Best summer books of 2025 – The Financial Times

Jessica Duchen’s Myra Hess – National Treasure would be my music book of the year. It’s a meticulously reserached and superbly narrated biography of a woman whose life is rich in interest, both before and after those famous wartime National Gallery concerts.
Richard Osborne – The Oldie

Berlinsky 100 – Salle Cortot, Paris

Paris, 15 – 19 October 2025

The musical world comes together in Paris to celebrate the centenary of the birth of Valentin Berlinsky (1925–2008), the remarkable cellist, dedicated teacher and founding spirit of the legendary Borodin Quartet, which he led with passion and vision for over six decades. His daughter, the acclaimed pianist Ludmila Berlinskaya, has conceived a vibrant tribute over five days at the Salle Cortot comprising a series of concerts, masterclasses, and talks where the music itself becomes the most appropriate celebration of his legacy.

Details and tickets here

Our standards

A final word: this volume as published by Kahn & Averill, with its stitched binding [thread-sewing], high-quality paper, beautiful font, neatly engraved musical examples, and well-proportioned layout, only adds to the extraordinary quality of the contents.
Brad DeRoche – review of Guitar in Soundboard (April 2025)

Duchen has been lucky in her publisher. The book is beautifully designed and produced, with proper stitch binding [thread-sewing] on high-quality paper, a handsome volume that sits well on a bookshelf.
Jeremy Nicholas – review of Myra Hess – National Treasure in Gramophone (April 2025)

A joy to hold – a joy to read – a joy to keep