Category: music

“The idea that niche markets were the key to the future for internet sellers was described as one of the most important economic models of the 21st century when it was spelt out by Chris Anderson in his book The Long Tail in 2006.” A new study reports “that for the online singles market, 80 per cent of all revenue came from about 52,000 tracks. For albums, the figures were even more stark: of the 1.23million available, only 173,000 were ever bought, meaning 85 per cent did not sell a single copy all year.”

“With radio listeners tuning out and music videos becoming increasingly irrelevant, musicians are selling their songs for use on TV shows, movies, video games and commercials. Increasingly musicians are seeking out – and being sought out for – licensing deals to get their music heard in different ways.”

“The Las Vegas Philharmonic’s controversial board president, Barbara Woollen, has stepped down amid leadership conflicts and financial problems within the organization. Woollen submitted her resignation to the board last week in a fiery e-mail that criticized the board, conductor David Itkin and associate conductor Dick McGee.”

“Georgy Tsai, from the Moscow Virtuosi chamber orchestra, was assaulted and robbed in the Russian capital on Sunday evening. Attackers stabbed him in the stomach, slashed his hands and stole his bag near his home. Denis Shulgin, another violinist with the orchestra, suffered a fractured skull after being assaulted the following evening.”

“German director Juergen Flimm leaves the prestigious Salzburg Festival to become the new general manager of Berlin’s famed Staatsoper. He’ll face two obstacles: a cash-strapped German capital and Daniel Barenboim.”

“Orchestra London’s brush with bankruptcy has been years in the works, its near demise the result of spending that surged way ahead of revenue.”

“Puccini was not just a guy who wrote a few good, slushy tunes, but a lifelong perfectionist, an innovator, and a man and musician of the modern world. Above all, his sense of dramatic timing is second to none, and he’s able to cut straight to the emotional core of a character.”

“DiCapo Opera Theater said it had been hit by a small storm of cancellations for its Puccini 150th anniversary gala concert, a fundraiser, scheduled for Monday night. On its Web site, of the five singers singled out as taking part only one, Fabio Armiliato, was expected to appear….”

“George Steel, the general manager of the Dallas Opera, said he isn’t interested in the top job at New York City Opera — the 65-year-old company that’s homeless, leaderless and short of money. Steel said while he’s had discussions with board member Mary Sharp Cronson about the opera, they weren’t formal negotiations.”

Music critic Jay Nordlinger, a conservative in Manhattan, is accustomed to being outnumbered by liberals. But he objects when a conductor rallies the audience with a partisan comment from the podium. “Politics aside, where are manners? Where is consideration for a minority of audience members? Where is a sense of public space, and what is appropriate and not?”