MUSIC

The Conservatives’ Case For Mamdani’s Opera Ticket Giveaway (“Why Didn’t We Think Of It?”)

Realistically, Mamdani and his colleagues may convert a few thousand New Yorkers who would otherwise never have set foot in the Met. Even so, they will have achieved more than armies of arts administrators and music teachers, not to mention the conservative guardians of culture who deplore musical wokery. - Unherd

Why Coltrane Still Matters

First and foremost, to him, the relationship between music and communicating with the divine was ultimately the most important thing. To him, music and doing it with excellence, was about communing with the divine, and his ultimate expression of that that everybody cites is, of course, the album “A Love Supreme.” - The Harvard Gazette

Atlanta Symphony’s Nathalie Stutzmann On Working With Orchestras

"I think musicians are artisanal people. Every morning we have to try to do better. We have to start again — to practice. Why do we practice every day? Why do we question every day a score? Why do we reread a score that we have known for 40 years?" - ArtsATL

Moribund San Antonio Philharmonic Sues Brand-New Orchestra Harmonium Of Texas

“The Philharmonic alleges (Harmonium founder) Jeffrey Kahane misled the (Philharmonic) when he resigned (as its music director) in January … (and) that Kahane used ‘trade secrets’ to which he had access — including donor lists and an email marketing list — to assist him in starting the competing orchestra.” - San Antonio Express-News (Yahoo!)

Lawsuit Over AI Music Pits Canadian Arts Against American AI Companies

AI music is becoming a battleground over the future of tech, culture and community. - The Conversation

Nashville Symphony CEO Steps Down Amid “Financial Emergency”

Mark Cantrell, who began in the job only two months ago, said “The Nashville Symphony's present circumstances demand plain speaking. For years, this institution has operated on a financial foundation that could not sustain it. … The extraordinary generosity of one donor sustained the organization.” - The Tennessean (Yahoo!)

In Search Of The Perfect Audio Experience

The word audiophile — etymologically, one who “loves to hear” — has a wine-sipping pretension that I hate, but sometimes an ugly shoe fits. - n+1

Soprano Christine Goerke Launches New Organization To Present Vocal Music (Of All Kinds) In Detroit

She will be the artistic director, with Matthew Principe as executive director and creative strategist, of VOX Detroit, which will produce concerts of — as Goerke describes it — “opera, cabaret, musical theatre, song, recital, spoken word, and whatever wonderful things happen to fall in between.” - Detroit Free Press

Nashville Symphony “Suspends” Its Season And Furloughs Its Musicians And Staff

“The Nashville Symphony has declared a state of 'financial emergency,' suspending the 2026-27 season effective Oct. 18, as well as furloughing roughly half their staff and all 77 members of the orchestra. At this time, 29 full-time Symphony staff members remain, while 27 were furloughed.” - The Tennessean (Yahoo!)

The Glenn Gould Of Imagination

The first thing anyone notices about Gould’s playing is the precision of his articulation, and that articulation is so precise that you might—not that you should, but you might—think of him as mechanical, if you didn’t also see him. - Hedgehog Review

Dolly Parton’s Estate Is In Shambles Over Accusations, Lawsuits, And Restraining Orders

“While the family appeared to be putting on a united front, behind the scenes, things were far from harmonious. Employees were afraid to come to work and some were allegedly quitting.” Then there was the security guy’s threats. - Vulture

The Strike Is Over In Cleveland

“In a deal reached late Saturday night and ratified Sunday by the union, the two sides agreed to a three-year contract that includes a 5 percent annual raise for each of the three years, according to the orchestra.” - The New York Times

In Leipzig, Ousted Boston Symphony Orchestra Director Andris Nelsons Feels The Love

“When he conducts, he does not think in English or German or Latvian, even if that would be his own. But he thinks directly in music, and this is so direct. … Sometimes in a concert you have suddenly a new gesture never seen before, that everybody understands.” - Boston Globe

What The Grammys Usually Get Wrong About K-Pop, And Asian Music In General

“If eligibility is determined by musical style, what does language have to do with it? Why should a K-pop act’s music be labeled ‘Asian’ on the basis of language—and if a recording is performed entirely in English, does it somehow cease to be ‘Asian pop’?” - Time

While Some Cleveland Musicians Are On The Picket Line, Others Are Performing Free For The Community

One musician: “This is for our community and for the people who love what we do with our music. ...The concert came together very quickly and we have many people who are excited to play chamber music for our fans.” - WKYC

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