Category: music

“The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra announced today that it has raised more than $48 million toward its goal of $80 million to increase its endowment and repair and enhance Heinz Hall.”

The 38-year-old Bulgarian maestro Danail Rachev, currently assistant conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra, will succeed Giancarlo Guerrero as music director of the Eugene (Oregon) Symphony Orchestra as of next season. Other predecessors in the job include Miguel Harth-Bedoya and Marin Alsop.

Adriano Graziano rang up Welsh National Opera looking for a last-minute ticket to a gala concert. The response from the man on the phone: “You’re a tenor, aren’t you? I don’t suppose you are free tonight? Our tenor is ill.”

The Indianapolis Symphony ended the fiscal year in the red for the first time in five years. “The board and managers are re-evaluating the orchestra’s current ‘business model,’ with hopes of beefing up the roughly $120 million endowment, increasing earned income and containing costs.”

Academics are divided on whether or not studying music can help students get better at other subjects like math, but the people who believe it can are passionate about the connection. “[Music lessons have] given them discipline, confidence and self esteem to perform well under adverse conditions…”

The wildfires ravaging Southern California are producing some stunning video. “A group of classical musicians on their way to a Riverside Philharmonic concert this weekend were on the 91 freeway as the fire literally crossed it.” Being musicians, they filmed their adventure and set it to a Shostakovich soundtrack…

“In its 72-year history, the Charleston [SC] Symphony Orchestra has had its moments of near demise. But rarely have things looked this bleak. CSO board president Ted Legasey shocked some audience members Saturday during intermission of the Masterworks concert when he announced they could be attending the final CSO concert of 2008 unless the group raises $250,000 immediately to pay for the month of December.”

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, which drew fire for its decision to stop funding the CBC Radio Orchestra, says that it has offered to help the ensemble in its quest to become a standalone orchestra. “The CBC has offered to give the rebranded orchestra three broadcasts next year and to commission more new works… [The orchestra] would also be able to use the CBC’s facilities in Vancouver for rehearsals and its library of sheet music.”

“Just months after paying off construction bills dating from its opening seven years ago, [Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts] is undertaking its next act: renovations… The scope of the project is still fuzzy, though Kimmel leaders are taking this moment in time to think big.”

The musically peripatetic cellist takes the honors on the 10th anniversary of his Silk Road Project. Other Musical America “Of The Year” winners include Marin Alsop (Conductor), Christopher Rouse (Composer), Stephanie Blythe (Vocalist) and the Pacifica Quartet (Ensemble).