Ex Cathedra release their latest, fourth CD of baroque music from South America on 30 October, Brazilian Adventures, on the Hyperion label - Presto International interviewed Jeffrey Skidmore about this little-known music which he has championed for the past decade or so.  Read more here

Sinfini Music's Reviews Round-up for November 2015 says "Birmingham's top-notch choir continue their voyages into South American Baroque music with this latest adventure through Brazil's soundworlds.
Here's what our critic had to say: ‘It makes a refreshing change to hear an anthology of choral compositions untroubled by worldly cares, especially so when performed with such conviction and love.’

Francesco Piemontesi was in Birmingham last week playing a Mozart Piano Concerto with the CBSO in their Brahms Requiem programme, heard twice - and audiences were treated to an additional solo encore (a fantastically light and virtuosic Mendelssohn Etude).  Read more about Francesco in his interview with The Guardian here and look out for his recital at Birmingham's Town Hall on 16 March

BBC Music Magazine carries an interview about the double career of Matthew Sharp as cellist and baritone. 

Matthew took part in the ESO's Elgar Pilgrimage in October; You can hear Matthew as narrator and singer in the ESO's "Spooktacular" on 31 October at the Worcester Arena

Read more here

Sinfini Music's latest newsletter includes a link to Ivan Ilić's world premiere recording of Anton Reicha's Capriccio, composed in around 1800. Here, Ilić performs the 200-years-young music of the Czech composer, a contemporary of Beethoven whose music, he believes, has been neglected for too long.

Read more and listen here

Ivan Ilić plays at Keele University on 4 November 2015 and for Ludlow Music Society on 9 April 2016

We hear from our friends at the Young Concert Artists Trust that the Trio Isimsiz won 1st Prize of €15.000 and the Audience Prize at the 8th Trondheim International Chamber Music Competition, leading to a performance at the Trondheim Chamber Music Festival in 2016. Other engagements will include their debut at Tivoli Concert Hall in Copenhagen.

The Trio gave a concert in this year's series at Abbotsholme Arts Society in September.  Read more at http://www.ycat.co.uk/news

Pianist Maria João Pires has won a Gramophone Award for her recording of Beethoven Piano Concertos with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Daniel Harding.  Look out for Maria's two concerts in Birmingham's Town Hall next February.