Category: music

“In May digital-software publisher Touch Press offered a sophisticated app for Apple’s mobile devices that allows users to explore Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. And it has thus far been downloaded more than 620,000 times.” The company already has two more, with some heavyweight talent involved.

“The new rules, which quietly came into effect July 31, will double, triple or even quadruple the cost of bringing in international artists to perform in bars, restaurants or coffee shops.”

“As the cuts to arts funding continue to bite ever deeper, increasing numbers of musicians are now championing co-ops as a way of ensuring their own long-term survival.”

“El Sistema’s success has become a global phenomenon – all over the world, Sistema-inspired programmes are springing up almost every day, regardless of political system. The key to their success is that they are not just music education projects; they are social programmes with music at their heart.”

The one-year deal “takes effect immediately and will expire on July 31, 2014. The musicians’ pay cuts are in line with recent pay cuts given to the orchestra’s top leadership, including CEO Alan Valentine and music director Giancarlo Guerrero.”

“Seven out of the 11 are releases from British soloists, ensembles or conductors.” Interesting tidbit: the Early Music Award went to Paul McCreesh’s Gabrieli Consort and Players for a new remake of the program that won them the very same prize 23 years ago.

“The institution was only supposed to close for a brief renovation that would equip it as an art space suitable for the 21st Century. Instead the process has dragged on for years – robbing Belgrade of what could be a world-class gallery.”

“Edinburgh is about to host the first performance of Festival City – Europe’s first symphony to be composed using crowdsourced sounds and arrangements suggested by the public via specially-created computer apps.”

“It finds that, among a group of high-performing high school students, grades were consistently higher for those who continued music classes compared to those who dropped them after two years of compulsory training.”