Category: music

Sunday night at midnight, the management of the financially troubled orchestra ended negotiations that had gone on since January. The lockout was clearly expected to be short: concerts scheduled for this weekend weren’t cancelled. The agreement-in-principle announced on Tuesday afternoon – between the small increases in pay in years 3 to 5 and the reduction in weeks – results in a net increase in base pay (currently around C$34,000) of .25% by 2019-2020. (in French; Google Translate version here)

“Perlman joins former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the actor Michael Douglas as recipients of the annual $1 million prize that has been dubbed the ‘Jewish Nobel.’ … Established in 2012 by a consortium of Russian Jewish philanthropists, the prize is presented annually to someone who has achieved international renown in their professional field and serves as a role model through their commitment to Jewish values.”

“The agreement marks a smooth end to a lengthy so-called ‘play and talk’ period, and extends the peace that has reigned at Severance Hall since 2010, when orchestra members waged a brief strike.”

“It could create new audiences for live opera, give long-term life to contemporary works, and enable young and emerging composers, librettists, and performers to become more aware of the state of the art.”

“Motown’s finest talent came from nearby neighborhoods at a time when Detroit was booming in population and prosperity due to its now defunct car industry.”

“For the eighth straight year since Nielsen began tracking music sales in 1991, more vinyl albums were sold than in any previous year. What’s even more interesting than the steady vinyl growth is that young consumers might be the strongest demographic.”

“Making music cannot halt terrorism, heal the environment or solve the world’s other great problems. But in its insistence on cooperation from its practitioners and demand for mindfulness from its listeners, music can help open dialogue. From the practice of listening can come a little understanding, then concern and maybe even a ping of compassion.”

“Scholars estimate that 10 million to 30 million Chinese died from 1937 to 1945. The tragedy was far broader than most Chinese realize and despite many official accounts is still poorly understood, Mr. Wang said.”

“Terms of the deal were not disclosed in court papers announcing the settlement, but it puts an end to the class-action lawsuit filed in 2013 by a group of artists and filmmakers who had sought a return of the millions of dollars in fees the company had collected over the years for use of the song.”