If the doubt over the actual inception of el Sistema, as it was conceptually communicated to the public, isn’t telling enough, the most damning measure of its current irrelevance is the indeterminacy over the date and time of death. Its passing was not noticed, nor was it mourned. - Jonathan Govias
"The Recording Academy has added three new categories for the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, it announced today: Best African Music Performance, Best Alternative Jazz Album, and Best Pop Dance Recording. Last year's new additions included songwriter of the year and song for social change." - Variety
"Nairobi's bustling Kenyatta market is an unlikely place to hear classical music. Yet playing today in front of stalls where butchers roast meat and hairdressers compete over heads to braid is a very surprising busker. … Ma's pop-up performance typifies his visit in the city over the last week." - The Guardian
Toronto's Ludwig Van is bought by ZoomerMedia. The publicly traded company run by Canadian media mogul Moses Znaimer is the pioneer behind CityTV, MuchMusic, Bravo!, Fashion Television, CP24, the New Classical FM and countless other brands. - Ludwig Van
H+H was exploring the possibility that Handel, one of the bedrocks of its repertoire, had held investments in trans-Atlantic trading companies that participated in and profited from the sale of enslaved Africans. - Boston Globe
Tucked in the bustling neighborhood, Mendelssohn’s has become a gathering place for Portland’s musicians to sip on themed drinks, sing ballads from the high stage and meet other people interested in classical music. - The Oregonian
It's both exciting and worrying. Though "there are key differences between using R.A.V.E. to synthesize new versions of a collaborator’s voice and using A.I. to anonymously imitate a living musician," that difference will likely be blurred over time. And it's the same for composers. - The New York Times
Jonita Gandhi was 16 when a judge told her to return once she figured out her style. Now, she's an outright Bollywood star who "exploded to fame" after her voice was featured in the film Chennai Express. - CBC
The dismissal comes after "an independent investigation (into sexual harassment allegations) found 'credible evidence' that he had 'engaged in conduct which interfered with individuals' academic work,' Juilliard also said that similar allegations against the late composer Christopher Rouse were credible. - The New York Times
The sheer availability of music right now lends itself to a more sample- and interpolation-oriented pop music culture. “A hundred thousand tracks go live on Spotify every day, which means that the breadth of music you have the capacity to sample from is only going to increase over time.” - The Guardian
