Maureen Holland

Maureen Holland is a freelance writer based in Toronto, Canada. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto with a double Major in English and Cinema Studies. Maureen has about six years of piano lessons from childhood to draw on for her musical expertise, so she is essentially useless in that respect. However, she has a lifelong passion for classical music and hopes her writing will help bridge some of the distance between its specialists and those new to the genre.

eduard hanslick quotes

Is this man the worst critic in the history of music?

Jul 1, 2018May 25, 2015 by Maureen Holland

During the latter half of the nineteenth century, Eduard Hanslick enjoyed a position of great power and influence as one of the most widely read … Read more

carmen volksoper

Top 5 Operas for People who Hate Opera

Jul 1, 2018Apr 8, 2015 by Maureen Holland

This list is for those those who cringe at opera’s lengthy runtimes and lachrymose plotlines but have never actually seen a “fat lady” sing. The following … Read more

female conductors

A Girl on the Podium: How Female Conductors are Breaking New Ground

Jul 1, 2018Mar 6, 2015 by Maureen Holland

These are words you do not expect to hear from a young, professional conductor in 2013. Yet, the minted maestro of the Oslo Philharmonic, Vasily … Read more

top ten sopranos of the 20th century

DIVA: Counting Down the Top 10 Sopranos of the 20th Century

Jul 1, 2018Feb 28, 2015 by Maureen Holland

Consider Juno, goddess of marriage and childbirth, antagonizing Aeneas as he tries to found Rome because she holds a grudge against the Trojans. Or Minerva, goddess … Read more

franz liszt and his women

Lisztomania: How Franz Liszt Became Music’s First Panty-Dropper

Dec 18, 2018Jan 27, 2015 by Maureen Holland

In 1820, at age nine, Franz Liszt performed at his first public concert. Like Mozart, he went on to amaze audiences across Europe with his … Read more