Pianist Stephen Hough spends hours in airports, planes and hotels so uses the “dead time”, to scribble notes about music, performing, religion and life. These musings have been gathered into a book called Rough Ideas: Reflections on Music and More. Here are three excerpts.

Despite a lack of success in his own lifetime, notably with Carmen, Bizet soon became hailed as an operatic master, as George Hall explains.

In response to Stephen Hough's anecdote about ageing audiences, Elizabeth Quinn shares the story of her elderly friend meeting Sir Andrew Davis after his farewell MSO concert.

A dancer with Queensland Ballet in the 1960s, Lee Christofis traces the company’s history.

As seen in the recent bushfire crisis, artists and arts workers are among the first to do their bit to help raise funds. Sincere gratitude to them for their courage and generosity.

Growing up, the Armenian-Australian soprano wanted to be the next Celine Dion. But as Justine Nguyen discovers, life had other plans for Natalie Aroyan, who is claiming her mantle as Australia’s next great Verdi soprano.

With classical record stores around the country closing their doors as streaming becomes the new way to listen to music, Phillip Scott shares his life-long passion for collecting classical music on vinyl and CD.

The Peruvian maestro with a diary full of Australian dates talks to Clive Paget about career choices, composers who float his boat, and how a zero-waste lifestyle has enabled him to turn garbage into art.

From flygskam to hazardous air quality, the changing climate is increasingly having an impact on classical music and the arts. Angus McPherson considers how artists and organisations are rising to meet these challenges, and asks what role the arts can play in the face of a climate crisis.

The Australian Chamber Orchestra violinist tells us about the orchestra's upcoming Arvo Pärt & Shostakovich program.

Lisa McCune is thrilled to be making her Shakespearean debut as Gertrude in Hamlet.

ABC Classic & ABC Jazz Manager, Hugh Robertson, was overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response 
to the album Women of Note. He hopes that the second volume will prove similarly inspiring.