Luxembourg has granted the super-reduced VAT rate (3%) to composers, writers and performers, for services, fees as well as royalties. The notion of performer (or performing artist) thus covers « any person who represents, recites, declaims, plays or otherwise performs a literary or artistic work, a variety, circus or puppet show ». Read More →
The Boston Symphony Orchestra announced that its long-serving President and CEO, Mark Volpe, will retire at the end of February 2021. At the time of his retirement, Volpe, considered one of the most esteemed orchestra managers in the world, will have guided the institution for 23 years. Along with his previous leadership positions with the orchestras of Baltimore, Minneapolis, and Detroit, represents an impressive 37-year commitment to the advancement of the field of classical music in the US.
Tabea Zimmermann
Der Ernst von Siemens Musikpreis 2020 geht an die deutsche Bratschistin Tabea Zimmermann (53). Wie die Jury der Ernst von Siemens Musikstiftung mitteilte, würdigt sie eine Künstlerin mit bedingungsloser Liebe zur Musik, „die alle Energie darauf lenkt, zum Kern des musikalischen Wesens vorzudringen und diese Erfahrung mit dem Publikum zu teilen.“ Read More →
Krzysztof Penderecki
(c) Bruno Fydrich
Die beiden Konzerte ‘Penderecki pur’ mit dem Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich am 25. und 26. Januar werden nicht ganz ‘pur’ sein. Der Komponist, der auch dirigieren sollte, hat krankheitshalber abgesagt. Ersetzt wird er durch seinen langjährigen Assistenten Maciej Tworek, der Pendereckis Violakonzert in der Fassung für Violoncello und Orchester, das Concertino für Trompete und Orchester und die Symphonie Nr. 6 (Chinesische Lieder) dirigieren wird. Penderecki, der mittlerweile das Komponieren ganz aufgegeben hat, musste bereits im Herbst mehrere Konzerte absagen.
Jader Bignamini
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) announced today that Italian conductor Jader Bignamini, 43, has been appointed Music Director beginning with the 2020-2021 season. Bignamini was chosen following a search by an eight-member search committee comprising DSO musicians, board, and staff. Jader Bignamini succeeds Leonard Slatkin, who ended his decade-long tenure as DSO Music Director in 2018 and is currently the orchestra’s Music Director Laureate. Read More →
What’s wrong with the national music awards? After the turmoil which led to the remoulding of the former German Echo Klassik, the American Grammys also face stormy times. On January 21, the law firm Wigdor LLP filed a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of Deborah Dugan, the former CEO and president of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the organization behind the Grammys. Read More →
Die Deutsche Orchestervereinigung (DOV) hat den Haustarifvertrag der Norddeutschen Philharmonie in Rostock gekündigt. Die Ungleichbehandlung der Beschäftigten am Volkstheater Rostock und Eingriff in Flächentarifvertrag sei rechtswidrig, heisst es in einer Presseaussendung. « Wir fordern für die Musikerinnen und Musiker den Volltarif der TVK-Vergütungsgruppe A. Nach geltendem Recht steht er ihnen zu“, sagt Gerald Mertens, Geschäftsführer der Deutschen Orchestervereinigung. Read More →
Neues Layout und Design, verbesserte Geschwindigkeit, neue Funktionen und Inhalte – die komplett neu gestaltete Naxos Music Library, kurz NML 3, ist online, teilte Naxos mit. Read More →
James Gaffigan
The Verbier Festival in Switzerland announced James Gaffigan as Music Director of its Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra (VFJO). Gaffigan will be only the second Music Director of the VFJO, after founding Music Director Daniel Harding, who served from 2013 to 2016. Read More →
The Jury of the International Classical Music Awards (ICMA) today announced the Awards for 2020 which mark the tenth anniversary of this prestigious musical recognition. Austrian-Russian pianist Elisabeth Leonskaja is honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Latvian soprano Marina Rebeka is Artist of the Year, Italian cellist Erica Piccotti is Young Artist of the Year. The Discovery Award is awarded to 16-year-old German cellist Philipp Schupelius. Pentatone Classics is the Label of the Year, and the Composer Award goes to Luxembourgish-Spanish composer Ivan Boumans. A Special Award is conferred to the American conductor John Axelrod, who is conducting this year already his third ICMA Gala concert, as well as to Jérôme Lejeune, who forty years ago founded the Belgian label Ricercar. The Royal Seville Symphony Orchestra is honouring Spanish guitarist Pepe Romero with the Orchestra Award. In the Audio and Video categories, 18 productions are awarded a prize. Read More →
