Research on the creativity trajectories of eminent composers has revealed a number of factors that affect productivity over a career. These include the ages at which they began studying music, began composing, and wrote their earliest acknowledged masterworks. - Psychology Today
The interesting thing is that the CD comeback seems to be largely the work of younger consumers. 43% of CD buyers are under 35. Vinyl is still rising in sales, but with prices of a vinyl album pushing £30 these days, Gen Z consumers may be turning to the CD album as a cheaper alternative. - MusicRadar
As a scholar of music’s role in American politics and patriotism, I’ve never seen music assume as much electoral importance as it has in recent months. - The Conversation
Scientists don’t fully understand why earworms are so hard to shake. But certain songs are more likely than others to set up shop in our heads. And the propensity to catch them can depend on what you’ve recently listened to and what you’re doing. - The New York Times
“The Lijadu Sisters were among the first — and fiercest — popular female artists, groundbreaking not only for their music (a mélange that included folky apala, funky Afrobeat and slinky disco) but also their feminism.” - The New York Times
"Vance George, who led the Chorus for 23 years, called the Symphony’s proposal to slash up to 80% of the group’s budget 'simply awful,' in a letter addressed to Symphony CEO Matt Spivey on Sept. 4." - San Francisco Chronicle (MSN)
The composer had seemingly appeared from nowhere. Now he was engaging the world’s best soloists to perform his music—compositions that some musicians and critics found amateurish at best and soulless at worst. - Van
A judge in Tennessee has ruled that Spotify will not be liable for any lost royalties, despite finding that Spotify did not have a license to stream the tracks. - BBC
For most of the past 40 years, teachers told the 59-year-old Mexican composer her works were too exotic. Critics found it too big and messy. Major orchestras ignored her when giving commissions. Now, thanks to some major breaks, especially from Gustavo Dudamel, she's hit the big time. - The New York Times
During a performance of Tosca in Seoul last weekend, tenor Alfred Kim was singing an encore when Gheorghiu (who objects to encores) marched onstage, stopped the conductor, and shouted, "This is not a recital. It's a performance. Respect me!" The audience did not reward her at the curtain call. - Korea JoongAng Daily
"Constantine Orbelian was promoted Tuesday to executive director of the largely dormant New York City Opera, which hasn’t given a staged performance since 2022 and says it will return with William Grant Still’s Troubled Island at City Center in 2025-26." - AP
The former music director of the Toronto Symphony (and, before that, longtime first violinist of the Tokyo String Quartet), Oundjian stepped in as principal conductor in 2022 following the departure of music director Brett Mitchell. He begins a four-year contract starting in fall 2025. - 9News (Denver)
In July, the board of the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestras broke ties with the conductor, 11 months after he punched a singer in the face. Now Gardiner is launching the Constellation Choir and Orchestra, which in December will tour with the same program his former groups are performing without him. - The Guardian
Even our orchestras and instrumentalists perform him far less than they should. If it follows that the present Ives sesquicentenary is insufficiently observed, that is all the more reason to take stock. - The American Scholar
Since Brexit, musicians touring the EU have faced barriers introduced in the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). They can work up to 90 out of every 180 days, which causes problems for longer tours, musicians who work in multiple bands or orchestras, and crew required on site before and after performances. - The Guardian
