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First American Woman Orchestra Member Dies At 101

“Elsa Hilger, 101, the first woman in the world, other than harpists, to be a permanent member of a major symphony orchestra, died May 17 at Wake Robin Retirement Community in Shelburne, Vt. Philadelphia Orchestra conductor Leopold Stokowski hired her as a cellist in 1934. She never missed a performance – except the day her son was born – until retiring in 1969. And she retired only because of union rules.”

Toronto – Looking For A Horn

The Toronto Symphony is auditioning for a new horn player. “In North America, the appointment of a new member of a professional symphony orchestra is a complicated process, full of protocols and safeguards intended to ensure that the selection is fair. Good orchestra jobs come up only rarely, and it’s been decades since the TSO last searched for a principal horn: Fredrick Rizner held the job for 39 years, before retiring last year to Eastern Ontario, to start an antique business.”

Composer George Rochberg, 86

“Rochberg was one of the most successful composers of the 1970s and ’80s. His Violin Concerto was championed by Isaac Stern, who performed it 47 times between 1975 and 1977; his Symphony No. 5 was premiered in 1986 by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Sir Georg Solti and his Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra was premiered in 1996 by the Philadelphia Orchestra under Wolfgang Sawallisch.”

Star Trek Star Takes His Role To Internet Fan Film

A character from the original Star Trek TV show has agreed to star in an internet fan film that continues the series story line. “The actor’s appearance in the yet-to-be-made film, titled To Serve All My Days, is a watershed: it marks the first time in the internet age that a regular player from the much-loved show has reprised his role in a fan-produced project.”

Questions About A Tasmanian Collection

Although the Tasmanian Government will add $4 million to the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery’s annual budget over the next four years, the institution is in danger of becoming a target for dodgy donations according to well-placed art experts.” Case in point: a donated collection of Chinese artifacts that may not be what they seem…

Chicago Art Institute Pushes Out

The Chicago Art Institute unveils a major addition designed by Renzo Piano. “The Art Institute will present the design in conjunction with the formal groundbreaking for the new $258 million building, which is to rise in the northeast quadrant of the museum’s site, at the corner of Monroe Street and Columbus Drive. The addition will increase the institute’s size by one third and is to be completed in the spring of 2009.”

How Recordings Have Changed Music

“For music to remain vital, recordings have to exist in balance with live performance, and, these days, live performance is by far the smaller part of the equation. Perhaps we tell ourselves that we listen to CDs in order to get to know the music better, or to supplement what we get from concerts and shows. But, honestly, a lot of us don’t go to hear live music that often. Work leaves us depleted. Tickets are too expensive. Concert halls are stultifying. Rock clubs are full of kids who make us feel ancient. It’s just so much easier to curl up in the comfy chair with a Beethoven quartet or Billie Holiday. But would Beethoven or Billie ever have existed if people had always listened to music the way we listen now?”

Help Wanted: Museum Director

Eighteen American museums are looking for directors. “As this leadership shift takes place in the museum world, we can expect big changes in how collecting institutions operate. After several years of controversy over what the mission of museums should be and, in some cases, even outright ethical scandal, there’s good reason to hope that trustees will actively seek out directors who make institutional integrity their first priority.”