What we are seeing here is not a conspiracy of podium nepotism but a diverse and largely hidden transmission of a musical function by means of informal tuition, ethical example and commercial manipulation. Do I still have your full attention? - The Critic
“Williams is undoubtedly the greatest ‘whistle test’ composer of his age – a purveyor of instantly memorable tunes that both capture and breathe life into the movies they accompany.” - The Guardian (UK)
The closure of the almost 150-year-old edifice, one of the architectural jewels of Paris, will be followed by the closure for renovation of the opera’s giant newer stage, the Opera Bastille, opened in 1989, for at least two years from mid-2030. - France24
The No Name Pops was established by former Philly Pops musicians during the old orchestra's collapse. The family of Philly Pops founder Peter Nero owns the sheet music and trademark, which it is giving to the No Names — leaving the former orchestra's parent company with several lawsuits and no cash. - WHYY (Philadelphia)
Musicians are "benefiting from the capricious, catholic taste of a generation of listeners who came of age with access to nearly the entire catalog of recorded music via streaming services and social media." - The New York Times
Women have not been safe in recording studios, on tour buses, in green rooms or in offices. It’s not a bug of the music business; it’s a major feature. But we might finally be on the cusp of real change in the culture of the industry, thanks to shifts in the business model. - The New York Times
It’s not enough to merely assert these values or cite the longstanding commitments to educational programs, if the deeper work of orchestras is to play a role in sustaining American democracy. - Post Alley
"In the nation's oldest opera house," begins correspondent Scott MacFarlane, "seats for this performance cost less than a movie ticket. Opera Philadelphia is launching a pick-your-price model, starting at just $11, as they try to lure more diverse and younger audiences." - CBS News
"After declaring bankruptcy just over a year ago in September 2023, the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony has announced a resumption of operations, renewing a legacy that’s almost eight decades old. The bankruptcy has been formally annulled by the approval by the Superior Court of Ontario of a proposal made to creditors." - Ludwig Van
"Dedicated to Schubert, it marks a welcome return to a composer whose music Pollini had not taped since the 1980s. But what makes the program so remarkably poignant is that Pollini is joined by his son. … Daniele Pollini discussed the new Schubert album in an interview." - The New York Times
Over the past three days, the streets of Toulouse, France, hosted an urban opera titled The Guardian of the Temple—The Gates of Darkness, in which three massive robotic puppets of mythological creatures performed in several locations around the city. - The Atlantic
“I feel very passionately about Halloween music. It’s camp. It’s carnal. It’s macabre. It’s, like, silly. It’s the only holiday where all of those get to exist at once.” It’s also an $11.6 billion business. - The New York Times
"I definitely did not know that it was this widespread," she said. "I’ve heard from people all over the world, mostly about sexual abuse and harassment in schools and orchestras, but also psychological and physical harm done to people as children, students, and even employees of classical music institutions." - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
Rosemary Brown produced approximately 300 musical pieces in a variety of styles, according to a list of manuscripts in the British Library. She claimed they were the creations of the spirits of composers that included Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Johannes Brahms, Robert Schumann, Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt. - The Conversation
“More than half of the Conservatory was burned. All the instruments were broken, thrown outside. You start seeing cases of instruments as soon as you get close to the Conservatory on the streets. Violins, we had more than 50, completely smashed. Cellos, more than 40, completely smashed.” - BBC
