"The trope of the cloistered composer is a tried and true archetype — the solitary soul flanked by stacks of scores in the dark study of a secluded home, squinting at notation while sitting at a keyboard dusted with spent erasers." But things are a bit different now. - Washington Post
The letter alludes that the new publication is in response to “…the virulent spread of identity-based concert programming.” It goes on to state they are looking to “actively promote canonical masterworks of the Western Classical tradition from antiquity to the present day.” - Ludwig Van
Thomas Wilkins has been conducting Ellington with leading orchestras for some years now, including this weekend and next with the LA Philharmonic. He says that projects like that prompt publishers to print clean scores and parts, which is what will really make a difference. - San Francisco Classical Voice
"One new opera demands an enormous amount of attention, but two is downright invasive," says Ricky Ian Gordon. His Intimate Apparel (adapted by Lynn Nottage from her play) is at Lincoln Center Theater, while New York City Opera is producing The Garden of the Finzi-Continis. - The New York Times
Morgan’s leadership — which was characterized by people who knew and worked with him as values-based, community-oriented, and energetic — left no doubt among those at the Oakland Symphony about what the identity of the organization moving forward would be. - San Francisco Classical Voice
According to MRC Data, old songs now represent 70% of the US music market. Those who make a living from new music—especially that endangered species known as the working musician—have to look on these figures with fear and trembling. - Ted Gioia
"It will be a short sojourn, with the ensemble playing a total of four concerts in Iowa City, Iowa; Stillwater, Oklahoma; and Ann Arbor, Michigan. … Podium duties will be shared by principal guest conductor Nathalie Stutzmann and music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin." - MSN (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
Josep Caballé Domenech, who succeeded Lawrence Leighton Smith in 2011, said that he'll step down after next season (May 2023), when his current contract ends. The decision seems to have taken the orchestra and administration by surprise. - The Gazette (Colorado Springs)
Worldwide streaming subscriptions grew by a healthy 26.4% in the second quarter of 2021, standing at 521.3 million subscribers at the end of that period, an increase of 109.5 million from the year before. - Variety
Over the previous couple of generations, the canon has changed but it has consistently seemed to have been limited in scope and dependent on big names to anchor programs. - Nightingale Sonata
First, it’s important to note that our furry friends process sound somewhat differently than we do. Human society is largely sight- and touch-focused. Domesticated dogs and cats, conversely, are renowned for their strong sense of hearing. - Animal Wellness Magazine
By the time the concert hall opened in 2017, it was six years late and had cost €866 million, ten times the initial budget. Five years on, concert audiences have tripled, subscriptions have quadrupled, and the "Elphi" is a beloved symbol of the entire city. - The Guardian
The Symphony board could make a statement by requiring, for one thing, that Michael Stern’s successor take up full-time residence in Kansas City. - KCStudio
But are those dollar values in any way justified? One trade publication said more than $5 billion "changed hands through music rights acquisitions last year, including publishing assets and recordings, with more to come in 2022." - Los Angeles Times
Percussionist Sheriff Drumman "hand-crafted the metal that made the setup possible, cutting, shaping and bending each slab before adding the eye-catching details and the bright “#SheriffDrumman” sign hoisted high above." - Los Angeles Times
