The most famous of collegiate a cappella groups, the Whiffenpoofs were an all-male outfit until a decision last year to choose singers based on voice range (still tenor, baritone, and bass) rather than gender. So the Whiffenpoofs line-up for 2018-29 includes tenor Sofia Campoamor. – The Washington Post
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After Series Of Flops, Amazon Re-Orients Its Filmmaking Product Line
Amazon Studios chief Jennifer Salke: “What we struggled with, I think, was putting too much focus on a narrow prestige lane. I don’t think we had diverse-enough points of view in the storytelling.” So, in addition to the “prestige lane,” the company will add “lanes” in erotic thrillers, horror titles, and (later) young-adult movies. – The New York Times
Charlotte, NC Considers Sales Tax Hike To Fund Arts
“Valecia McDowell, incoming chair of [local funding body] the Arts & Science Council, said the local arts sector is at a ‘crisis point.’ To make up for steep losses in private giving, Mecklenburg County could ask voters this year to approve a new quarter-cent sales tax, which would provide a dedicated funding stream for the ASC.” – The Charlotte Observer
Roughly 2,000 Objects Have Been Recovered From Ashes Of Brazil’s National Museum
Among the items found are meteorites, bones of an ancient human and dinosaurs, gemstones and minerals, and pre-Columbian artifacts. (Curators warn, however, that some of the 2,000 items may be fragments of the same object.) – Smithsonian Magazine
French Court Throws Out Suit To Block Release Of Film About Sexual Abuse By Priest
François Ozon’s By the Grace of God, which just won the jury prize at the Berlin Film Festival, is based on the case of Father Bernard Preynat, who went to court to delay the release of the film until after his trial. A judge has rejected that bid. – The Hollywood Reporter
Bozeman (MT) Symphony Music Director Resigns Following Accusations Of Bullying
The orchestra’s board launched an investigation into conductor Matthew Savery after 14 people, including musicians, former staffers, and board members, sent a letter complaining of both a hostile work environment and a shrinking donor base caused by Savery’s alleged bullying and verbal harassment. – Bozeman Daily Chronicle
Australian Dance Awards For 2019 Cancelled
Ausdance National, the country’s advocate organization for the art form, has been presenting the honors annually since 1997. This year, in response to deep cuts in government funding throughout the arts, Ausdance has called off the awards and will focus its efforts on advocacy for dance as a whole. – Dance Australia
Artist Foundations Are Now Worth More Than $7 Billion. What’s Driving Them?
According to new research, assets owned by artist-endowed foundations more than doubled in the five-year period between 2011 and 2015, rising 120 percent to $7.66 billion from $3.48 billion. In comparison, the assets of all foundations nationally grew 40 percent during the same period. – Artnet
The Way Musicians Understand Beethoven Is Different From The Ways Listeners Do. Here’s How
Anne Midgette: “There’s a big gap between the way classical music is introduced to lay listeners and the way musicians experience it. We tend to offer classical music to audiences like a history lesson, in explanations studded with names and dates that are useful enough as context but that don’t really get to the heart of what you hear. Musicians, however, experience it differently. So I went in search of a new view of the Emperor Concerto by talking to some of the artists who have played it recently, and although I’ve heard it dozens of times, I learned more than I ever dreamed I was missing.” – Washington Post
Fakes Everywhere – It’s Just About Impossible Now To Figure Out What’s Real
Fakery is gushing in from everywhere and we’re drowning in it. “Deepfake” videos mash up one person’s body with someone else’s face. Easy-to-use software can generate audio or video of a person saying things they never actually uttered. Even easier? Fake clicks, fake social media followers, fake statistics, fake reviews. A gaggle of bots can create the impression that there’s a lot of interest in a topic, to sway public opinion or to drive purchases. It is even a breeze to create a fake newspaper online. – Wired