When you think of countertenors what’s the first thing that comes to your mind?  Randall Scotting, a countertenor sees himself as a preserver of this male voice classification. He’s releasing the album Divine Impresario to celebrate one of the most popular castrato opera singers of the 17th and 18th centuries. His name is Nicolini.      Cancellations at the Kennedy Center continue even as the building is set to close for renovations. The San Antonio (Texas) Philharmonic shuts down with hopes of returning someday.

In these last few weeks of Black History Month, there are many more events celebrating Black excellence. One such event is with violinist Rachel Barton Pine, who founded the series Music by Black Composers” as part of her foundation, the Rachel Barton Pine Foundation. She did it to advance opportunities to study and perform works by Black composers. Pine performs with the Madison Symphony in Wisconsin this coming week with a group of young people performing the music of some Black classical composers.

As any musician, classical or otherwise, knows, it’s a difficult climb to success.  It took Sarah Kirkland Snider almost 20 years to find it with her composing career.  She’s out with a new album of ethereal, spiritual music called Forward Into Light. 

Black History Month soars with hundreds of events this month.  Go to the Classical Music In Colors page on secondstreetdreams.com for links to some of the most interesting events. 

Oh Happy Day!  It’s Black History Month.  There are so many events celebrating “black excellence” in all genres of music.  I’ve only mentioned a few including the Colour of Music Festival.  See links on secondstreetdreams.com    There’s a new audio edition of the Harry Potter books.  Believe it or not, the National Endowment for the Arts is offering Challenge Grants. The Cliburn ends its piano competition for Amateurs.  There are plenty of other piano competitions for amateurs, like this one in Paris.   Then there’s the closing of the Kennedy Center, ordered by the President.

So many events are happening this month and early in February.  Some of them require the attention of the classical music community.    There’s the Grammys, a new album of choral works from the composer of Baba Yetu, Christopher Tin, a fresh take on Bach, another cancellation at the Kennedy Center and the March broadcast of the Oscars with a nomination about Verdi.  There’s also a sad story about a violinist whose violin case was too big for the overhead bin.   

While we look forlornly at the holiday bills as we head into  tax season, there is some joy this January.  The Grammy winning and nominated this year again Jazz pianist Sullivan Fortner is grateful and humble after winning the 300k Gilmore inaugural 2026 Larry J. Bell Jazz Artist Award. Donors have nearly flooded the Washington National Opera with funds after the opera company departed the Kennedy Center.  There are still many ways to honor Dr. Martin Luther King and many other African American leaders as we head into Black History Month.  And oh my as George Takei would say, there’s a Star Trek version of a Mozart opera.

Sometimes things happen that let you know that you are on the right path.     This is the experience of the Zara Hudson Kozdoj of the UK.  This 29-year-old Polish-Jamaican cellist, composer and conductor isn’t all about classical music but has surrendered herself to it in bits and pieces. She released her first album in October called Remember Who You Are. She found out while making the album that there were items about business that she wasn’t taught during her years at the Royal College of Music in London.  Then the fates stepped in again.

Which opera team are you on?

“Old” operas versus the “New” operas. According to the book, Opera Wars by Caitlin Vincent, artistic directors and others at the nation’s opera companies are in conflict with themselves over staging the standard operas from the 18th and 19th centuries or producing those composed in the late 20th and 21st centuries. 

There’s a new directory for musical instruments adapted for those would be musicians with disabilities.  Other companies and engineers are developing adaptations too. 

Apple Music Classical has made a surprising choice for it’s classical album of the year.

While we still might be recovering from Thanksgiving,  there’s the rest of the holidays to consider.  Shopping for gifts, decorating the house while listening to music. Gifts have already come to Kyle Rivera, who won the Michael Morgan Prize for Black composers.  The Pegasus Opera Company in the UK is looking for partners to produce an opera about the Windrush generation.  The Detroit opera presents two little known and rarely staged operas.

A new era of operas is emerging. Not that the popular ones are stuffy or just plain old.  Composer Nathan Felix seeks new 21st century operas at his second annual Opera Austin Festival.  Another member of the Kanneh-Mason family of England, has released a new album.  Pianist Jeneba Kanneh-Mason shows her love of Jane Austen with an album of music in honor of the 250th anniversary of the novelist’s birth.