Category: music

It’s one of the dirty little non-secrets of the orchestral world that African-Americans are nearly nonexistent among the musicians on stage. It’s always been assumed that the reason for the inequity is economically based: instruments and lessons are expensive, and poor urban black families don’t have the resources to purchase either. But the lone black member of the Seattle Symphony thinks something else is lacking: mentors.

Once upon a time in America, Leonard Bernstein brought music to the masses — to the children, even — on TV. “Classical music is much more marginalized now, at least in American life, and any appearance on television is to be enthusiastically celebrated.” But is Bernstein protégé Michael Tilson Thomas, host of the PBS program, “Keeping Score,” the right person to take up the mantle?

Classical musicians are taking a cue from pop stars and spicing up their images. “There are so many talented people out there, but there’s not the jobs for the talented people, and there’s not the concerts for every talented person. You need to be special. You need to have something that that other person doesn’t have, and maybe it’s looks.”

“The community has bailed out the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, saving it from looming bankruptcy and closure. In less than a month, more than 1,400 people pledged a total of $2.3 million to the struggling orchestra. It’s enough money to ensure the symphony will not be forced to shut down at the end of this month. … On Oct. 4, the symphony announced it needed $2.5 million by the end of the month or it wouldn’t be able to carry on.” As the symphony works on a sustainability plan, musicians and staff have taken pay cuts.

UK copyright laws are out of date in the digital age, says a new report. “The explosion in the sale of MP3 players means that more people in Britain are copying their music and film collections on to home computers. However, the practice can in theory result in a small fine.” So the law needs to be changed.

“K-pop music is already becoming one of Korea’s top cultural exports to other Asian countries. Pop stars like BoA, Rain, Se7en, TVXQ and Shinhwa are overcoming the language barrier with their music, even drawing thousands of fans to their concerts in China, Japan and S
Southeast Asia.” But will the music sell in the US

“With 2,100 seats, its home, the early-19th-century National Theater, is Germany’s largest opera house. The company also boasts Germany’s biggest opera audience (580,000 last season), the most productions (40) and performances (350) per year, and the richest budget ($100 million).” But new leadership means a new path…

Peter Dobrin says that the Philadelphia Orchestra has never really had much of a handle on this whole music director search business. “The orchestra is once again looking for (any?) port in a storm… Waiting for chemistry could take years, but the orchestra really has no choice if it remains committed to the idea of musical quality as the criterion. No one can afford another arranged marriage. Too much is at stake, and some critics believe that the orchestra is already injured.”

Radio orchestras have a long and distinguished history in Germany, where their proliferation was a major part of the postwar rebuilding of the country’s infrastructure. “Unlike regular symphony orchestras, they did not have to worry about selling tickets, and focused on studio recordings of unusual repertory, including contemporary music… [But] radio stations no longer have deep pockets; licensing fees have not risen to keep pace with inflation. And in the age of CD’s and iTunes, studio recordings made for broadcast are no longer essential.” Despite efforts to adapt, many radio orchestras are teetering on the brink as Germany attempts to square budgetary concerns with its record number of professional orchestras.

The Cleveland Orchestra has always been a bit of an anomaly among America’s major orchestras, based as it is in a low-profile, mid-sized city with a history of economic problems. The challenge of maintaining one of the world’s top bands in a community that doesn’t really have the money or the population to support it has caused the ensemble to begin seeking periodic residencies away from home, notably in New York, central Europe, and beginning this year, at Miami’s new performing arts center.