It’s been another busy couple of weeks, but I’ve been trying to keep up with everything that’s going on the music world at large. I generally just skim the gloomy news that seems so prevalent in the orchestra world and … Continue reading →
I know, I know, I’ve been a terrible blogger lately – I’ve been in the final push of the season with some of the heaviest repertoire and complicated shows, and now I’m in the final week of preparation before I … Continue reading →
For those of you who missed it, here’s a link to the Fresh Air interview with James Levine that aired on NPR yesterday. Levine is the subject of a barrage of commemorative media, from the Met’s DVD set James Levine: … Continue reading →
The massive storm system that spawned several dozen tornadoes in North Carolina over the weekend and has been all over the news roared through downtown Raleigh at around 4 pm Saturday. I know, because I was there. I’d realized that … Continue reading →
Where to start with this one…I first heard about the Roberto Minczuk/Brazil Symphony Orchestra scandal via Normal Lebrecht’s blog. In effect; Maestro Minczuk was to have re-auditioned the entire orchestra as an “evaluation process”. The 41 members refused to submit … Continue reading →
Sometimes, it seems like the cycle of bad news never ends in this business. The usual storyline goes like this: the economy hits a rock and starts taking on water, and orchestra endowments plummet as a result. Small and medium-sized … Continue reading →
On Monday I had the privilege of judging on a panel for Minnesota Varsity, a showcase for high school musicians – winners will be featured on April 17 at 2 p.m. at the Fitzgerald Theater. Naysayers may claim that classical … Continue reading →
LA Phil Live, the Philharmonic’s high-definition concert simulcasts, debuted yesterday in nearly 450 theaters across the States and in Canada. Initial reaction seems largely positive, or at least according to the LA Times. I think it’s a genius idea, particularly … Continue reading →
Happy New Year to all out there in the blogosphere! I’m hoping that everyone joyously rang in 2011 – I kept busy with a New Year’s Eve concert with my other orchestra, the North Carolina Symphony. It’s not always tons … Continue reading →
A bit belated (this happened in late October), but still great. Members of ensembles of the Netherlands Broadcasting Music Center, who are facing a shut-down by the Netherland’s new right-wing coalition government, stage a mambo-ful protest at the Hague’s central … Continue reading →
