The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense granted special permission for the male musicians to leave the country, calculating that the world will be more motivated to protect Ukraine if it sees its culture as something precious and worth saving. - The World
The "da Vinci" Stradivarius violin, made in 1714, is also called the "ex-Seidel" after former owner Toscha Seidel, who gave Albert Einstein lessons and played (in addition to concerts and recordings) on many film soundtracks, possibly including The Wizard of Oz. - Smithsonian Magazine
"Chacon, 44, a member of the Navajo Nation who lives in Albuquerque, set out to use the sounds of the organ, accompanied by winds, strings and percussion, to explore themes of power and oppression." - The New York Times
The aim is for the orchestra to tour not only across Canada, but internationally, to show the world what Canadian jazz musicians, composers and arrangers have to offer. - CBC
The song is stealthily subversive: a traditional raga—the classical Indian framework for musical improvisation—has been laid over an infectious beat that sounds South Asian, Middle Eastern, and, improbably, reggaetón, all at once. - The New Yorker
The song contest, which bookes say will undoubtedly go to Ukraine's entry this year, also got a boost from the end of most COVID restrictions. "Much-loved events in the run up to Eurovision have been held for fans for the first time in three years." - BBC
In Canada, Concerts in Care tried everything from outdoor concerts to concerts from balconies near nursing homes to Zoom concerts to broadcasts of pre-recorded concerts. Now, the hybrid idea will continue. - CBC
There are blind auditions, special fellowships for Black musicians in particular, prep and financial aid for auditions as well as other programs from the Sphinx Organization. Writer Tim Diovanni looks into the efforts, focusing on the Detroit, Dallas, and Fort Worth Symphonies. - The Dallas Morning News
Well, strictly speaking, they're being admitted to the choir school; there will be separate boys' and girls' choirs. Music director Andrew Carwood: "I accept the idea of a boys' choir as culturally iconic, and I'd like to keep that. And I'd like girls to experience exactly the same thing." - The Guardian
Houston Grand Opera’s history of 70 world premieres — “readier to take chances” — certainly puts the Dallas Opera’s handful of new works to shame. - Dallas Morning News
"Dubbed Immersive Scheherazade, the experience emulates those immersive Van Gogh shows. Four large screens and several smaller ones showed video close-ups of (Curtis Orchestra) instrumentalists and conductor (Osmo Vänskä) in a performance recorded at Curtis in December." Peter Dobrin had a look and a listen. - MSN (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
As far as I can tell, most writing about music is built on analogies and cliches. This is understandable; you can’t describe music literally because it wouldn’t give an accurate representation of what it is you’re hearing. - 3 Quarks Daily
Japan National Orchestra Co. was founded and is led by 27-year-old CEO Kyohei Sorita, a concert pianist convinced that his band (for now, really a chamber orchestra) can make a profit. JNO has even issued stock, 70% of which is owned by a manufacturer of high-precision machine tools. - Bloomberg
No, truly. And, in classic pandemic times fashion, "after several months of working remotely, the band members met one another in the flesh and performed together for the first time in the Adirondacks last summer." - NPR
In the 1970s, CBC North (part of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) decided the best way to preserve music and build an archive was simply to found a record label. - CBC
