The founder, director, and low bass of the much-admired vocal sextet is already principal guest conductor of the BBC Singers, Britain’s only full-time professional choir. He succeeds current chief conductor Sofi Jeannin, whose term ends next summer. - BBC Music Magazine
Wagner expected his works to be translated into French when they were performed in France. Yet for purists, the idea of singing a famous Italian aria in what many considered the ugly (for singing) English language was an anathema. - Nightingale Sonata
“Operagoers have been warned they will be banned from entering Milan’s prestigious La Scala theatre if they turn up wearing shorts, tank tops or flip-flops. Kimonos, however, are acceptable.” - The Guardian
For the first time since Putin ordered Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the famously pro-Putin conductor is performing in Western Europe, on July 27 at a festival near Naples. This festival is supported by regional taxpayers and the EU, so loud objections to Gergiev’s engagement are being raised. - Moto Perpetuo
If the industrial, mechanical-reproduction era was a historical anomaly for musicians—as the “recording artist” emerged as a new way of making a living—perhaps so, too, were the aggressive, confrontational labor unions of the same period a temporary departure from the preindustrial guilds and associations focused on mutual aid and credentialing. - The Baffler
They “issued Stravinsky a warning, claiming there was a law against tampering with the national anthem. (They were misreading the statute.) Grudgingly, Stravinsky pulled it from the bill.” - Open Culture
“The case of the Mendelssohn Stradivarius highlights the opaque trade for rare instruments, in which details about provenance, or the history of previous ownership, are often not well documented or, in some cases, intentionally obscured.” - The New York Times
"Often demoted to an accompanying role in musical textures, the viola’s chronic absence as a solo instrument has meant that violists have had to persuade their contemporaries to write for this unusual instrument.” - The New York Times
You’ve heard of several of them — the Musée d’Orsay, Fondation Louis Vuitton, Les Invalides — but probably had no idea that they host high-level classical concerts. Others probably aren’t on your radar yet, like Bal Blomet and La Scala Paris. - Bachtrack
"We now have ample evidence that music can help treat a variety of injuries and diseases, including both mental and physical disorders. And I think the very best case is Parkinson’s disease."
An account on X has emerged claiming to represent The Velvet Sundown. This account asserts that the band is not at all AI-generated, sharing in their account bio "Yes, We Are A Real Band & We Never Use AI." - PCGamer
As in other creative industries, AI music tools are poised to hollow out the workaday middle of the market. Even new engineering tools have their downsides. - The Verge
Warner Music Group and private investment giant Bain Capital are launching a $1.2 billion joint venture to acquire “legendary” music catalogs across both recorded music and music publishing. - Music Business Worldwide
