“The Castle was a jewel in its heyday, but it has been falling into disrepair for years and is now mainly an office building, providing space for about 200 employees. … Last year, there was an electrical fire; the year before that, stones fell off its exterior. And this fall, an outbreak of mold — not the first — forced the evacuation of more than 30 employees. … Meanwhile, the institution has focused on dozens of other projects at its 19 museums, research centers and zoo,” including several renovations and the building of two museums from scratch. — Washington Post
Musicians’ Union’s Largest Local Votes To Throw Out Old Leadership
“It was the first contested election in nine years at Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians, and it could cause national ripples. Adam Krauthamer was elected president with 67 percent of the vote, beating Tino Gagliardi … in a stunning upset, amid concerns over the underfunded musicians pension plan and broader changes facing music, the original gig economy.” — New York Times
Barbara Brooks Wallace, 95, Author Of ‘Peppermints In The Parlor’ And Other Children’s Mysteries
“For decades, Mrs. Wallace was a favorite of young readers for the enchanting mix of mystery, adventure and misadventure that she brought to her novels.” — Washington Post
Robert Rainwater, Influential Curator Of New York Public Library’s Art Holdings, Dead At 75
“Throughout his 37-year career at the library — including two decades as the first chief librarian of the Wallach Division, which combined the library’s vast holdings in art, prints and photographs — Mr. Rainwater … oversaw a vast expansion of the [library’s] holdings in modern and contemporary prints, artist-made books and printed ephemera from the 1970s onward.” — New York Times
Osmo Vänskä To Leave Minnesota Orchestra In 2022
The Finnish conductor, now 65, will have been the orchestra’s music director for 19 seasons when his current contract expires. Over those years, he brought the orchestra to international renown and Grammy Awards, led groundbreaking tours to Cuba and South Africa, and stood with the musicians through the lockout of 2012-14. — The Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
Study: Spending More Time Outside Makes You Healthier
The study finds that people who live in leafier areas have lower levels of several stress-related biomarkers, including adrenaline. In addition, they have an enhanced ability to grow and repair blood vessels. – Pacific Standard
Museum Crowdfunds For Yayoi Kusama Infinity Room But Falls Short
The Art Gallery of Ontario raised $651,183, or about half the $1.3-million target it had set to buy the property. But we will still get to appreciate the artwork after the Toronto gallery decided to dip into existing funds.
The Bad News About Human Nature (As Observed By Decades Of Studies)
We would rather electrocute ourselves than spend time in our own thoughts. This was demonstrated in a controversial 2014 study in which 67 per cent of male participants and 25 per cent of female participants opted to give themselves unpleasant electric shocks rather than spend 15 minutes in peaceful contemplation. – Aeon
US Supreme Court Tax Ruling Worries Art Dealers
The need to assess sales tax is now dictated by what is known as an “economic nexus”, meaning that if a vendor’s sales reach a certain threshold (which varies by state), then it has enough of an economic presence there to justify the need to pay taxes. What could prove most problematic for dealers is that many states define the nexus differently. – The Art Newspaper
Killing Your Darlings: How Playwrights Decide When To Cut Passages They Love
“As novelist William Faulkner said about writing, but is applicable to all creative endeavours: ‘You must kill all your darlings.’ That said, killing your darlings can be really painful because you love them so dearly.” Lyn Gardner talks to theatre folk who’ve had to do it about why and how. (One groused, “I wonder if auteur directors are asked to kill their darlings. Does anyone ever say to Ivo van Hove: ‘Could you just cut 10 minutes?'”) — The Stage
Esa-Pekka Salonen Is Next Music Director Of San Francisco Symphony
“Salonen, 60, will succeed Michael Tilson Thomas at the conclusion of the 2019-20 season, when Thomas steps down after 25 years at the orchestra’s helm.” — San Francisco Chronicle
Together, Salonen And San Francisco Symphony Could Change Everything
Joshua Kosman: “It’s really something of a coup. If that assessment sounds a little breathless, consider that it could not have been made about any other conductor the Symphony might have chosen. … If Salonen and the San Francisco Symphony can forge a partnership that addresses [their] challenges successfully, the repercussions could well be felt across the orchestral landscape, well beyond the confines of Davies Symphony Hall and the Bay Area.” – San Francisco Chronicle