‘Technology is playing a huge role in shaping the future of how people engage with orchestral music,’ says James Williams, managing director at the RPO. ‘At the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, we see it as an essential role to respond to this change, and to evolve and develop – be it through online content or programme notes that appear live on your phone. Indeed, last year we reached around 17m people worldwide through Spotify alone, and these numbers continue to grow each year.’ – Rhinegold
Blog
Why The U.S. Department Of Defense Is Interested In Dancing Robots
The now-famous video of Spot the Robot dancing to “Uptown Funk” was created (as was Spot) by a contractor for DARPA searching for new ways to make robots useful to the military. “Considering the military applications of dance and choreography may seem peculiar, but there is abundant history to examine here.” – Dance Magazine
EU Will Demand UK Return Parthenon Marbles To Greece As Part Of Brexit Deal
The European Union will demand that Britain gives a collection of ancient marble sculptures back to Greece as part of a post-Brexit trade deal. Greece has long argued that the Parthenon Marbles — also called the Elgin Marbles — were unlawfully removed from the Parthenon temple in Athens in the early 19th century by the British diplomat Lord Elgin. – Business Insider
He Was One Of Sudan’s Most Beloved Musicians — Then He Went Silent For Decades And Was Even Thought Dead
In the 1970s and ’80s, Abu Obaida Hassan’s singing and skill on the Nubian tambour thrilled Sudanese listeners and even gained attention overseas. Then the imposition of a stern version of Sharia law and the 30-year dictatorship of Omar al-Bashir squashed the country’s music scene, and Abu Obaida withdrew from public view. In 2016, a Western record producer went looking for him and found him by sheer dumb luck, and with Bashir now ousted, fans are rediscovering Abu Obaida’s sound. – The Guardian
Seattle Arts Philanthropist Virginia Wright, 91
The Wrights became known as “the Medicis of Seattle,” especially renowned for their marvelous art collection. – Seattle Times
How My Fake College Essay Went Insanely Viral And Nearly Cost Me My Day Job
How The Arts Could Reform Business Education
It’s not the liberal arts vs. corporate education. And it’s not soft skills vs. hard skills. It’s both a dichotomy and a lexicon we must eliminate. First, the dichotomy: the education needed for today and the future is one that blends the two instead of treating them as separate and distinct. Second, the lexicon: terminology like soft vs. hard skills inherently undermines the importance of the poorly named “soft” skills while the words “liberal” and “arts” are a poor brand name for an otherwise powerful and relevant pedagogy. – Forbes
A Huge Frank Stella Painting Disappeared In Chile And Ended Up Being Used As A Lunch Table
“It’s a little known fact that in 1972, minimalist artist Frank Stella donated the painting Isfahan III (1968) to the Museo de la Solidaridad in Chile, a new institution that invited artists from around the world to donate art in honor of Chilean president Salvador Allende’s new socialist government.” And then came Augusto Pinochet’s coup … – Hyperallergic
Indian Cinema Is Finally Starting To Get Comfortable With Same-Sex Romance
Until just a few years ago, the very few times queer characters were shown at all in Bollywood movies were as figures of mockery. Now, very occasionally, a film with a sympathetic portrayal of same-sex couples or trans characters does come out of the big Mumbai studios. And more progress can be seen in India’s “regional” (non-Hindi-language) cinema. – BBC
The Rise Of Queer Tango In Buenos Aires Makes Perfect Sense
“Tango first emerged on the outskirts of the city, as the perfect poetic and musical medium for the outcast and marginalized to tell their stories. With this in mind, perhaps queer tango is just a new way of living up to the dance’s traditional roots.” – Atlas Obscura