Also in this link roundup: a piano competition crisis, composer hairstyles, and an orchestra's foray into virtual reality!
1. It's a musician's worst nightmare: you're onstage, ready to start the concerto you've painstakingly prepared for a high-stakes audience. The conductor gives the downbeat -- and the orchestra launches into the wrong piece of music. It happened to pianist Tianxu An at the International Tchaikovsky Competition this June, and it shocked him -- but he recovered like the pro he is and won 4th place. Watch:
2. What is it like to be the first musician in your family? Very, very difficult, it turns out; barriers to entry into the world of classical music are much higher for "first-generation" musicians than for their peers. Van Magazine spoke with first-gen musicians about their experiences.
3. The Montreal Symphony Orchestra is beginning a new virtual reality project that will use cutting-edge audio technology to immerse listeners in the orchestra from anywhere in the world. Their previous VR project, which puts you right at the center of their organ, is unbelievably cool -- we can't wait to see what this new initiative produces, too.
4. Thinking about changing up your hairstyle this summer? How about taking inspiration from some of your favorite composers?
5. There's a new record-holder in town. Watch singer Helen Leahey break the Guinness World Record for the lowest note sung by a woman:
