Category: music

TSO music director since 2004, Oundjian said he hopes to be named to an emeritus position on his departure.

“The Cincinnati Symphony was one of the first orchestras in the nation to establish a multicultural council. And groups such as the Detroit-based Sphinx Organization are working to improve opportunities by offering training, competitions and mentoring to young minority musicians.”

The 1,118-seat venue, called the Opéra des Nations, “was recycled from a temporary building used in Paris when the French capital’s Comédie Française itself underwent renovations.” It will be used for 2½ years while Geneva’s Grand Théâtre undergoes renovation. The acoustics are said to be excellent.

“About the only ones who don’t want to be quoted [for this story] are those suing the company who have been advised by legal counsel to stay quiet.”

“Classical music’s vaunted elitism is tissue-paper thin: The field is always almost pitiably hungry for validation from the pop world, while appearing to disdain it. But if the field is really eager to win over young audiences, this is the way to do it.”

“The heroic stand-alone solo is an interesting lens for how jazz is popularly understood, but not necessarily how it is practiced. Jazz is about context and collaboration; it really is about bands. (For that reason, it’s a good thing that most of the solos in this year’s crop come from records made by working bands.) If the way you listen to jazz is to wait for the sustained passage of individual heroism, you may be missing a lot.”

“‘We do feel the proposals put forward to us, although probably well meant, actually are going to destroy English National Opera once and for all,’ she said. The announcement of the ballot was made in appropriately dramatic fashion with the chorus singing Hail Poetry from The Pirates of Penzance at a press conference in central London.”

“I’m happy to be able to watch all the Steelers games on Sunday because I don’t have to work. They had a good season, in spite of everything.”

“Barbara Hannigan loves challenges. It’s like a sense of duty for her. ‘I have an obligation,’ she says. ‘Because it is not only satisfying to me but it also serves the composers and serves the music. And they need it.'”