"Still largely experimental, (CSO Proof concerts) might include elements of dance, lighting, theater and atmosphere to accompany a short program of classical music. The goal is to … engage audiences who might never have considered going to the symphony or even to Music Hall." - Cincinnati Business Courier
"Astral Artists, the small but important Philadelphia arts group that has boosted careers and fostered artistic development of classical musicians nationally, is shutting down. ... The group will produce two more concerts this fall, set the musicians from its current roster on a path, and then close its doors." - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
"After scrapping its 50th anniversary tour of China in 2023, the Philadelphia Orchestra is picking up where it left off. The full ensemble will travel to China later this month — its 13th visit, the most of any American orchestra." - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
“We can’t dumb down the audience. We have to continue as composers of opera in the 21st century to move people, and you don’t do that by forcing in things that don’t naturally fit into the story. Once you get didactic, that’s it. You’ve lost them.” - Salon
"By gutting and rebuilding the interior (of the New York Philharmonic's home), the project was meant to break, once and for all, the acoustical curse that had plagued the hall for decades. … So, after two years and more than 270 concerts, how does the hall sound?" - The New York Times
The organization itself has filed a case against two former board members who led a schism of the group into rival factions. Those two are suing the orchestra's executive director and acting board chair, demanding monetary damages and the court's formal decision as to which board faction is legitimate. - San Antonio Report
Not to say there isn’t trouble brewing, particularly with its unions, but the opera’s numbers, and budget, have been on an upward trajectory for a while. - The New York Times
When he was first named as the next music director back in 2018, the Met asserted that he would conduct a minimum of five operas per season. What are we to make of this seemingly diminished conducting commitment? - Parterre Box
Gilmour: “The music industry is a tough one these days, and for people who are recording in it, the rewards are not justifiable. The rich and the powerful have siphoned off the majority of this money.” - The Guardian (UK)
On stage in DC: Two timpanists, seventeen timpani: “Rhythmic and melodic material is split between the two soloists — each surrounded by drums and navigating the placement and tuning of each note.” - Washington Post
The Bop Spotter project uses a microphone to surreptitiously and constantly record a street in the historically Latino neighborhood. Making use of a public Wi-Fi network and Shazam’s song-identifying software, Bop Spotter identifies the songs it hears and generates a public, ever-expanding list of the street’s music. - SFGate
"Pro Tools, as a sort of way of making music, on some level, has levelled the playing field that allowed people who can’t sing to sound like they can sing. And people who can’t play guitar now sound like they can.” - MusicTech
"In a letter to musicians … signed by Executive Director Roberto Treviño and Music Director Jeffrey Kahane, no alternate date for the concerts was given. The letter cites the reason for the postponement as 'in response to the financial impact and challenges that have arisen from a disinformation campaign.'" - San Antonio Report
During experiential fusion with music, you temporarily lose awareness of yourself as an individual entity separate from the music; you and the music have become one. If someone touched your hand and asked you, “Are you aware that you’re in a jazz club?” you’d almost certainly say, “Yes.” - The Walrus
Listening to instrumental or familiar music in the background competes less with a study assignment than music with lyrics or unfamiliar music. Instrumental music also seems to interfere less with reading comprehension and assignments requiring verbal and visual memory than does music with lyrics. - The Conversation
