The new four-building, $33 million complex “will be the home to the Tanglewood Learning Institute (TLI) … The schedule of 140 ticketed events includes four deep-immersion weekends, numerous special events, guest speakers, master classes. a seven-week Sunday evening film series in collaboration with the Berkshire International Film Festival, and a new 200-seat indoor/outdoor cafe open to the public for mingling with artists and students.” — The Berkshire Eagle (Pittsfield, MA)
Category: music
Minnesota Opera Purchases 350-Seat Theater
The Lab Theater, a converted warehouse, is right next door to the company’s own rehearsal and office space (called the Opera Center) in Minneapolis’s North Loop. Since 2006, independent dance and theater troupes have performed there, and Minnesota Opera expects to continue renting to such groups when not using the space itself; the company also hopes to expand its youth training program there. — The Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
USC Study: Percentage Of Women In The Music Business Hasn’t Improved
The study conducted by Dr. Stacy L. Smith found that the number of women working as artists remained stagnant at 17%. Of songwriters, women represented 12.3% of the credits affiliated with the test group of 100 songs — over half did not feature a single female writer. Among producers, women numbered only 2 percent, in line with the previous year. On a brighter note, representation by people of color was up. – Variety
The Mad Scientist Of Vocal Ensembles, Roomful Of Teeth
“Roomful of Teeth is a kind of lab experiment for the human voice. Its eight singers cover a five-octave range, from grunting lows to dog-whistle highs. Three have perfect pitch, all have classical training, and [director Brad] Wells has brought in a succession of experts to teach them a bewildering range of other techniques: alpine yodeling, Bulgarian belting, Persian Tahrir, and Inuit and Tuvan throat singing, among others. Because the group writes or commissions almost all of its pieces, it can create vocal effects that most singers would never attempt.” — The New Yorker
For 100 Years Of Women’s Suffrage, New York Philharmonic Commissions Music (Lots Of It) By Women
“To mark the centennial of the 19th Amendment, which barred states from denying voting rights based on gender, the Philharmonic has commissioned new works by 19 female composers, eight of which will be performed next season. Besides celebrating what Deborah Borda, the orchestra’s president and chief executive officer, called a ‘tectonic shift in American culture,’ the project sends a statement to the classical music field at a moment when female composers still struggle to be heard.” — The New York Times
How Richard White Became A Professional Tuba Player
Only 1.8 percent of U.S. symphony members are African-American. When he was at Peabody, White met with the then-Dean to mull ways to make the institution more diverse and accepting, “because it was weird walking around and not seeing anyone who looks like me. I learned that when you communicate to people what is going on, they will pay attention. They didn’t care that I was only black person in school. I was Richard the tuba player, which is ultimately crazy, because that’s what you want. I’m not sure I want to be Richard the black tuba player. I wanted to be Richard the tuba player.” – The Daily Beast
Peter Oundjian’s Next Job: Director Of Colorado Music Festival
The violinist-turned-conductor, who stepped down as music director of the Toronto Symphony last summer after 14 seasons, will be “the fourth conductor to lead the six-week long annual summer festival which takes place in Colorado Chautauqua, a National Historic Landmark near in Boulder, Colorado.” — Ludwig van Toronto
UK’s Last Record Store Chain, HMV, Saved From Bankruptcy By New Buyer
“Doug Putman, who runs the Canadian retailer Sunrise Records, has bought the UK music and film retailer, … [which] collapsed into administration just after Christmas, blaming tough conditions on UK high streets and competition from streaming sites such as Netflix and Spotify.” Two years ago, Putman and Sunrise bought Canada’s HMV stores, rescuing them from closure. — The Guardian
London Police Arrest Rappers For Performing A Song In Concert
Police say the duo’s song is incitement to violence. They’ve been cracking down. Police interference has undoubtedly had an impact on the scene’s lyrics. “A lot of rappers are censoring their music now. Even down to what they name their video, or what hashtag they use to promote it. They want to go under the radar. You put all that hard work into it, you gas everyone up – ‘Listen to my song!’ – and it gets taken down in 10 minutes. This is our livelihood, and it’s a serious financial loss to have a tune banned.” – The Guardian
Survey: Average Person Stops Seeking Out New Music By Age 28
A survey by streaming service Deezer found that the average person reaches “musical paralysis” — when she or he primarily listens to familiar tracks and does not seek out new genres — at the age of 27 years and 11 months. – Billboard (CTVNews)