Category: music

The German orchestra Osnabrueck Symphony will perform in Iran this week. Last year the Teheran Symphony performed in Germany. “It’s a very small step in improving relations between the people in the two countries.”

“Haile uses artificial intelligence to improvise on real drums and respond to human musicians in an ensemble. The robot has done so well he has taken up a new instrument — the xylophone.”

“Some attempts to stay on top are relatively harmless, like popping a beta blocker to soothe the butterflies before stepping on stage. But others are more alarming. Singers often overuse steroids in the form of cortisone to control inflamed vocal cords — sometimes in amounts that can permanently impair their abilities, say performers and their doctors. Others drink too much. Still others snort cocaine, according to insiders.”

So big competition is lining up to challenge Apple’s iTunes. But in a twist, “the competition might actually help Apple. That’s because the Cupertino, Calif., company makes a slim profit on selling songs but cleans up on every iPod music player.”

“The conductor of the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra is suing some of its musicians, saying they accused him of abuse, stalking musicians, working under the influence of alcohol and intentionally sabotaging performances.”

iTunes dominates the online music business. “First, Wal-Mart, the nation’s leading music retailer, announced that it has begun selling copy protection-free songs through its online music store. Separately, RealNetworks announced it is merging its Rhapsody music service with MTV’s Urge music store and Verizon Wireless’ V-Cast, which offers song downloads for mobile phones.”

“The Rock Hall generated operating revenues of $14.8 million, a 23 percent increase over the $12 million reported in 2005. Admissions and the museum store accounted for most of those revenues.”

Dean Williamson, a conductor long associated with Seattle Opera, will become artistic director of Opera Cleveland.

“Musical fakers who illegally impersonate groups they are not affiliated with will now face up to $15,000 in fines after Gov. Eliot Spitzer signed the state’s Truth in Music.”

Musicians and management of the Detroit Symphony have agreed to start talking again about a new contract. The meeting will be the first since the players issued a volatile news release two weeks ago calling management’s last proposal “the worst we’ve ever seen” and announcing that a strike was “probable.”