ArtsJournal: Arts, Culture, Ideas

MUSIC

Canada Gets Its First National Jazz Orchestra

The aim is for the orchestra to tour not only across Canada, but internationally, to show the world what Canadian jazz musicians, composers and arrangers have to offer. - CBC

The Song That’s Uniting India And Pakistan

The song is stealthily subversive: a traditional raga—the classical Indian framework for musical improvisation—has been laid over an infectious beat that sounds South Asian, Middle Eastern, and, improbably, reggaetón, all at once. - The New Yorker

A Russia-Free Eurovision Is Bringing Euope Together Again

The song contest, which bookes say will undoubtedly go to Ukraine's entry this year, also got a boost from the end of most COVID restrictions. "Much-loved events in the run up to Eurovision have been held for fans for the first time in three years." - BBC

The Music That Has Provided A Lifeline For Seniors In Care Facilities During The Pandemic

In Canada, Concerts in Care tried everything from outdoor concerts to concerts from balconies near nursing homes to Zoom concerts to broadcasts of pre-recorded concerts. Now, the hybrid idea will continue. - CBC

American Orchestras, Still Largely White, Are Trying To Diversify. It’s Slow Going, But Here’s How They’re Working On It

There are blind auditions, special fellowships for Black musicians in particular, prep and financial aid for auditions as well as other programs from the Sphinx Organization. Writer Tim Diovanni looks into the efforts, focusing on the Detroit, Dallas, and Fort Worth Symphonies. - The Dallas Morning News

After 900 Years, St. Paul’s Cathedral In London Is Letting Girls Into The Choir

Well, strictly speaking, they're being admitted to the choir school; there will be separate boys' and girls' choirs. Music director Andrew Carwood: "I accept the idea of a boys' choir as culturally iconic, and I'd like to keep that. And I'd like girls to experience exactly the same thing." - The Guardian

A Tale Of Two Opera Companies: Houston V. Dallas

Houston Grand Opera’s history of 70 world premieres — “readier to take chances” — certainly puts the Dallas Opera’s handful of new works to shame. - Dallas Morning News

Could They Do Immersive Orchestra Concerts The Way They Do With Van Gogh? The Curtis Institute Gives It A Try.

"Dubbed Immersive Scheherazade, the experience emulates those immersive Van Gogh shows. Four large screens and several smaller ones showed video close-ups of (Curtis Orchestra) instrumentalists and conductor (Osmo Vänskä) in a performance recorded at Curtis in December." Peter Dobrin had a look and a listen. - MSN (The Philadelphia Inquirer)

The Essential Problem When Writing About Music

As far as I can tell, most writing about music is built on analogies and cliches. This is understandable; you can’t describe music literally because it wouldn’t give an accurate representation of what it is you’re hearing. - 3 Quarks Daily

Is It Possible To Run An Orchestra As A Publicly-Traded Corporation?  This One Is Trying

Japan National Orchestra Co. was founded and is led by 27-year-old CEO Kyohei Sorita, a concert pianist convinced that his band (for now, really a chamber orchestra) can make a profit.  JNO has even issued stock, 70% of which is owned by a manufacturer of high-precision machine tools. - Bloomberg

The Pandemic-Formed Musical Group That Arose Out Of An Adirondack Love For Folk Dance

No, truly. And, in classic pandemic times fashion, "after several months of working remotely, the band members met one another in the flesh and performed together for the first time in the Adirondacks last summer." - NPR

Building A Treasure Trove Of National Music

In the 1970s, CBC North (part of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) decided the best way to preserve music and build an archive was simply to found a record label. - CBC

The Ukrainian Soprano Who Replaced Netrebko At The Met Wraps Herself In Her Flag

Liudmyla Monastyrska, who replaced Russian superstar Anna Netrebko at the Met in Turandot, wrapped herself in a Ukrainian flag for her curtain call. "'I wanted to help however I could,' Ms. Monastyrska said." - The New York Times

Benin’s Rights-Teaching Girls Band

Like the US band The Linda Lindas, Star Feminine Band make music both for themselves and for a wider audience - an audience that is rapidly becoming international. - BBC

What Happened To All Those Great Film Soundtracks?

Nothing against the Hamilton cast album - obviously a different animal - but the 1990s were the last great decade of film soundtracks. Why? You probably know why: Napster. - HuffPost

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