Classical Music Today
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact

Pratt back in at Cincinnati Competition

7/31/2015

2 Comments

 
The Cincinnati World Piano Competition has reversed its dismissal of Awadagin Pratt. 

In a confusing press release, they state that the dismissal was not authorized or recognized by the board of directors. 

Might I ask, who did?

You can read a local story here.
2 Comments

Why iTunes and classical music are a bad mix

7/29/2015

0 Comments

 
Robinson Meyer of The Atlantic does a good job here of delineating the problems of getting classical music through iTunes.

He says it so well I'll simply give you a link to the article here.


0 Comments

So what now, Miami?

7/27/2015

0 Comments

 
Given the sale of Classical South Florida, Miami and surrounding cities are left with no classical radio outlet.  What happens now?

Lawrence A. Johnson of the South Florida Classical Review shares his thoughts on the situation here.


0 Comments

The World's Oldest Existing Cello

7/20/2015

0 Comments

 
The oldest known existing cello is a 16th century Amati, held by the National Music Museum, but currently on loan to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan.

There's a nice article about the exhibit and the history of this particular instrument here.
0 Comments

After struggles, the Atlanta Symphony scores big surplus

7/16/2015

0 Comments

 
After years of deficits and difficult negotiations before the beginning of this season, the Atlanta Symphony is turning around.  They project a surplus in revenue this year, and have pulled in millions in a campaign to build an endowment fund.

You can read the entire story here.
0 Comments

A Concerto by any other name...

7/15/2015

0 Comments

 
Mozart's Piano Concerto no. 9 has often been referred to as the "Jeunehomme" concerto--jeune homme, or "young man" being a reference to Mozart himself since the true dedicatee was unknown.

Little did I know--until a few minutes ago--that said individual's identity was discovered about a decade ago.  The woman for whom the concerto was composed was one Victoire Jenamy, a daughter of one of Mozart's friends.  Musicologist Michael Lorenz made the discovery.

Here's more on the topic.


0 Comments

Metropolitan Opera Conductor leads concert at Castleton

7/15/2015

0 Comments

 
The Castleton Festival will present a symphonic concert of Rachmaninov and Brahms with Maestro Fabio Luisi, the Principal Conductor of the Metropolitan Opera and the General Music Director of the Zurich Opera. He will lead the Castleton Orchestra in a program of symphonic masterpieces on July 19 at 2 p.m.

“It had been the wish of the my late husband, Maestro Lorin Maazel, to welcome Fabio Luisi to Castleton as a guest conductor,” said CEO and Artistic Director Mrs. Turban Maazel, “and I’m delighted and proud to be able to carry out his wishes, to bring this great Maestro to our community.”

The program opens with Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor. It is one of Rachmaninov’s most enduringly popular works and established his position as a composer. After an intermission, the orchestra returns with Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 in D Major. Much of the first movement is based on a melody from Brahms’ earlier Wiegenlied, commonly referred to as “Brahms’ Lullaby.”

Maestro Fabio Luisi currently serves as General Music Director of the Zurich Opera, Principal Conductor of the Metropolitan Opera, and Principal Conductor designate of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra (DNSO), beginning in 2017. Luisi’s 2014-15 Met season included Macbeth, The Merry Widow, and Cavalleria rusticana/Pagliacci. At the Zurich Opera, Luisi conducted new productions of Juliette (Martinu) and I Capuleti e i Montecchi, and revivals of Norma and Ariadne auf Naxos. He conducted Lulu for his debut at the Dutch National Opera. His orchestral engagements included the Philharmonia Zurich, the DNSO, the Cleveland Orchestra, and Juilliard Orchestra. His discography includes the Grammy-winning Met live “Ring” cycle, rare Verdi operas (Jérusalem, Alzira, and Aroldo), I puritani, I Capuleti e i Montecchi, and the repertoire of Honegger, Respighi, and Liszt. In 2014 he was awarded the Grifo d’Oro, the highest honor given by his home city of Genoa.

The 2015 season marks the first Festival since the passing of its founder, Maestro Lorin Maazel, in July 2014.  More information about the Castleton Festival can be found here.


0 Comments

Surprise firing of Cincinnati Piano Competition Director

7/15/2015

0 Comments

 
After serving three years as Artistic Director of the Cincinnati World Piano Festival, pianist Awadagin Pratt has been relieved of his duties.

He was notified of his dismissal by e-mail, with no prior indication that the board sufficiently dissatisfied with his work that they might take such a step.  Three other board members--including the chairman--have also resigned.

You can read a local report here.


0 Comments

Pittsburgh Symphony shows audience decline

7/14/2015

0 Comments

 
The Pittsburgh Symphony--already suffering financially--thought it could balance the budget by cutting expenses and raising ticket prices.  But the higher ticket prices have resulted in fewer ticket sales.

Mark Kanny writes about it here.


0 Comments

South Florida once again to be without classical radio

7/9/2015

0 Comments

 
There was a time when south Florida had no classical radio outlet.  That changed in 2007 when American Public Media purchased a station, filling the day with its Classical 24 service.  They thereafter added two other stations, covering West Palm Beach and Fort Myers in addition to the Miami area. 

I'd heard rumors of some internal issues a few years ago, but nothing since, so I assumed all was well with what was called Classical South Florida.  Evidently I was wrong.

The service has been losing money, and so now APM is selling the group to a religious broadcaster.  South Florida will once again be without a classical service.

You can read more about it in Current by clicking here.

0 Comments
<<Previous

    Author

    I'm a classical radio announcer, blogger, and musician.

    Archives

    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photo used under Creative Commons from katsrcool (Kool Cats Photography) 1,000,000 + View