips.

Jennifer Higdon

Composer Jennifer Higdon maintains a full schedule of commissions and enjoys more than 200 performances of her music a year. Her work "Blue Cathedral" is one of the most-performed orchestral compositions by a living composer. The Washington Post called her "a savvy, sensitive composer with a keen ear, an innate sense of form and a generous dash of pure esprit." Click here for a list of Jennifer Higdon clips.

Stephen Hough

Pianist Stephen Hough is widely recognized for his performances of the standard repertoire and has made a specialty of performing neglected 19th and 20th century works. Mr. Hough is also a writer and composer. He has written and recorded numerous original works and transcriptions for piano and will conduct the world premiere of his cello concerto in March, 2007. Click here for a list of Stephen Hough clips.

Sharon Isbin

Guitarist Sharon Isbin performs throughout the world as an orchestral soloist and recitalist. With the New York Philharmonic, she recorded Joaquin Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez, marking the Philharmonic's first-ever recording with guitar. Her "Dreams of a World: Folk-inspired Music for Guitar" earned her a 2001 GRAMMY Award. Click here for a list of Sharon Isbin clips.

Steven Isserlis

Steven Isserlis is one of the most renowned and widely acclaimed cellists today. He's best known for his diverse repertoire, with a special personal fondness for Schumann, Saint-Saens and Fauré. Isserlis plays both as soloist and chamber musician and has revived many neglected works. He has also organized a number of festivals with long-term collaborators, including Joshua Bell. Click here for a list of Steven Isserlis clips.

Janine Jansen

With her Royal Concertgebouw debut in 1997, violinist Janine Jansen became a huge star in her native Holland, and shortly thereafter became internationally recognized through her performances with the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic, the New York, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and the Cleveland Orchestra. Click here for a list of Janine Jansen clips.

Paavo Järvi

Conductor Paavo Järvi is Music Director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and holds leadership positions with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra and the German Chamber Philharmonic. He is known for championing works by Estonian composers including Arvo Pärt and Eduard Tubin. As a guest conductor, he appears regularly with the world's primary orchestras. Click here for a list of Paavo Järvi clips.

Leila Josefowicz

Violinist Leila Josefowicz came to national attention in 1994 when she made her Carnegie Hall debut. She has since appeared with many of the world's most prestigious orchestras. A regular, close collaborator with leading composers such as John Adams, she is a strong advocate of new music. Click here for a list of Leila Josefowicz clips.

Kim Kashkashian

Violist Kim Kashkashian is one of America's most highly respected violists. Her viola artistry has been praised and she is equally admired for expanding the solo viola repertory through collaborations with Sophia Gubaidulina, Arvo Pärt and most recently Betty Olivero. Click here for a list of Kim Kashkashian clips.

Alexander Kobrin

Pianist Alexander Kobrin was awarded the prestigious Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Gold Medal at the Twelfth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2005. He has recorded Rachmaninoff, Brahms and Chopin for Harmonia Mundi. Click here for a list of Alexander Kobrin clips.

Yolanda Kondonassis

Yolanda Kondonassis is recognized as one of the world's foremost harpists. Since her debut at age 18 with the New York Philharmonic, she has appeared with the Cleveland Orchestra and the English Chamber Orchestra. Her solo appearances have included engagements at Lincoln Center and the 92nd Street Y. Click here for a list of Yolanda Kondonassis clips.

Erich Kunzel

Erich Kunzel enjoyed a more than 42-year association with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. His career included more than 85 recordings and numerous nationally televised holiday specials on PBS. Mr. Kunzel passed away September 2009 but he's remembered for his musical gifts, sharp wit and the twinkle that was always in his eye. Click here for a list of Erich Kunzel clips.

Lang Lang

Pianist Lang Lang has played sold out concerts in every major city in the world, and performed with the world’s leading orchestras. In August 2008, over 2 billion people viewed his performance in Beijing’s opening ceremony for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad. During the summer of 2008, his biography, “Journey of a Thousand Miles” was published by Random House in eight languages. Click here for a list of Lang Lang clips.

Jaime Laredo

Violinist, violist and conductor Jaime Laredo is the musician's musician, whose long career associations include pianist Glenn Gould, George Szell, Pablo Casals, Isaac Stern and Rudolf Serkin. As a conductor, Mr. Laredo's regular appearances include the Baltimore, Houston, Montreal, Phoenix, San Francisco and Seattle Symphonies and a twenty-year relationship with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Click here for a list of Jaime Laredo clips.

Cho-Liang Lin

Taiwanese-American violinist Cho-Liang Lin is noted internationally for the eloquence of his playing and superb musicianship. In over 30 years of performing he has appeared in numerous solo engagements with major orchestras, and is also a frequent chamber music recitalist. Cho-Liang Lin is the Artistic Director of La Jolla SummerFest in San Diego. Click here for a list of Cho-Liang Lin clips.

Andrew Litton

Conductor Andrew Litton led the Dallas Symphony Orchestra for twelve seasons. Among his numerous recordings with the orchestra was a highly acclaimed performance of the Rachmaninoff Piano Concertos with pianist Stephen Hough. He is in his fourth season as the Music Director of Norway's Bergen Philharmonic, a 242-year-old orchestra once led by Edvard Grieg. Click here for a list of Andrew Litton clips.

Yo-Yo Ma

Yo-Yo Ma's multi-faceted career reflects his ongoing search for new ways to communicate with audiences and a dedication to artistic growth and renewal. As an orchestral soloist, chamber musician, and solo recitalist, Yo-Yo Ma’s career path balances the performance of new and familiar works with the exploration of cultures and musical forms outside the Western classical tradition. Click here for a list of Yo-Yo Ma clips.

Lorin Maazel

For over five decades, Lorin Maazel has been one of the world's most sought-after conductors. The former conductor of the New York Philharmonic, he continues to direct the Santiago Calatrava-designed opera house in Valencia, Spain, the Palau de les Arts "Reina Sofia." He also serves as Artistic Director of the new Castleton Festival, which launched to exceptional acclaim in 2009. Click here for a list of Lorin Maazel clips.

Anne-Marie McDermott

Pianist and accompanist Anne-Marie McDermott performs a wide range of repertoire, from Bach to Prokofiev. She performs and records with violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg and as an Artist of The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Her recording of Bach Partitas and English Suites was recently re-released on NSS Music. Click here for a list of Anne-Marie McDermott clips.

Anne Akiko Meyers

Anne Akiko Meyers first gained national prominence at age 11 when she twice performed on 'The Tonight Show' with Johnny Carson. She regularly performs with the preeminent orchestras throughout the United States, Japan, Australia and Europe. She has premiered new works by John Corigliano, Jennifer Higdon, Arvo Pärt and Joseph Schwantner. Click here for a list of Anne Akiko Meyers clips.

Midori

Since making her debut at age 11, Midori has performed in every major venue throughout the world. As part of her Partners in Performance Foundation, she gives concerts in smaller venues to increase interest in classical music in smaller communities outside of the major urban centers. Her other foundations provide music outreach initiatives to improve the lives of young people. Click here for a list of Midori clips.

Olli Mustonen

Pianist Olli Mustonen has performed with most of the world’s leading orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony and the Royal Concertgebouw. Also a conductor and composer, Mustonen founded the Helsinki Festival Orchestra. And his compositions are noted for their individuality and a tonal language rooted in the sonority of the music of his native Finland. Click here for a list of Olli Mustonen clips.

Riccardo Muti

In 2010, Riccardo Muti becomes Music Director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The former Music Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra and La Scala Opera House is a regular guest conductor with major orchestras and at important music festivals, including the Salzburg Festival. In 2004, he founded the Luigi Cherubini Youth Orchestra, made up of young Italian musicians. Click here for a list of Riccardo Muti clips.

Anne-Sophie Mutter

Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter launched her solo career in 1976. Since then, she has performed concerts in all the major music centers of Europe, U-S and Asia. She is an active chamber musician, and an advocate for new music. Henri Dutilleux, Sofia Gubaidulina, Witold Lutoslawski and Sir André Previn have each dedicated new works to her. Click here for a list of Anne-Sophie Mutter clips.

Jon Nakamatsu

Pianist Jon Nakamatsu’s stunning Gold Medal win in 1997 at the Tenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition quickly led to solo appearances in major performing centers around the world. He is now a frequent concerto soloist and recitalist throughout the U-S, Europe and Japan. Nakamatsu and clarinetist Jon Manasse serve as Artistic Directors of the Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival. Click here for a list of Jon Nakamatsu clips.

Anna Netrebko

Since her Salzburg Festival debut in 2002, Anna Netrebko has performed with all of the world's major opera companies, including the Metropolitan Opera, London's Covent Garden, the Vienna State Opera and many more. Her signature roles include Donna Anna (Mozart's Don Giovanni), Mimi (Puccini's La Bohème); Violetta (Verdi's La Traviata) and the title role in his Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti). Click here for a list of Anna Netrebko clips.

Mark O'Connor

A product of America's rich aural folk tradition as well as classical music, Mark O'Connor absorbed knowledge and influence from these musical styles and melded them together to create a distinctly American form of classical music and distinctly American school of string playing. Click here for a list of Mark O'Connor clips.

Tarik O'Regan

Tarik O'Regan is a two-time British Composer Award winner. His 2008 recording, "Threshold of Night," received two GRAMMY nominations. His compositions have been performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Sinfonietta and the Los Angeles Master Chorale. He is currently working on an operatic adaptation of Joseph Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness'. Click here for a list of Tarik O'Regan clips.

Garrick Ohlsson

Since winning the 1970 Chopin International Piano Competition, pianist Garrick Ohlsson has established himself worldwide with his performances and recordings of Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert. His concerto repertoire alone is unusually wide and eclectic (80 concertos), ranging from Beethoven and Mozart to works of the 21st century. Click here for a list of Garrick Ohlsson clips.

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

Founded in 1972, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra is known for its collaborative leadership style where the musicians interpret the score, not a conductor. For every work, members of the orchestra select the principal players for each section who form the initial concept of the piece and direct the rehearsal process. In the final rehearsals, all members of the orchestra participate in refining the interpretation. Click here for a list of OCO clips.

Emmanuel Pahud

Emmanuel Pahud became Principal Flute of the Berlin Philharmonic at age 22. At the time, he was the youngest principal in the orchestra. He now appears regularly at leading festivals throughout Europe, the U-S and the Far East, and has appeared as soloist with the Berlin Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, Camerata Salzburg and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. He regularly performs with pianist Eric Le Sage. Click here for a list of Emmanuel Pahud clips.

Martin Pearlman

Martin Pearlman is the founder, music director, and conductor of Boston Baroque, the orchestral ensemble and chorus that performs repertoire from Monteverdi to Beethoven. Click here for a list of Martin Pearlman clips.

Murray Perahia

In more than 30 years of performing, American pianist Murray Perahia has become one of the most sought-after pianists of our time. In addition to performing in all of the major international music centers and with every leading orchestra, he is also the Principal Guest Conductor of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. Click here for a list of Murray Perahia clips.

Maurizio Pollini

After winning the First Prize in the 1960 Warsaw Chopin Competition, pianist Maurizio Pollini established an international career of major importance. He is especially noted for his performances of Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Brahms and Webern. Pollini's recent recording of Chopin Nocturnes was awarded a Grammy for the Best Instrumental Soloist Performance. Click here for a list of Maurizio Pollini clips.

Awadagin Pratt

Pianist Awadagin Pratt won the Naumburg Competition in 1992, and was the recipient of the Avery Fisher Career Grant in 1994. Mr. Pratt has performed throughout the United States and worldwide. He is the founder of the Pratt Music Foundation, an organization that provides scholarships for music lessons for students (K - 12). Click here for a list of Awadagin Pratt clips.

Menahem Pressler

Pianist Menahem Pressler is considered one of the world's most distinguished and honored musicians. He is the original founding member of the legendary Beaux Arts Trio. His career spanning six decades also includes numerous solo appearances with many of the world's leading orchestras. Click here for a list of Menahem Pressler clips.

Vadim Repin

Vadim Repin began playing the violin at age five and gave his first performance with orchestra when he was eleven years old. His international breakthrough came in 1989, when Repin became the youngest-ever winner of the Queen Elisabeth Competition. Since that time, Vadim Repin has appeared with the world's leading orchestras and conductors. Click here for a list of Vadim Repin clips.

Pascal Rogé

Pascal Rogé is one of the leading interpreters of French piano music. In much of his current performing he is joined by his wife, Ami Rogé and regularly appears in the major music centers. Many consider his recordings of Debussy, Satie and Ravel to be among the definitive recordings of the French piano literature. Click here for a list of Pascal Roge clips.

David Russell

Guitarist David Russell performs regularly throughout the world. A blending of his Scottish heritage and Spanish-influenced upbringing contributes to Mr. Russell's individual sound and interpretive style. A two-time winner of the Julian Bream Guitar Prize, Mr. Russell is also a past winner of the Andres Segovia and Francisco Tarrega competitions. Click here for a list of David Russell clips.

Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg

Violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg has performed with many of the world's preeminent conductors and orchestras. She has also collaborated with such artists as the Assad brothers, Mark O'Connor and Roger Kellaway. In 2005 Salerno-Sonnenberg founded a new recording label, NSS Music. Click here for a list of Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg clips.

In 2009, Conductor Gerard Schwarz celebrates his 23rd season as the Seattle Symphony Music Director. His vast repertoire, and especially his devotion to American music, has earned him international praise and recognition. Gerard Schwarz is Principal Conductor of the Eastern Music Festival and served on the NEA’s National Council on the Arts. Click here for a list of Gerard Schwarz clips.

José Serebrier

Conductor and composer José Serebrier is one of most recorded classical performers in history. Leopold Stokowski hailed him as "the greatest master of orchestral balance". Serebrier was the Conductor in Residence for the Cleveland Orchestra, and has recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, the English Chamber Orchestra and many others. Click here for a list of José Serebrier clips.

Gil Shaham

Violinist Gil Shaham is internationally recognized as one of today's most virtuosic and engaging classical performers. While still in high school, his international career launched overnight when he filled in at the last minute for Itzhak Perlman with the London Symphony Orchestra. He plays the 1699 "Countess Polignac" Stradivarius. Click here for a list of Gil Shaham clips.

Orli Shaham

Pianist Orli Shaham's repertoire includes Mozart, Prokofiev, Ravel and John Adams. She has performed with the Cleveland and San Francisco Symphony Orchestras and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Regular festival appearances include Ravinia, Aspen and Spoleto. She is also a frequent chamber music recitalist and performs in major venues in New York, Washington, DC, and Munich. Click here for a list of Orli Shaham clips.

David Shifrin

Orchestral soloist, recitalist and chamber musician, David Shifrin is also Artistic Director of Chamber Music Northwest and has been an Artist Member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center since 1989 (Artistic Director until 2004). He’s championed new music for clarinet by American composers, including John Adams, Joan Tower, David Schiff, Bright Sheng and John Corigliano. Click here for a list of David Shifrin clips.

Rolf Smedvig

Rolf Smedvig is the lead trumpet player in the Empire Brass. Prior to joining the EB, conductor Seiji Ozawa picked him to become the Assistant Principal Trumpet of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In 1979, he became the orchestra's Principal Trumpet player, a post he held until 1982, when he left the orchestra to devote his full time to the Empire Brass and to his career as a soloist. Click here for a list of Rolf Smedvig clips.

Robert Spano

Now in his ninth season as Music Director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Robert Spano has brought the ensemble to international prominence. He’s a strong voice for new music and has premiered works by Jennifer Higdon, Michael Gandolfi and Osvaldo Golijov Mr. Spano also guest conducts the leading North America and European orchestras and is highly regarded as an operatic conductor. Click here for a list of Robert Spano clips.

Vladimir Spivakov

Vladimir Spivakov is Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Russian National Orchestra and founder, conductor and violin soloist of the Moscow Virtuosi. His charitable activities include providing musical instruments to talented and needy children and work on behalf of victims of war and natural disasters. His numerous awards include the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. Click here for a list of Vladimir Spivakov clips.

Thomas Stacy

Thomas Stacy is the English horn player with the New York Philharmonic. He has performed as soloist with the orchestra more than 65 times with Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez, Sir Colin Davis, Erich Leinsdorf, Zubin Mehta, Sir Neville Mariner and Kurt Masur. Mr. Stacy has performed premieres of more than 25 works written especially for him and is the most recorded English horn player in the world. Click here for a list of Thomas Stacy clips.

David Starobin

Guitarist David Starobin's performances and recordings include both the standard repertoire and 20th and 21st century music. Composers including Elliott Carter, George Crumb, Gunther Schuller and Milton Babbitt have dedicated new works to him, producing a repertoire of more than three hundred new pieces. Click here for a list of David Starobin clips.

Richard Stoltzman

Richard Stoltzman is one of the leading clarinet soloists and recitalists performing today. Through his appearances with more than a hundred orchestras, recitals, and his creative forays into new music and jazz, he has defied categorization. Stoltzman has opened up possibilities for the clarinet by seamlessly traveling across different musical borders. Click here for a list of Richard Stoltzman clips.

Jean-Yves Thibaudet

Pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet is universally respected for his mastery of color and nuance, especially in his performances of Satie, Debussy, Liszt, Ravel and Rachmaninoff. At age eighteen, he won the Young Concert Artists Auditions in New York. Mr. Thibaudet is an award winning, Grammy nominated recording artist with over 30 recordings. Click here for a list of Jean-Yves Thibaudet clips.

Michael Tilson Thomas

Michael Tilson Thomas (MTT) is Music Director of the SF Symphony Orchestra. His career has included leadership positions with the Boston S-O, the LA Philharmonic and the New World S-O. MTT and the SFSO launched the "Keeping Score" PBS television series and multimedia project in 2006. Click here for a list of Michael Tilson Thomas clips.

Michael Torke

Michael Torke helped chart the post-Minimalism movement by incorporating techniques from the classical tradition and the contemporary pop world. Torke’s compositions include his “Color Music” series, “Javelin”, composed for the 1996 Olympics, the opera “Strawberry Fields”, and two ballets. In 1998 Mr. Torke was appointed Associate Composer of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Click here for a list of Michael Torke clips.

Yuja Wang

Since her 2005 debut, the Chinese born pianist has performed with many of the world's prestigious orchestras including the Chicago Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. Of her debut (all-Chopin) recording, Gramophone magazine wrote she displayed a "rare instinct for poetry." Yuja Wang was named the Classic FM Gramophone Awards 2009 Young Artist of the Year. Click here for a list of Yuja Wang clips.

Andre Watts

Andre Watts burst upon the music world at 16, when Leonard Bernstein chose him to make his debut with the New York Philharmonic. Two weeks later, his career launch received a secondary blast when he substituted for Glenn Gould with the New York Philharmonic. Celebrating more than 50 years of performing, Mr. Watts remains one of today's most honored American musicians. Click here for a list of Andre Watts clips.

Orion Weiss

Pianist Orion Weiss is a rising star with recital and concerto performances throughout the country. He's also the winner of several prestigious national awards and international competitions. In his first recording, he teams up with cellist Julie Albers for performances of Beethoven, Schumann, Rachmaninoff and Piatigorsky (Harmonia Mundi). Click here for a list of Orion Weiss clips.

Ransom Wilson

Long recognized as one of the world's leading flutists, Ransom Wilson is also a conductor and teacher. In addition to serving as both music director and principal conductor of Solisti New York, he recently served as assistant conductor at the Metropolitan Opera for Rossini's The Barber of Seville. Mr. Wilson is the new Music Director of the North Carolina High School for the Arts. Click here for a list of Ransom Wilson clips.

Carol Wincenc

Carol Wincenc won First Prize at the Walter W. Naumburg Flute Competition. She has appeared as a soloist with the Chicago, Saint Louis, Atlanta and London Symphonies; the BBC Philharmonic and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. Ms. Wincenc has premiered numerous works written for her Christopher Rouse, Henryk Gorecki, Lukas Foss, Peter Schickele and Joan Tower. Click here for a list of Carol Wincenc clips.