Category: music

And with one hand, at that. She’s “among the most versatile, prolific and intriguing composers working under the vast new-music dome. She’s composed spectral, searching works for orchestra, choir, string quartet and percussion ensemble; collaborated with ­virtual-reality artists, dancers and poets; and studied with the likes of Samuel Adler, Martin Bresnick and Missy Mazzoli. … She has carved a unique sound as a composer by treating disability differently: not as an impediment but as a wellspring of creative potential.” – Washington Post

Bella Chen takes ambient sounds from around the world – the world where musicians can’t travel at the moment – and turns them into inspiration for improvised, online performances. – BBC

Birdland, and a number of other noted jazz clubs and piano bars across the city, were quietly offering live performances again, arguing that the performers were playing “incidental” music for diners, and that the music was therefore permitted by the pandemic-era guidelines set by the State Liquor Authority. – The New York Times

“The point is that there are myriad class-related hurdles — material, psychological, and associative — that have prevented families of limited means from pursuing, or even wanting to pursue, this music. And of course, a disproportionate number of these families are Black.” – The New Republic

Mark Swed: “In the end, systemic diversity can be pushed by circumstance, like we’ve had in this year of upset. But it can’t be shoved. Within the next year or two, we will be able to celebrate more people of color at orchestras and other institutions. Hiring, however, could be limited by the sheer economic havoc ahead. For real systemic change, we need a real system in place, something solid and lasting. YOLA is that system.” – Los Angeles Times

A full year after the pandemic started and performances stopped, the company’s 2021 mainstage season will begin in March with the world premiere of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Joby Talbot and Gene Scheer, followed by Don Carlo, The Marriage of Figaro and Tosca. Scores will be abridged to 90 minutes and the stagings reworked to maintain distance between the singers. Live attendance will be limited to 660 people, just over a quarter of the theater’s normal capacity. – The Dallas Morning News

“Perhaps there’s a middle ground. Many recordings may reach more listeners, do more good and remain available longer online. But it is worth keeping at home recordings I cherish and albums of archival value, like a six-disc set of Bartok at the piano, or Artur Rubinstein’s 82-disc RCA catalog.” – The New York Times

The conductor and director for each production have teamed up to create the abridgments, which contain most of the famous arias, but omit the chorus because of social distancing requirements. One set will be slightly altered between productions, and there will be no intermission. Costumes and makeup will be minimal. – Dallas Morning News

“[Robert F.] Smith’s admission that he had failed to report [more than $200 million] of income to the I.R.S. made Carnegie Hall the latest in a line of major cultural institutions that have found themselves facing questions about the actions of the benefactors that they rely on for their very survival. Carnegie’s leaders are standing firmly behind Mr. Smith, even as some philanthropy experts question whether he should remain in the position.” – The New York Times