"A union official said that it would seek continued intervention by a federal mediator and continue negotiations, but that a strike was possible. In all, the vote was 81-8 as members of Philadelphia Musician’s Union Local 77 voted against the contract." - MSN (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
Summer festivals now face a balancing act between creative imagination and fiscal conservatism in the wake of a Covid wipeout that dispelled the older audience. If festivals are to survive, they will need to invent a twenty-first century purpose. - The Critic
The new contract mandates a minimum weekly salary of $3,313 ($172,276 annually), rising by the end of the term to $3,450 ($179,400). - San Francisco Chronicle
Breaking into tears on the phone, Deborah Proctor said: "I have a moral decision to make here. What if one child hears this? When I stand before Jesus Christ on Judgement Day, what am I going to say?" - NPR
That's right, never before have any of us heard "Every morning I greet thee" in the actor's own voice, despite intense vocal training before Sound of Music. - The Guardian (UK)
"Thielemann's personal canon consists of a handful of German-speaking composers, mostly from the mid-19th to the early-20th centuries, all of whose music benefited massively from the invention of the volume knob. It's not just that we can’t expect Saariaho from Thielemann; even non-German composers like Janáček and Debussy … seem a stretch." - Van
"From another musician, I learned that my experience was not unique. This trusted colleague speculated I might suffer from musician’s focal dystonia. I was embarrassed that I had never heard of it." - Aeon
"The Marinellis have been handcrafting bronze bells (in the mountains of southern Italy) since at least the 11th century, although archaeological findings at nearby Benedictine monasteries suggest the Marinellis' craft could date as far back as the 9th century." - Atlas Obscura
— the man everyone presumed it would be. Christian Thielemann will become general music director of the Berlin State Opera, and chief conductor of its famed orchestra, the Berlin Staatskapelle, as of Sept 1, 2024. - AP
Recent research shows that more active engagement with music can be a boon for our mental and even physical health... The scientists behind these results describe the new field as “music medicine”, with the prescription of playlists a treatment for common ills. - The Guardian
"We say we need new audiences, but the reality is we're really churning through the new audiences we do get." In the arts world, this problem is severe: Ninety percent of first-time orchestra attendees at the largest orchestras in the U.S. never return. - Inc
Both Southern Methodist University and the University of North Texas have long and notable histories of training organists who’ve gone on to major church, academic and concert careers. This fall, both universities have major organ projects underway, or recently completed. - Dallas Morning News
