Disney Concert Hall
Photo: Remy Franck

Los Angeles Philharmonic and its musicians’ union announced that they have reached an agreement for a new four-year contract that raises wages by approximately 1% a year. At the end of four years, the minimum yearly wage for the more than 100 musicians will be $154,336, up 3.8% from the $148,700 minimum in the contract that just expired.

Stefan Gehmacher, der neue Intendant der Luxemburger Philharmonie, dirigiert angeblich auch das Philharmonische Orchester Luxemburg. Das zumindest berichtet das Inflight Magazin der Luxair: Gehmacher werde nicht nur für die Programmierung der Philharmonie zuständig sein, « but he will also conduct the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra ». Ich liebe es, wenn Leute über Dinge schreiben, von denen sie keinen blassen Schimmer haben.

Gustavo Dudamel
Photo: Mathew Imagaing

According to the Los Angeles Times, Gustavo Dudamel was paid $1,425,088 in 2011 as Music Director of the L.A. Phil. This is an increase of 44.6%. 2011 was Dudamel’s second full year in L.A.. Orchestra spokeswoman Sophie Jefferies told the L.A. Times that Dudamel conducted 30% more concerts in 2011 than he had in 2010. At the same time, she « declined to provide financial or earnings information more recent than what was reported in its 2011 tax return. » The Los Angeles Philharmonic is a particularly healthy orchestra. It had a surplus of  $5.9-million in 2011-12 and of $6.1-million in 2010-11.

Sechs von 15 nominierten Produktionen aus Luxemburg, Belgien, Portugal, Deutschland und Schweden wurden beim ‘YEAH! Festival’ in Osnabrück mit dem ‘Young EARopean Award’, dem europäischen Preis für innovative Musikprojekte ausgezeichnet. Read More →

A deadline from Minnesota Orchestra’s management to bring negotiations with the locked out musicians to an end expired yesterday, with both sides willing to continue negotiations. In a statement released on Sunday evening, management said: Read More →

Prof. Shoemaker, Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Vice-President, Dr Richard Bonynge, Dr Finkel, Chancellor.

Australian conductor and pianist Richard Bonynge (82) has been conferred with his first honorary doctorate. The honorary degree of Doctor of Laws honoris causa was conferred by Monash University, recognising Bonynge’s outstanding lifetime artistic and leadership achievements. Monash University  is a public university based in Melbourne. It was founded in 1958 and is the biggest University in Australia.

Howard Griffiths
Foto: Tanzyna

Der britische Dirigent Howard Griffiths (*1950) bleibt bis 2018 Generalmusikdirektor des Staatsorchesters Frankfurt an der Oder. Es ist bereits die dritte Vertragsverlängerung. Griffiths ist seit der Saison 2007/08 GMD in  Frankfurt. Zeitgleich mit dem Dirigenten verlängerte auch Intendant Peter Sauerbaum seinen Vertrag bis zum Ende der Spielzeit 2018.

Die Jury des 62. Internationalen Musikwettbewerbs der ARD hat die Preise für 2013 bekannt gemacht. In vier Kategorien wurde lediglich ein Erster Preis vergeben. Die Preisträger sind mehrheitlich Damen. Im Fach Violine gingen je ein zweiter Preis an Bomsori Kim aus Südkorea und and die US-Amerikanerin Christel Lee. Lee bekam außerdem den Publikumspreis. Im Viola-Finale wurden alle drei Preise vergeben.  Read More →

Japanese researchers proved that mice given heart transplants live longer when they listened to music from Verdi’s opera ‘La Traviata’. The researchers noted in their study, published in the ‘Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery’, that mice who had received cardiac grafts and were exposed to ‘La Traviata’ survived 27 days. Mice exposed to the singer Enya survived only 11 days. For this result, the research team was awarded the prestigious ‘2013 Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine’. According to the organizer’s committee , the ‘Ig Nobel Prizes’ honour achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think.

Marin Alsop
Photo: Grant Leighton

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra musicians agreed yesterday to a new three-year contract that will reverse salary cuts made for the previous contract, which expired Sept. 8. According to the new agreement, at the end of the contract, annual base salary will reach $75,024, which means an 11% increase over the base of $67,600 under the previous contract. Read More →