LISTENING TO TCHAIKOVSKY: Béla Hartmann uses his knowledge of Eastern Europe to argue against the banning of all Russian culture following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
CENTRAL ENGLAND: Mike Wheeler's concert reviews from Nottingham and Derbyshire feature high profile artists on the UK circuit - often quite early on their tours.
Russian conductor Mark Ermler was born in Leningrad on 5 May 1932. He was an early starter, learning the piano from age five, beginning to conduct when he was sixteen and making his debut with the Leningrad Philharmonic whilst still a conservatoire student.
He conducted many orchestras throughout Europe and Japan, and recorded various complete operas for EMI. He was also known for his ballet conducting, and for leading the first performances of Prokofiev's final opera, The Story of a Real Man.
Mark Ermler died on 14 April 2002, aged sixty-nine, in Seoul, South Korea, whilst rehearsing the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra.