NYPost.com reports that a Mexican research team found classical music may positively influence fetal heart rate variability, a key indicator of autonomic nervous system development. Using heart rate monitors, they observed that pieces like Camille Saint-Saëns’ The Swan and Abundio Martínez’s Arpa de Oro created more stable and predictable fetal heart rate patterns, with the latter showing a stronger effect. The researchers suggest that playing soothing music for unborn babies could stimulate their nervous system, with future studies exploring the impact of different musical genres.

NYTimes.com reports that the Trump administration has quietly dissolved the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, a longstanding advisory body that included prominent artists, musicians, and cultural leaders. Originally established by Ronald Reagan in 1982, the committee played a key role in advocating for arts education and cultural policy. While President Biden revived the committee in 2022 with figures like Yo-Yo Ma and Lady Gaga, its dissolution under Trump underscores the administration’s broader rollback of federal arts initiatives.

EW.com highlights the winners in classical music at this year’s awards, with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic earning multiple honors for Ortiz: Revolución Diamantina, including Best Orchestral Performance, Best Classical Compendium, and Best Contemporary Classical Composition. Pianist Víkingur Ólafsson took home Best Classical Instrumental Solo for his interpretation of Bach’s Goldberg Variations, while Saariaho: Adriana Mater, conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen, won Best Opera Recording.