FEATURE
Young People Listen to More Orchestral Music than their Parents
Limelight: Maddy Briggs
Millennials and Zoomers more likely to listen to classical music than those over 35, a Royal Philharmonic Orchestra report shows. Surveying 2,000 people, the 2022 report shows that 65 percent of people aged 18–34 listen to orchestral music regularly, compared to 57 percent of people aged 55+ and 56 percent for those aged 35–54.
RESEARCH AND OPINION
At Night Temple, weary composers find refuge in house shows: ‘You can become kind of hopeless. We need each other’
Los Angeles Times: August Brown
This small-scale, high-wire act of performance has become especially meaningful to the tight-knit, on-edge community of L.A. film composers. As fine arts funding withers across sectors and Hollywood budgets shrink while studios retreat from local productions, workers are still recovering from lengthy strikes and the incipient threat of artificial intelligence.
Angel Blue Doubted Her Path in Opera. Now She’s a Star.
New York Times: Javier C. Hernández
Once used to frequent rejection letters, Blue has become a regular on major stages and is singing the title role in “Aida” at the Metropolitan Opera.
How Teenager Vera Brandes Staged a Keith Jarrett Concert That Made Jazz History
Variety: Leo Barraclough
Fifty years ago today, 18-year-old Vera Brandes organized a concert for jazz pianist Keith Jarrett in Cologne, West Germany, which went on to make music history: a recording of the concert became the best-selling solo jazz album ever as well as the best-selling piano recording ever.
Maria Tallchief: Making Ballet American, Chapter 1
NY Times: Meryl Cates
Widely considered America’s first prima ballerina, Tallchief is being celebrated by New York City Ballet, where she was a Balanchine muse, in her centennial year.
Lynn Larsen: Personnel and Orchestra Manager of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Podcast: Anthony Plog on Music
Lynn has been Personnel Manager and Orchestra Manager of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Formerly, he was a fellow in the American Symphony Orchestra League management program and worked for a year with the Denver, Albuquerque, and St. Louis Symphonies.
NATIONAL
This Jacobs School alumnus wrote the fanfare for Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony
Herald Times/USA Today: Brian Rosenzweig
Alex Tedrow always dreamed of playing music. A native of Shoals, Indiana, a small town about an hour south of Bloomington, Tedrow grew up fixated on rock. He idolized Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day and imagined that he, too, could be catapulted from his hometown life to one day making and playing music for the masses.
Seattle Symphony CEO Krishna Thiagarajan departing
The Seattle Times: Margo Vansynghel
Thiagarajan took the reins in September 2018 and has steered the organization through the pandemic and following recovery. In an interview Tuesday, Thiagarajan said he has been on sabbatical since early December and will remain so until his last day, April 30.
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s longtime concertmaster to retire
The Baltimore Banner: Rebecca Ritzel
Jonathan Carney has served as the orchestra’s top violinist, highest-paid musician and de facto second-in-command since 2001. Carney’s tenure was marked by allegations of inappropriate behavior, ranging from a 2005 proposed sexual encounter to a 2018 temporary peace order after he allegedly threatened a Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra employee.
Spotify Hosts a Splashy Trump Inaugural Lunch with Joe Rogan & Ben Shapiro—With a $150,000 Donation to Boot
Digital Music News: Ashley King
Spotify’s statement about the donation says that it “aims to continue to expand our presence in Washington D.C. while furthering the goals of our platform and our creators. It is in line with the work we do in capitals around the world to advance our policy issues, regardless of who is in power.”
In Minneapolis, a Layer of Hygge Warmth for a Top-Notch Orchestra
New York Times: David Allen
With the Nordic Soundscapes Festival, Thomas Sondergard puts his stamp on the Minnesota Orchestra (and its interior spaces).
INTERNATIONAL
At 90, the Ghanaian Highlife Pioneer Ebo Taylor Finds a New Voice
New York Times: David Peisner
The singer, guitarist and composer released heralded music in the 1970s and early ’80s before retreating. The label Jazz Is Dead is boosting his rediscovery.
Meet the world-famous Colombian conductor helping orchestra reach new audiences
NPR: John Otis
Andres Orozco-Estrada is one of the most exciting conductors around. The Colombian has garnered rave reviews for his exuberance and his ability to connect with musicians and concertgoers.
Show goes on for Kyiv ballet held in air raid shelter
The Sunday Times: Jack Hill
As battles rage on the front line, dancers relish the opportunity to ‘bring love and light’ to fellow Ukrainians.
Saudi Arabia asks Hans Zimmer to rework national anthem
The Guardian: Agence France-Presse in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia has asked the Oscar-winning composer, Hans Zimmer, to work on a new version of its national anthem, a senior official said, as the kingdom steps up an image makeover.
Royal Winnipeg Ballet leaps to new creative leadership
The Free Press: Jen Zoratti
Christophe Stowell, the new artistic director of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, aims to preserve the legacy of the company and bring a fresh perspective.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND MUSIC BUSINESS
10,000 AI tracks uploaded daily to Deezer, platform reveals, as it files two patents for new AI detection tool
Music Business Worldwide: Daniel Tencer
France-headquartered music streaming service Deezer has launched a new AI detection tool – after filing two patent applications for the technology in December.
Sony Music Publishing Launches in Thailand — Tatchara Longprasert Appointed General Manager
Digital Music News: Ashley King
Sony Music Publishing’s strategic expansion into Thailand is based on a dedication to develop and promote Thai songwriters both locally and around the world. With a new flagship office in Bangkok, SMP has appointed Tatchara Longprasert as General Manager of SMP Thailand, effective immediately.
Daniel Ek’s Aggressive Spotify Stock Selloff Isn’t Finished
Digital Music News: Dylan Smith
What better way to kick off 2025 than with a Spotify stock (NYSE: SPOT) windfall? CEO Daniel Ek is picking up where he left off in 2024 by moving millions more in shares.
OFF THE BEATEN PATH
The saga of Gwyneth Paltrow’s ski trial is now an off-Broadway musical
Gothamist: Hannah Frishberg
“Gwyneth Goes Skiing” is on at the SoHo Playhouse through the weekend. It debuted in London in December 2023 and sold-out shows there and at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August before coming stateside this year.
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