Ask Alice - Classical Music's Agony Aunt

Ask Alice

Ask DGriffs - Bombshell facts ... On drum kits in lofts and 'diabolus in scordatura', with deputy classical music agony 'aunt' DGriffs

Ask DGriffs - Desperate platitudes ... a rather surprising concerto at the BBC Proms, and an urgent plea for new correspondence, from deputy classical music agony 'aunt' DGriffs

Ask Alice - A new plan for world peace, from classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On, like, gift shop blues (or reds and browns?), like, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On the three weaknesses of Charles Mackerras, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Relationship advice for music teachers, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - How less practice can be more, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Notching up the practice hours, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Some harsh but sporting advice from classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - A clear case of power play, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On second careers and sensitivity, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On songwriters and gamba sonatas, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Christian Aid, Alice-style, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Problems with a violinist who's 'too good', with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - 'The Marriage of Figaro' in Washington DC, reviewed by classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - The matinée performance on 24 April 2010 of Folger Theater's 'Hamlet', recommended by classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On the pros and cons of Facebook, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On the guilty secrets of classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Wildlife on the highway, rescued by classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On oboe jobs, waxworks and knee surgery, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On violins and bows, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On the appointment of a masterchef for musicians, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On talent and texts, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On the benefits of singing, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On personnel problems in orchestras, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On thin ankles and recordings, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - A cello, a mechanic and a funeral, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Elegy and Celebration, by classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On the craziness of worldwide auditions, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh is touched strangely by tales of woe

Ask Alice - On ageism in the music business, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - A special Christmas message from classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh deals with a trumpeter with an emotional problem

Ask Alice - The most beautiful sound in the world, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On delusions, fruitcakes and the Elgar Cello Concerto, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On the perils of programming, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Judges, sheep and a Rite to complain, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On full-size cellos and musicians' reputations, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On the benefits of music lessons, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On parents and prose style, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - The truth about bishops and priests, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Saying goodbye to Fiori, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On end-pin stoppers, music exams and godparents, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh deals with the all-too-human feelings of annoyance, rejection and worry

Ask Alice - On heartbreak, parents and practice, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On statistics, surveys and rock groups, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On location, social networking and the guitar, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On gentle Harvey Shapiro and the pressure of New York, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On orchestral horn solos and funding cuts, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On viola pegs and swine flu, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On rites of passage, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On classical music in London's Royal Albert Hall, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On points, service and waiting, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On business and friends, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - When to put up and shut up, by classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On loyalty to pupils, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Problems down at the ol' wind quintet, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On children, competitions and TV, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On freelancers, swiping work and danger money, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On employment in music, insanity, rottweilers and the European Union, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On business, payment and the arts, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - A mega problem with a minor orchestra, solved by classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On depression in orchestras, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On godparents and sibling rivalry, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Issues of life and death, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On the soaring interest in studying music, and when Wilfrid Mellers met Margaret Thatcher, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On freezing fingers and dreamers of dreams, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Of perspiration, stringed instruments and teaching, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - A tale of magic rings and dinosaur bones, related by classical music's agony aunt, Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - The story of Mr Manjure and the agony aunt, related by Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Adventures in life, youth and snow for classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh lists her current woes

Ask Alice - Classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh is not judging but drowning

Ask Alice - Mystery Bolshoi intermission music, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Hitting the mood with Gershwin, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - An agony aunt at The Acropolis, with Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - An agony aunt writhes ... by Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh at the Sidcup Literary Society

Ask Alice - On worrying about the planet, and principal cellists, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On cello congestion and market opportunities, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On, like, the demise, like, of Washington's Ring cycle, if you will, with 'our friend' of classical music, Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Distractions while reviewing, for classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Searching for violinists in Yorkshire and senior readers online, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Cheating on degrees, pictures of meat and the principal cello, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh takes a swipe at American politics

Ask Alice - On musicians and intelligence, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Difficult decisions for young musicians, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - On Russian music and throwing metronomes, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Agony aunt Alice McVeigh ignores classical music again to discuss American politics, shotgun weddings, bizarrely-named children and moose

Ask Alice - Advice for a flautist, from classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Adventures in the land of the Franglais and advice on starting university, from classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Brushes with the law and sporting fame for classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Fascinating correspondence between classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh and a representative of a major computer firm

Ask Alice - Classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh reports on problems brewing for the International Baccalaureate

Ask Alice - A week of heaven on earth for classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - 'Kicking the parent', 'Lucia di Lammermoor' and other fun games and pastimes, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Instructions for feeding the cat, by classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ask Alice - Classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh begs help and advice from her readers

Ask Alice - Classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh answers the question 'Is the name of a musician's college important?'

Welcome to the home page for Ask Alice, Classical Music's Agony Aunt.

Alice McVeigh. Photo © John Carmichael

Weekly since April 2003, American freelance cellist, author and playwright Alice McVeigh has been answering questions on a surprising variety of subjects from musicians, students, music lovers and other readers. You can read her most recent columns by clicking on the links at the top of the left-hand column on this page.

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