Richmond BizSense is reporting that the Richmond Symphony has raised $1 million, and with that has purchased a 70-foot tent under which the orchestra can perform outdoor concerts in various locations.  The idea is to get the orchestra into places--and in front of audiences--it might not normally see.

You can read about it here.

Renowned baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky has announced that he's cancelling all performances through August due to having been diagnosed with a brain tumor.  He says in a notice on his web site that while his voice is still fine, his balance has been affected.

You can visit his web site by clicking here.

After a lengthy--and as some reports indicated, somewhat contentious--search, the Berlin Philharmonic has chosen Kirill Petrenko to be its new Chief Conductor.

You can read more at the orchestra's web site here.  Classical radio station WQXR also has a report which you can read here.

24 of the best young pianists from around the world will be playing in Fort Worth beginning Sunday in the first ever Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition.  The pianists are all between the ages of 13-17, and will be competing for prizes including cash, scholarships, and mentoring opportunities.

The performances will be streamed live on the Cliburn Foundation web site.  You can link to the streaming video from here.

A recent article on the website "The Smart Set" by Michael Lind suggests that the arts of little interest to an increasingly large number of people.  "As far as I can tell, very few college-educated people under the age of 50 pay any attention to the old fine arts at all" is among a number of notable thoughts from Mr. Lind.

You can read his entire article here.

I opened up my mail the other day, pleasantly surprised to receive the new offering from pianist Orli Shaham, entitled "Brahms Inspired".  It's a 2-CD set featuring music by Brahms as well as compositions that inspired Brahms.  Interspersed with the opp. 117, 118 and 119 are works by Bach, Chopin, Schubert and Schumann.  The accompanying booklet delivers a solid rationale for including each of the pieces by those composers on the recording.

Also on the set are four works by composers who found inspiriation in the music of Brahms.  The most interesting among the bunch is a set by Australian composer Brett Dean.  Entitled "Hommage a Brahms", a set of three pieces designed to be played as interludes between the four pieces of the op. 119.

As you might expect, Orli turns in a masterful performance of all the pieces in the set.

Vladimir Ashkenazy has resigned effective immediately from his role as Music Director of the EU Youth Orchestra.  Norman Lebrecht reports that Ashkenazy had a disagreement over direction with the orchestra's managing director, and as a result, Ashkenazy's role with the orchestra would have been reduced.

Here's a press release from his agent's website:

Vladimir Ashkenazy has announced today that after 15 years as Music Director of the European Union Youth Orchestra he has resigned with immediate effect. He was appointed to this position in 2000 in succession to Bernard Haitink who had been preceded by Claudio Abbado and Colin Davis.

He sends his best wishes to the orchestra's wonderful musicians, present and past, for whom he feels the warmest commitment and affection. It is a matter of great satisfaction to him that during his 15 years as Music Director so many alumni of the EUYO have taken up leading positions in top orchestras throughout the Union. He also extends  his love and admiration to Joy Bryer the founder and  irreplaceable mentor of this great and noble institution which has so profoundly changed the ethos  of orchestras throughout Europe by inspiring  two generations of musicians to bring to their lives in music new levels of professionalism and engagement.

Enterprise Holdings--as in Enterprise Rent-a-Car--is giving the St. Louis Symphony $10 million.

This is one of a group of donations the company is making to 13 artistic and cultural non-profits in the St. Louis area.  The total of all donations is $92.5 million.

You can read more here.

A new Canadian study supports what I'd consider to be a stereotype of music lovers: higher class people (however that's defined) like classical music, jazz and the like, while lower class people like country music, easy listening and oldies.

A report on the study occurs in Pacific Standard, which you can read here.