FEATURE
(Ethno)Music(ology): 12 Scholars Respond to a Field Undergoing a Key Change
WQXR: Heather O’Donovan
Music scholarship — like the art form itself — is a field that’s been taking a hard, introspective look at how it can do better.
RESEARCH AND OPINION
Orchestras Are Rushing to Add Black Composers. Will It Last?
NY Times: Joshua Barone
Ensembles shut by the coronavirus pandemic are shaking up their programming. Artists of color are hoping it’s for the long haul.
‘Confederate monuments’ in the arts: What happens when works are no longer acceptable?
SF Chronicle: Mick LaSalle
An artwork, such as a film or play, an opera or a pop song, can contain many ideas, some that we may endorse wholeheartedly, others that we might argue about, and still others that we might all find repellent, offensive or even painful.
‘Performing the same piece over and over will be the death of classical music’ – violinist Johannes Pramsohler
The Strad: Pwyll ap Sion
Following the release of The Berlin Album, the latest in Ensemble Diderot’s ‘cities’ recording series, the period group’s founder and violinist Johannes Pramsohler speaks to Pwyll ap Siôn about why these works deserve greater recognition.
Aaron Dworkin – With University Musical Society’s President Emeritus Ken Fischer
The Violin Channel
Aaron Dworkin sits down with President Emeritus of the University Musical Society, Ken Fischer, to discuss the importance of community engagement in arts organizations.
Black Excellence Series| Composer Robert Nathaniel Dett
The Violin Channel
JDW Sheet Music released a new episode of their ‘Black Excellence Series’ – focusing on introducing international audiences to black composers and musicians.
This Land is Your Land: America’s other national anthem
BBC: Dorian Lynskey
Inclusive and patriotic, with its roots in the radical left, Woody Guthrie’s enduring 1940s folk song offers an expansive vision for all Americans, writes Dorian Lynskey.
Music is a philosophy, rich in ideas that language cannot say
Psyche: Xenia Hanusiak
Music’s ineffability transports us away from the mundane, allays sadness, evokes laughter, brings us to tears and rallies us to stand in unison. It confronts our fears and aspirations.
Maria Schneider: A Tale Of Two Worlds
Jazz Times: David Fricke
On her latest orchestral masterwork, the composer and bandleader worked to dramatize humanity’s (and her own) struggle between nature and technology.
NATIONAL
IU Alert! Elkhart orchestra welcomes new conductor – Soo Han
KPC News
The symphony board of directors recently approved new conductor Soo H. Han. Soo Han replaces Brian Groner, who is retiring after more than a decade as the symphony’s conductor.
New Initiative Will Grant $156 Million to Arts Groups Run by People of Color
The New York Times: Colin Moynihan
The Ford Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies and others are aiding national and regional groups at risk of shuttering because of the pandemic.
Lt. Governor Crouch Launches Arts, Cultural and Destination Marketing Organization Support Grants
Visit Indiana Tourism
The funding for this grant program comes from the CARES Act. In a partnership, the Indiana Destination Development Corporation (IDDC) and the Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) will provide economic support to local organizations whose normal operations have been disrupted due to COVID-19.
Opera Singer Denyce Graves Performs at Justice Ginsburg’s Memorial
The New York Times: The Associated Press
Denyce Graves, one of Justice Bader Ginsburg’s favorite opera singers, performed on Friday during the Capitol ceremony.
In ‘painful’ decision, Joffrey Ballet of Chicago cancels 2020-21 season
Chicago Tribune: Chris Jones
The Joffrey said that the decision, sparked by the COVID-19 crisis, will cost the non-profit institution in excess of $9 million at the box office.
For the Met Opera, the Pandemic Could Be a Necessary Reset
The New York Times: Anthony Tommasini
The company seems to be using a long break as a reboot, with more vital, representative programming coming soon.
Minnesota Orchestra musicians agree to 2-year contract extension, 25% pay cut
StarTribune: Jenna Ross
Two-year contract extension reverses cuts after a year if whole orchestra begins performing for a full audience.
INTERNATIONAL
BBC launches Experience Classical
The Strad
This digital experience, launched with the help of Sheku Kanneh-Mason, aims to provide a new way to discover classical music.
London Mozart Players Appoints New Artistic Director
The Violin Channel
The London Mozart Players announced clarinetist Michael Collins as its new Artistic Director, effective from September of 2021.
Polish Baritone Mariusz Kwiecień Ends His Operatic Career
Opera Wire: Dejan Vukosavljevic
Kwiecień told the Polish media that he had undergone his first spinal surgery in New York, sustaining a slipped disc injury during a performance of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” at the Metropolitan Opera House.
‘If you steal music, you aren’t a real music fan’
BBC: Nell Mackenzie
Wayne Evan… uploaded £22.5m worth of music illegally, according to the Performing Rights Society.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Dance on Film Is the Only Game in Town. BalletX Takes the Field.
NY Times: Brian Siebert
The big guns, like New York City Ballet and American Ballet Theater, have announced plans for premieres in the coming months. But a much smaller troupe, BalletX in Philadelphia, is ahead of the game. On Wednesday night, it released four new works.
Napster
Stitcher: Dallas Taylor Podcast
Podcast… in its short lifespan, Napster transformed our ideas about how we consume music, and how much we’re willing to pay for it.
An Entertainment Lawyer Breaks Down What You Need To Know Before Signing Your First Contract
Genius: Insanul Ahmed
Check out the… nascent conversation about the nature of the music industry and the contracts artists sign.
Is Apple waiving its App Store fees for Facebook streams valuable for music?
MusicxCorona: Bas Grasmayer
The 30% cut comes exactly when Facebook is looking to tighten restrictions for music streams.
Cellist Inbal Segev launches 20 for 2020 commissioning project
The Strad
The project will see the cellist commission and record new chamber works from 20 of today’s composers.
OFF THE BEATEN TRAIL
Alumnus Eli McCormack’s beautiful rendition of “The Hymn of Acxiom”
Enjoy an Acapella version…
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