ArtsJournal: Arts, Culture, Ideas

MUSIC

John Eliot Gardiner, Fired By The Ensembles He Founded, Creates New Ones

In July, the board of the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestras broke ties with the conductor, 11 months after he punched a singer in the face. Now Gardiner is launching the Constellation Choir and Orchestra, which in December will tour with the same program his former groups are performing without him. - The Guardian

Charles Ives Was Born 150 Years Ago. Why Are We Conflicted About His Music?

Even our orchestras and instrumentalists perform him far less than they should. If it follows that the present Ives sesquicentenary is insufficiently observed, that is all the more reason to take stock. - The American Scholar

Brexit Has Been A Disaster For UK Musicians Wanting To Tour In The EU. Can It Be Fixed?

Since Brexit, musicians touring the EU have faced barriers introduced in the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). They can work up to 90 out of every 180 days, which causes problems for longer tours, musicians who work in multiple bands or orchestras, and crew required on site before and after performances. - The Guardian

These Two Guys Aren’t Forty Yet And Have Gone EGOT As Of Sunday Night

They met as freshmen at Michigan. “They won an Oscar in 2017 for their original song 'City of Stars,' featured in the film La La Land.” Then they won a Tony for the score of Dear Evan Hansen. Then that cast recording won a Grammy in 2018. - Los Angeles Times

Is There Any Merit To Musicians’ Copyright Claims Against The Former President For His Campaign Rallies?

“Music industry experts and copyright law attorneys say the cases, as well as Trump’s decision to continue playing certain songs despite artists’ requests that he desist, underscore the complex legalities of copyright infringement in today’s digital, streaming and licensing era.” - Washington Post

In-Store Record Shop Gigs Are Changing Touring For Regular Musicians

For indie bands in the UK, “the in-store has become part of the process of building a week-one launchpad for the campaign and building a chart position, because physical sales still leapfrog the streaming economy.” - The Guardian (UK)

Mexican Singer Jaramar Sotos Has A Passion For Revitalizing The Voices Of Women In Baroque Music

The Grammy winner stumbled across 17th-century music by accident. “Much of this Baroque music was written by women who sang about the pain of lost loves who went off to sea. They sang of nostalgia, melancholy and passion. Many of them are also … long forgotten.” - El Pais

How To Change A New Opera For The Met

Jeanine Tesori: “If we did Grounded in theater, George and I would be going up to some room with questionable carpeting and just working and working over four weeks until we ran out of time. With the opera, we had done a workshop, but that’s not the real thing.” - The New York Times

La Scala Subtitles Go Multi-Lingual

The mini-screens used until July could only show two languages. The new system will offer five languages – Italian, English, French, German and Spanish – with the possibility of arriving at eight languages in total. Chinese will be added for the titles broadcast by LaScalaTv in China. - Gramilano

Seattle Symphony Names A Music Director: Xian Zhang Of New Jersey Symphony

"Xian Zhang was hired Thursday as music director of the Seattle Symphony, becoming the first woman conductor to head a major West Coast orchestra and filling a post that had been vacant since Thomas Dausgaard quit abruptly in January 2022. Zhang agreed to a five-year contract starting in 2025-26." - AP

The State Of The New York Philharmonic Through Its Tax Return

The Philharmonic released its 2022 tax return Wednesday, covering its first season back at David Geffen Hall following a $550 million renovation. Ticket revenue rebounded to $29.76 million from $11.18 million in the prior fiscal year. - AP News

FBI Arrests Musician For Alleged $10 Million Scam With AI-Created Songs

"An indictment in Manhattan federal court said (Michael) Smith created thousands of accounts on streaming platforms so that he could stream (tens of thousands of AI-created) songs continuously, generating about 661,000 streams per day … (for) annual royalties of $1.2 million." - AP

Ticket Bots Overwhelm Sales Of Oasis Concert Tickets, Enraging Fans

As soon as the presale for the band’s upcoming gigs went online on Friday, tickets—which started at around $100 apiece—popped up on resale sites, with fans on X reporting that they were seeing prices in the $800 to $1,200 range. - Wired

Fyre Festival II Is Coming, I Promise! Says The Producer Of The Original Fiasco

"Billy McFarland is a little over a year into planning Fyre Festival II, and he still doesn’t know where it’s going to be. Or when. Or who’s performing. But he says it’s definitely happening. One hundred percent, absolutely for-sure happening. After all, he’s already sold tickets." - The Wall Street Journal (MSN)

Netflix-Style Memberships — A Better Business Model For Orchestras Than Subscriptions?

"You pay a monthly membership fee ... that entitles you to attend however much you’d like. As with a gym or a streaming service, some people may go often; some, not at all. Regardless, the orchestra receives steady revenue, and you have full control of your calendar." - The New York Times

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