Category: music

BoaC executive director Kenny Savelson: “It’s a melting pot. We’re a bit like mad scientists putting all of this in a room with the audience and creating a new experience.” BoaC co-founder Julia Wolfe: “Philadelphia is such a beautiful old historic city that, in a way, it’s more radical to bring this into that environment.”

“Yes, we realize that Klingons are actually human actors dressed up with prosthetics and make up and that the opera in question is more an artifact of extreme nerdery than a genuine work of an alien culture. Still, due to a gnawing fear of retaliation by people who have access to home-made weapons that look like they could chop off our blog-writing hands, we are treating it as the latter.”

With all the great Jewish musicians the world has known, why does Judaism have no sacred repertoire to match the enormous body of religious classical music that Christianity has spawned? Miles Hoffman has some ideas.

“Last year it was Gilbert (New York Philharmonic) and Dudamel (Los Angeles Philharmonic). This year it’s Muti (Chicago Symphony) and Eschenbach (NSO). When your town gets a new conductor, there’s an instant mood of hope. Ask the players in Chicago and Washington right now.”

“The award comes from the William Penn Foundation, which specifically cited the orchestra’s new leadership as an impetus and stipulated that the money be split into three separate allocations.

“A dispute between the Chicago Federation of Musicians and the Harris Theater for Music and Dance over the theater’s proposal to engage non-union musicians for performances by the Mark Morris Dance Group has been resolved. But neither side can claim victory.”

“Men today, want rich resonant vocals to impress their ladies. And those yearning for the baritone of choice are now heading to voice gyms. These gyms are full fledged fitness centres that monitor the use of vocal chords [sic].”

“But its popularity comes as budget cuts prompt schools to further shrink their musical offerings for students. Nonprofit community arts providers, many of which partner with local schools, also have been forced to reduce their offerings, cut staff and offer less financial aid amid the recession, according to the National Guild for Community Arts Education’s May 2009 survey of its members.”

The Toronto-based, all-female foursome’s victory at the 10th Banff International String Quartet Competition brings them $25,000 [Cdn] cash, a 2011-12 tour or North America and Europe, a set of custom-made bows, and a new album (as well as attention from agents and presenters).

“Music Director Gustavo Dudamel’s 2009 inaugural gala with the Los Angeles Philharmonic will be featured in the first full-length classical concert video on iTunes.”