(from a press release)

Daniel Hope – “one of the most charismatic violinists in the world” (Classic FM) – has been named as the next President of the Beethoven-Haus Bonn Association. Chosen by election at the organization’s annual general meeting earlier this week, the British violinist will succeed current incumbent Tabea Zimmermann in 2020, the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth. Hope also serves as Music Director of the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, Artistic Director of the Dresden Frauenkirche, and Music Director of San Francisco’s New Century Chamber Orchestra, which he is currently leading on its inaugural European tour.
 
Hope comments:
“It is a great pleasure for me to accept the result of this vote. For me, Beethoven is the equivalent of Mount Everest in music history. To have the opportunity to work closely with the Beethoven-Haus in Bonn, an institution not only rich in tradition but also at the very heart of Beethoven research, and which is linked so closely to my idol Joseph Joachim, is an honor.”

Malte Boecker, Director of the Beethoven-Haus, looks forward to working with Hope to shape the institution’s future. He explains: “Daniel Hope is globally appreciated for his musical achievements and for raising the public’s awareness of music. With him as President, we will continue to share our message, establish global networks, and explore new target audiences.”

To preserve Beethoven’s life, work, and heritage, the Beethoven-Haus Bonn Association was founded in 1889, with legendary Hungarian violinist Joseph Joachim as its honorary president. Today, the association represents the world’s leading Beethoven center. Built around the composer’s birthplace, the Beethoven-Haus Bonn houses a museum containing the world’s most important Beethoven collection, attracting more than 100,000 visitors each year, as well as a scientific research department dedicated to music, complete with its own library and publishing house, and the Hermann J. Abs chamber hall. Thanks to the engagement and support of the German government, the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Rhineland Regional Council, the city of Bonn, and 900 friends, patrons, and members from more than 20 countries, the association undertakes multiple cultural initiatives of national and international importance. In 2016 the non-profit institution Beethoven Jubiläums Gesellschaft was founded under the umbrella of the Beethoven-Haus Foundation to coordinate and promote Beethoven’s 250th anniversary in 2020.
 
Hope’s predecessor, renowned violist, chamber musician, and teacher Tabea Zimmermann, assumed office from conductor Kurt Masur in 2013. When she steps down, she and Spanish music dramaturge Luis Gago, with whom she established the annual “BTHVN WEEK” chamber festival, will serve as honorary members of the Beethoven-Haus Bonn Association.

Famed conductor Bernard Haitink has announced his retirement from conducting, effective September 6.

Haitink turned 90 earlier this year.

More about Haitink's career and retirement can be found here.

(from a press release)

OPERA America has awarded the fifth cycle of Commissioning Grants from its Opera Grants for Female Composers program to six professional opera companies across the United States. The grants support the creation of new theatrical works by women who compose for the trained voice and instrumental ensemble. As the national service organization for opera and the nation’s leading champion for American opera, OPERA America is committed to increasing diversity and gender parity across the field.

Grants were awarded to:
• The Industry (Los Angeles, CA) for Sweet Land by Du Yun
• Lyric Opera of Chicago (Chicago, IL) for an untitled opera by Caroline Shaw
• Mill City Summer Opera (Minneapolis, MN) for Stone Arch: A Walking Opera by Mary Ellen Childs
• Opera Philadelphia (Philadelphia, PA) for Ten Days in a Madhouse by Rene Orth
• Opera Steamboat (Steamboat Springs, CO) for Cookie by Leanna Kirchoff
• Spoleto Festival USA (Charleston, SC) for an opera on the life of Omar Ibn Said (title TBD) by Rhiannon Giddens

The six grantees were selected from an applicant pool of 15 eligible OPERA America Professional Company Members, which applied to receive up to 50 percent of the composer’s fee for a full production of a commissioned work, with awards of up to $50,000. The independent adjudication panel of industry experts included Carmen Balthrop, soprano; Katy Clark, president, Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM); Stephanie Fleischmann, librettist; Jay Scheib, director; and Daniel Sonenberg, composer. 

The Opera Grants for Female Composers program promotes the development of new works by women and raises the visibility of women writing for the operatic medium. The program consists of two granting components: Discovery Grants, awarded directly to female composers to advance their work, and Commissioning Grants, awarded to opera companies for commissions by female composers. Since its inception in 2014, the program has presented almost $1.1 million to opera companies and composers. The grants are made possible through the generous support of the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.
​

That's essentially the conclusion of a recent article in the Baltimore Sun after the cancellation of the remainder of the current season.

​You can read that analysis here.

​(from a press release)After an exciting week of classical guitar performances, Christopher Parkening and Pepperdine University announced the winner of the fifth quadrennial Parkening International Guitar Competition. The competition, the world's preeminent guitar competition, took place from Tuesday, May 28 through Saturday, June 1, 2019.
Andrea Roberto, 23, Italy, took the Gold Medal with his rich interpretation of Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco's Concerto No. 1 in D Major at Pepperdine's Smothers Theatre during the sold-out final round on Saturday, June 1. He received the US$30,000 Jack Marshall Prize in addition to his medal.
The Silver Medalist, Alec Holcomb, 24, of Nashville, Tennessee, USA received US$12,500; the Bronze Medalist, Sergey Perelekhov, 22, of Russia was awarded US$7,500.
The three finalists, each of whom performed a concerto with the Young Musicians Foundation Debut Orchestra under the baton of conductor Michael Stanley, were selected from a pool of 15 standout competitors from seven different countries. After a deliberation following the final performance, the winner was announced.
The three, along with Bokyung Byun, 24, of South Korea (fourth place); Junhong Kuang, 19, of China (fifth place); and Riccardo Calogiuri, 29, of Italy (sixth place), competed in the semifinal round on Friday, May 31.
Other competitors included Javier García Verdugo, 25, Spain; Samuel Hines, 27, Mora, Minnesota, USA; Beiyan Liu, 20, China; Christopher Mrofchak, 27, Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Cody Noriega, 27, Riverside, California, USA; Alex Park, 26, Culver City, California, USA; Miguel Checa Paz, 21, Spain; Marko Topchii, 28, Ukraine; and Tengyue Zhang, 25, China.
All of the competitors performed on the first full day of the competition (Thursday, May 30); six semifinalists were then selected to proceed to the second day. The competitors performed required and free-choice pieces and were judged on musicianship, tone, technique, and stage presence.
The distinguished panel of five judges, representing different areas of the music world, were Mia Bongiovanni, Assistant General Manager of Media and Presentations for the Metropolitan Opera; Charlotte Lee, President and Founder of Primo Artists; Steve Schoen, former Vice President of Sony Music Masterworks and Sony/BMG; David Thomas, recording producer; and Pablo Sáinz Villegas, classical guitar virtuoso and winner of the 2006 Parkening International Guitar Competition. 
The 15 competitors vied for cash awards that totaled US$60,000. The fourth-, fifth- and sixth-place winners each received US$1,000. Awards of US$500 were given to each of the remaining nine competitors.
"It has been a true inspiration to see the extraordinary level of talent of all who have performed in the competition. We can say with confidence that the future of classical music is bright," said Jury Chair Charlotte Lee, at the awards ceremony on Saturday, June 1. "We'd like to acknowledge each and every competitor for what you have sacrificed to participate in this competition. You have given your commitment, your discipline, your time, dedication, and your heart; this journey has made you a better musician and a better person."
Andrea Roberto was born in Italy, and began studying guitar at age 4. At 9 years old, he was admitted to the U. Giordano Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of guitarist Sandro Torlontano and attained his bachelor's degree with honors at the age of 14. Roberto continued his studies with Aniello Desiderio at the Koblenz International Guitar Academy in Germany, and he completed them at the Conservatorium of Music of Maastricht in the Netherlands under the mentorship of Carlo Marchione.
He has received a variety of international awards. In 2009 Roberto won the David Russell Prize for young talented musicians at the Conservatory of Vigo in Spain, 4th prize in the Parkening Young Guitarist Competition at Pepperdine, and the Joven Promesa Prize at the VIII José Tomás—Villa de Petrer International Guitar Competition. In 2010 he won the Valter Cococcia Prize, which goes to the youngest Italian conservatory student graduating with honors. In 2012, he participated in the Parkening International Guitar Competition. Since then, he has won multiple other awards, including 1st prize at the second International Competition of the Adriatic in Pescara, 1st prize at the fourth Stefano Strata International Competition of Pisa, 1st prize at the International Competition of Twents in the Netherlands, and 1st prize at the José Tomás Villa de Petrer International Guitar Festival in Spain. Roberto also placed 5th in the 2015 Parkening International Guitar Competition.
In addition to the Parkening International Guitar Competition, Pepperdine presented the Parkening Young Guitarist Competition for guitarists ages 17 and younger on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 28 and 29. First place went to Eric Wang, 15, San Jose, California, USA; second place to Nikolas Rejto, 17, Australia; third place to Garrett Podgorski, 17, Burbank, California, USA; fourth place to Hui Chan Yun, 16, South Korea; and fifth place to Joseph Malvinni, 11, Santa Barbara, California, USA.
Additional Young Guitarist competitors were Hilbert Chen, 10, Cupertino, California, USA; Maggie Grether, 16, Pasadena, California, USA; Mira Morales, 15, Los Altos, California,   USA; Evelyn Nguyen, 16, Monrovia, California, USA; and Darren Wu, 16, San Jose, California, USA.           
Cash awards for the Young Guitarist Competition included US$3,000 for the first-place winner and US$750 for each of the other four finalists. Awards of US$500 were given to each of the remaining five competitors.
Judging the Parkening Young Guitarist Competition were music professor Sara Banta, Director of Digital Sales at Naxos USA Mark Forlow, and 2015 Parkening International Guitar Competition Gold Medal Winner Meng Su.

(from a press release)

OPERA America, the national service organization for opera and the nation’s leading champion for American opera, will present the 49th annual Opera Conference from June 12–16 in San Francisco. Hosted by San Francisco Opera in association with Opera Volunteers International, this sold-out convening of opera professionals — the largest in North America — will meet at the Park Central San Francisco and venues throughout San Francisco. This is the fourth time in OPERA America’s 49-year history that the conference will be held in the City by the Bay.

More than 700 opera administrators, trustees and artists will gather to discuss what’s next for the opera industry by focusing on three central themes: Examining Traditions, Exploring Business Innovation and Deepening Civic Practice. Each theme will be introduced at a plenary session by a cohort of provocateurs drawn from leading institutions in and beyond the sector. The themes will be explored subsequently in concurrent sessions and roundtables focusing on the full spectrum of professional specialties, including artistic administration, performer development, fundraising, marketing and governance, among others.

“At a time when opera is faced with a combination of challenges and exciting opportunities, field leaders have to draw on innovative ideas from within and outside the performing arts to thrive,” said Marc A. Scorca, president/CEO of OPERA America. “A faculty of experts from San Francisco and across the country will be at the center of intense and stimulating discussion.” 

Topics will include:

EXAMINING TRADITIONS Traditions shape our canon, dictate our performance customs and define our art form. Is it time to reinterpret the repertoire, adjust our practices and introduce new ideas into the evolution of opera? 

EXPLORING BUSINESS INNOVATION The Bay Area has changed the world with innovative technologies, entrepreneurial models and creative management strategies. Can new and disruptive practices transform the opera business, as well? 

DEEPENING CIVIC PRACTICE Opera has the potential to strengthen the civic fabric of our communities. How can building authentic partnerships bridge divisions and address shared priorities to improve our cities? 

Additional Programming Opera Conference 2019 will provide a variety of programming supplemental to the three central themes. A pre-conference workshop on supporting race equity in opera organizations, as well as meetings of OPERA America’s Women’s Opera Network and ALAANA Opera Network (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab and Native American) will advance discussion about diversity and equity in the field.

More information can be found here.