And JDCMB's top ten posts of 2012 are...

Here are the top ten stories on JDCMB this year. Good to see that among the matters that interested you most were some of the world's top conductors, several exciting young artists and quite a few of the quirky JDCMB pieces that you won't find anywhere else - not least, the April Fool's Day spectacular. Below, listed in reverse order.

Thank you, everyone, for joining me through the roller-coaster highs and lows of 2012 and here's hoping that in 2013 the comets shine bright!

10.  Socks for the Lilac Fairy?                                                  
 Why do balletomanes knit socks for their favourite dancers, but Lang Lang doesn't get gloves from the pianophiles?

9. How to be a Nice Audience

Life-enhancing ways to behave at a concert.

8. Jonas Kaufmann, Wrapped in Viennese Gold

That.

7. A Remarkable Pianist is due to make his Come-Back

Introducing Angelo Villani.

6. Wisdom in Lucerne, with Bernard Haitink

In which I sit in on the great maestro's conducting masterclasses.

5. Federico Colli, the Flower of Leeds

Italian romantic in cravat triumphs at the UK's premier piano competition.

4. Special Offer for JDCMB Readers from Classical Music Magazine

You're a pragmatic lot, dear readers, and you know when you're on to a good thing.

3. There can Only be One BBC Young Musician of the Year

Or can there? A look at this year's finalists.

2. Stop Press! Critics to undergo formal Auditions as Musicians

1 April, and it looked like we might all have to play to Gergiev. Delightfully, a few of you fell for this, lock, stock and subsequent red ears.

And in first place...

1. When JD met Sir Colin Davis

The maestro gets it all off his chest.