“The deal would not only put other music labels in a tight spot – it could also hamper innovation in certain sectors of the digital music ecosystem. In particular, any service that relies on licensing deals with the major labels for content could find itself negotiating with a bigger, more powerful mega-label.”
Category: music
Louisville Orchestra Musicians Say Contract Settlement Is Near; Management Denies It
“The Louisville Orchestra Musicians Association announced Thursday that it is in talks with Louisville Orchestra management over a one-year contract that Metro Council President Jim King has been brokering. However, orchestra CEO Robert Birman dismissed the announcement. ‘We are not in negotiations with the musicians,’ he said, calling the announcement ‘game playing’.”
Britain’s Mid-Afternoon Bhangra Raves
“Their parents thought they were studying. But thousands of British Asians spent the ’80s and ’90s dancing – before heading home for tea.”
Sacramento Philharmonic: We Have To Raise $150,000 In A Month Or Close
The 15-year-old symphony said it needs to raise twice that much – $300,000 – before it can consider presenting a 2012-13 season of concerts starting in the fall.
Minnesota Orchestra Faces Year Of Living Dangerously
“Last December, the organization reported its biggest annual deficit ever. In June, the band evacuates Orchestra Hall for a yearlong face-lift of its iconic home on Nicollet Mall. A shortened 2012-13 season opens in October in the acoustically challenged Minneapolis Convention Center.” Then there are the upcoming contract negotiations …
Ancient Chinese Zither Makes 21st-Century Comeback
“For much of the 20th century, the contemplative guqin – the favored instrument of Confucius – has lacked an understanding audience and been eclipsed by showier musical instruments, including Western imports like piano and violin. But, after decades in the shadows of China’s musical life, the guqin is making a comeback, riding a wave of renewed interest in the nation’s traditional culture and the government’s efforts to promote this.”
Audience Member’s Lawsuit Against Bolshoi Opera Thrown Out
“A woman unhappy with Bolshoi’s controversial staging of [Glinka’s] Ruslan and Lyudmila opera was denied 1 million ruble compensation bid by Moscow’s Tverskoi court on Monday.” The plaintiff had sued over “the moral agony experienced when watching the performance.”
Biggest-Ever One-Week Album Sales Drop (Madonna Gets The Honor)
“After a promising start, topping the Billboard 200 chart in its first week with 359,000 copies sold, Madonna’s MDNA is expected to suffer an 88 percent drop in sales to 46,000 according to Forbes. The album’s steep decline would set the record for biggest second week drop in history.”
Decoding A Maestro’s Moves
“So in an attempt to understand what is going on, we interviewed seven conductors as they passed through New York in recent seasons with an eye to breaking them down into body parts – like that poster in the butcher shop with dotted lines to show the different cuts of meat – left hand, right hand, face, eyes, lungs and, most elusive, brain.”
At Canadian Opera Co., Where Are The Canadian Operas?
“The COC is an international-calibre opera company that routinely sells out houses with powerful productions of European classics … but it has been 13 years since the company programmed a piece of music written by a Canadian in its main venue.” This doesn’t seem to bother subscribers, but it drives the Canadian music community crazy.