THE MAGAZINE
Eunike Tanzil, Composer, Pianist and Producer: On “Star Wars,” Composing and Finding Your Voice
Eunike Tanzil is a composer, pianist and producer. She writes music that tells a story and has gained social media fame with her “Hum me a melody” Instagram series. On 26 April 2024, Eunike signed an exclusive agreement with Deutsche Grammophon. TWoA talked to Eunike about composing and finding your own voice.
Will Social Media Shape the Future of Classical Music?
Who doesn’t enjoy a good scroll through some classical music content on social media? But the role of social media in the world of classical music goes beyond entertainment. Social media might help create a vision of classical music suited to modern society, and reaching a diverse audience that reflects this society.
Mariko Sasaki, Soloist, The Royal Ballet: Getting Ready for a “Swan Lake” Debut
TWoA talked to Royal Ballet soloist Mariko Sasaki about her upcoming debut in Swan Lake. It is her first leading role in a three-act classical ballet.
Eating the Opera: The Recipes Behind Three of Italy’s Most Celebrated Composers
Good music isn’t made on an empty stomach. Discover the stories behind the culinary pastimes of three of the most celebrated composers of the 19th century, Gioachino Rossini, Giacomo Puccini, and Giuseppe Verdi through three recipes they left behind.
Arguing for Instagram: How Algorithmic Addiction Can Advance the Dancer
It starts with one harmless minute on your phone, right? Just a few minutes on Instagram, one more video on YouTube, and soon enough hours have passed and nothing you originally set out to accomplish has been done. But you can learn to turn this form of procrastination into a vital tool for your own artistic education.
Sumina Studer, Violinist and Music Entrepreneur: London’s Hidden Music and Art Spots
Award-winning violinist and music entrepreneur Sumina Studer is a true citizen of the world who has captured the hearts of millions on her various social media platforms. She has now made London her home. TWoA talked to Sumina about her favourite music and art spaces in London, and about social media in the arts and de-pressurising classical music.
Inspiring Words at the 2024 Prix de Lausanne
From 29 January 2024 until 4 February 2024, dance students and ballet lovers all over the world got to experience the Prix de Lausanne in daily live streams. Apart from the dancing, one of this year’s highlight were the inspiring words spoken at the awards ceremony by two former prima ballerinas, President of the Jury Darcey Bussell and Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Alessandra Ferri.
Tiffany Poon, Pianist: A Rising Star on Her New Album “Diaries: Schumann”
Pianist Tiffany Poon is about to launch her solo album Diaries: Schumann. Hong-Kong born, but New York-based, Tiffany is an artist with a mission: to demystify classical music by emphasising the human side of it. Her more than 323K subscribers on YouTube prove she’s on to something. TWoA talked to Tiffany about her first mini-toy keyboard, life and, of course, Schumann.
Dancer Dorms
Join Thy-Lan Alcalay on a tour of her dorm room turned mini fitness studio. Thy-Lan is a dance and architecture student at Barnard College of Columbia University, New York.
From the Eyes of a Young Photographer: Berk Kır, “Extimacy,” Merdiven Art Space, Istanbul, 5-31 January 2024
Berk Kır, 26, is a photography artist based in Istanbul, Turkey. GUP (Guide to Unique Photography) lists Berk among Europe's 150 Emerging Talents. Find out more about Berk’s current exhibition “Extimacy” and about his creative process: “I was using my camera as a tool to explore my surroundings and over time I can say that this practice evolved into me looking outside to discover myself.”
Six Favorite Dance Movies in NYC *Unranked
Dance in NYC has a deep and powerful history; shaped by cultural fusion, rebellion, and preeminence. Below are six films in no particular order, both new and old, famous and obscure, of genres from ballet to salsa, to watch this Christmas break to relax and get in the spirit of dance in the city!
A Ballet Dancer’s Take: On Balletcore
Balletcore is “just” a fashion trend (think cottegecore, blokecore, gorpcore…the list goes on) - but do you sometimes wish for more? What isn’t included in the phrase Balletcore is the implicit understanding of what it means to be a ballerina. Sometimes, Balletcore makes any serious dancer cringe. But take heart: there are some fashion houses who get it right!
Benal Tanrısever, Pianist and Educator: Music Starts with the Imagination
Benal Tanrısever is a Turkish pianist and music educator. She completed her musical education at The Juilliard School in New York and performed at Carnegie Hall and the Berlin Philharmonic before founding BT Music and Performing Arts, a music and performing arts school in Istanbul,Turkey. TWoA talked to Benal about her journey from Istanbul to New York, her experience at Juilliard, and her philosophy of learning and teaching music.
Finding Magic in Music: Haruki Murakami
Music is one of the magical aspects of Haruki Murakami’s books. His songs are always in alignment with the story line. We see his protagonists usually sitting in the kitchen, listening to classical music or jazz. If you want to feel like a character from Murakami’s beautiful books, listen to some of the pieces that belong to his stories.
How to Become a Cello: Royal Ballet Principal Marcelino Sambé in Cathy Marston’s “The Cellist,” Royal Ballet, 20 October – 2 November 2023
Cathy Marston’s one-act ballet “The Cellist” tells the tragic story of star cellist Jacqueline du Pré (1945-1987). TWoA spoke to Royal Ballet principal Marcelino Sambé, who created the part of “The Instrument” – Jacqueline du Pré’s cello. Sambé is performing the part again in the Royal Ballet’s current run of the ballet.
A Glimpse of Autumn
Autumn is right around the corner. Start this beautiful season with two beautiful paintings. Read on for more!
How Was Your Summer?
Maybe you are already back to your studies and your summer holidays feel like a distant memory. Or maybe you are still gearing up to return to school. Either way: to make the transition a bit more fun, we’ve asked four of the artists we interviewed over the past year to share some of their favourite summer 2023 moments with us, and to give us a hint of their plans for the year ahead!
Viviana Durante, Artistic Director of English National Ballet School: “Follow Your Dream and See Where It Takes You!”
Even talking on Zoom from her office at English National Ballet School, Viviana Durante exudes that special something that made her one of the most celebrated dancers of her generation. Since 2020, she has been the artistic director of English National Ballet School (ENBS). TWoA talked to Viviana about leaving home at age eleven to train in a foreign country, her vision for dance education, the importance of giving meaning to every step, and much more.
How to Enjoy Art History by the Pool (or From Your Sofa)
We’re officially in the dog days of summer, which means it’s time to gather up your puddle of a brain and start priming it for the coming fall. And what better way to do that then with a little bit of art history? Here are some great ways to integrate art history into the rest of your summer relaxation.
Reuniting with Nature: Yo-Yo Ma’s Birdsong
It’s finally summer! The summer holidays are the perfect time to escape into nature. Take your queue from Yo-Yo Ma, the superstar cellist whose boundless curiosity and idealism lead to many unusual projects.