The founder of Umculo, an organization that uses musical theatre and opera to get both young people and adults interested in the power of the music for social change, was inspired by El Sistema in Venezuela.
Category: music
Cleveland Orchestra Suspends Concertmaster William Preucil Over Sexual Harassment Charges
“The Cleveland Orchestra was not aware of the of the allegations reported by The Washington Post about William Preucil in their July 26, 2018 article,” said executive director Andre Gremillet, in a written statement. “We take this matter very seriously and will promptly conduct an independent investigation.”
How A Venerable Oregon Chamber Music Festival Revitalized Itself
The first five weeks bristled with listener-friendly new music, fresh young performers, diverse older ones, jazz, tango and even contemporary music by Chinese-American composers. And Chamber Music Northwest has pulled this off while holding on to most of its aging core audience, its renowned longtime performers, and a healthy dose of core, classic repertoire. Audience numbers have stabilized—a triumph in the beleaguered classical-music world—and the demographic is gradually growing more diverse.
Fyre Festival Organizer Pleads Guilty To Second Fraudulent Ticket Scheme
“Billy McFarland, whose efforts at running the disastrous Fyre Festival led to wire fraud charges last year, pleaded guilty on Thursday to a new set of federal charges related to a fraudulent ticket-selling scam that authorities said he operated while out on bail in the first case.”
Some World Music Artists Are Skipping WOMAD Because Trying To Get UK Visas Is So Awful
“Acts from 128 countries are due to attend this year’s festival. But [organiser Chris] Smith said some had accepted the invitation to perform, only to withdraw after looking into the visa process. He blamed the situation on the 2016 decision to leave the European Union, which sent a message out that the UK was closed to foreigners.”
A Sistema For Opera, Founded By A Music Critic, In South African Townships
“Inspired by the successes of Venezuela’s music education programme El Sistema in effecting social change, South African-born [Shirley] Apthorp was convinced that opera could be a tool for empowering people. She founded Umculo, an organisation that brings music theatre to young people and adults alike, working with professional singers and instrumentalists to give performances that have garnered international acclaim. (podcast)
Classical Music’s Ugly Side: Rampant Sexual Harassment Is Institutional
Over a six-month period starting last November, The Washington Post spoke to more than 50 musicians who say they were victims of sexual harassment. These artists, many of whom shared their stories for the first time, described experiences ranging from sexual harassment to sexual assault, at every level from local teachers to international superstars. Opera singers spoke of attempted assaults in dressing rooms or in the wings during performances. Students described teachers inappropriately touching their bodies during lessons.
Four Years After It Nearly Closed, San Diego Opera Is Thriving
“Back in 2014, San Diego Opera survived a near-shutdown when a handful of renegade board members and donors from around the world saved the company from extinction. … Four years post-rescue, San Diego Opera has stabilized. The company finished its 2017-2018 season in the black, the office is fully staffed, its edgy 2-year-old Detour series is a hit, and ticket sales for next season are significantly higher.”
Minnesota Orchestra Heading To South Africa
Osmo Vänskä and his ensemble will be the first professional American orchestra to tour the country, and they’re bringing with them a specially commissioned piece by a South African composer to honor the centennial of Nelson Mandela’s birth. (The Minnesota Chorale had to learn to sing in Xhosa.)
Composer Refuses State-Funded Commission Because She Was Offered 20% Less Than Male Composers (Alas, It’s Not That Simple)
Siobhán Cleary won a commission, funded by the Arts Council of Ireland, from two choral organizations; when she saw that the men who had received the same grant in previous years had been offered more money, she turned the work down. Problem is, Cleary “has actually opened a can of worms that goes well beyond the issue of gender inequality. One of the core problems with the council’s music commission scheme is that it is set up in a way that simply cannot deal with the principle of equal pay for equal work.” Michael Dervan reports.