Category: music

“Does simple music form simple faith, arguably the best kind? Has the Dark One used great musical art to his advantage? Sophisticated music that doesn’t reach out directly to its listeners — that doesn’t depend on their response — bears the seeds of its eventual irrelevance. One reason classical music struggles as it does today lies with the several generations of composers in the last century who demanded that audiences understand them rather than the other way around.”

Michael Henson has been chosen as president and CEO of the Minnesota Orchetsra. “The current managing director and CEO of Britain’s Bournemouth Symphony, Henson replaces another Englishman, Tony Woodcock, who left in March to become president of the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston.”

When Chicago Symphony audience members clapped between movements at a concert Wednesday, conductor Riccardo Muti turned to the audience and lectured them about how to listen. “Some audience members no doubt found his comments condescending, but he made a valid point without bullying the newbies; and it seemed to me that everyone then listened to the finale with a greater understanding of how art and reality mingled so tragically at the end of the Russian composer’s life.”

Chicago Symphony Orchestra musicians will see their base annual salary increase by almost 20 percent, to a minimum of $143,780, under terms of a new four-year contract officially ratified by players and management Thursday.

Mortier has big plans for NY City Opera. He “thinks that New Yorkers, since the attacks of September 11th, 2001, are more aware of the fragility of life and cognizant of what art can contribute to a fulfilled existence. ‘We live in a world where if you show emotion, you’re a loser. In theater, we show that losers have a right to live, too. All the heroes of Verdi are losers’.”

The new contract is a supplement to the present one, which was to expire Sept. 7, 2008. The supplement deals only with economic issues. It grants the musicians wage increases of 1 percent a year, with somewhat more generous provisions for health insurance and pension payments.

Michael Stern conducts the Kansas City Symphony. In an interview with NPR’s Alex Chadwick, Stern says he believes that Kansas City’s place in the middle of the country puts it in a unique position to do something significant. He sees it as an opportunity to fight for music and culture to be a part of our daily lives.

“Opera forever struggles to be cool, and will as long as its stars struggle with their weight. But Washington National Opera’s season-opening La Bohème, a new production that will be simulcast to educational institutions is such a fashion slave that it borders on apologizing for the art form… This production is so uncharacteristic of American opera, it’s a case of bait and switch. Operatic appreciation is fostered through opera. To love it is to accept its quirks – and chins.”

“Facing the loss of two major funding sources, Lyric Opera of Chicago trustees have sprung into action and donated, pledged and made planned gifts of some $35 million to the fabled company. Another $1 million came from other Lyric supporters, pushing the fund-raising effort $11 million over its initial $25 million goal.”

The Montreal Symphony has promoted Madeline Careau, already the head of the organization, to the newly created post of CEO. Careau has been a controversial leader in Montreal, expanding the orchestra’s concert repertoire to include “pops” shows, and presiding over a months-long musicians’ strike in 2005. She has been with the MSO since 2000.