Category: music

“The sad truth is that the world of polka — like all things that once enjoyed a great heyday — is shrinking, a fact the Grammy move has not only dramatized but documented.”

The Top 40 charts have “always been based purely on sales, with each individual purchase – whatever the format – treated equally. But the streaming and subscription services may soon become too popular to ignore.”

A woman has been ordered to pay $1.9 million (£1.2m) in the only file-sharing case to go to trial in the US.

“Germany’s government has pledged €500,000 ($700,000) to renovate the Wahnfried villa that houses the archive of legendary German composer Richard Wagner. The government said Thursday the money to renovate Wagner’s former house in the southern city of Bayreuth would come from an economic stimulus package that earmarks funds for improving infrastructure.”

“For most of its 42-year history, the company has presented operas by Mozart and Puccini in the comfort of DeVos Performance Hall. But it has managed its affairs from rented offices, stored props and costumes in the homes of staff and volunteers, and rehearsed for productions such as Bizet’s Carmen in vacant warehouses and empty storefronts. The company’s days of operating as a traveling caravan soon will be over.”

“Saxophonist Wallace Halladay has won the $25,000 [Can] Virginia Parker Prize, given each year since 1982 by the Canada Council for the Arts to a classical music performer under age 32 who shows outstanding talent. Halladay, who has yet to turn 30, is a virtuoso who is comfortable in multiple styles, both classical and contemporary.”

“Rollins, 78, collected awards for musician of the year and top tenor saxophonist on Tuesday night. Rollins’ Road Shows, Vol. 1, a collection of live concert recordings from 1980 to 2007, was chosen the historical recording/reissue of the year. … Schneider once again won the awards for composer, arranger and large ensemble of the year in voting among the 450 members of the Jazz Journalists Association.”

“To bring expenses in line with anticipated income, several senior positions have been consolidated, staff layoffs and furloughs were implemented, salaries have been reduced across the board and the overall budget was restructured.”

The orchestra “sold a record $11 million worth of tickets for its recently completed season thanks to a push that lured first-timers to fill more than 25% of the seats at the Meyerson. A huge part of that spike in new patron ticket sales came from the buzz surrounding its new musical director, Jaap van Zweden.”

“Serbia’s flagship classical music ensemble, squeezed by the economic downturn, pleaded for help recently from music-lovers. ‘The national Philharmonic orchestra, with 85 years of tradition and a rich repertoire, can now play at your house for a reasonable fee,’ a self-parodying newspaper advertisement declared.”