Milos
(c) Lars Borges

Suffering from a « complex and uncompromising movement disorder », classical guitarist Milos Karadaglic, 33, has withdrawn from all concert engagements for at least this whole season. The musician said in a statement that he is hoping to « break the vicious cycle I have found myself in. It is so incredibly hard for me to accept this, but sadly, I have no other choice but to comply. In the next year, while firmly on the quest to fully recover and play again, I am planning to focus my energy on other things that truly matter to me. »

Vivica Genaux
(c) Harry Heleotis

Die amerikanische Sängerin Vivica Genaux, 47,  erhält im Jahr 2017 den Händelpreis in Halle. Das hat die Stiftung Händel-Haus heute bekannt gegeben. Der Mezzosopranistin wird die Auszeichnung im Rahmen ihres Festkonzertes am Pfingstmontag, 5. Juni im Dom zu Halle verliehen. Die aus Alaska stammende Vivica Genaux hat eine enge Bindung zu Händel und zu den Händel-Festspielen in Halle.

Bruno Weil

Der 62-jährige deutsche Dirigent Bruno Weil hat den mit 10.000 Euro dotierten Duisburger Musikpreis erhalten. Der Duisburger Oberbürgermeister Sören Link verlieh die Auszeichnung am gestrigen Sonntag im Duisburger Theater. Weil war von 1994 bis 2002 Generalmusikdirektor der Duisburger Philharmonie. Seit 2015 ist er Professor für Dirigieren an der Universität Mozarteum in Salzburg und als Gastdirigent international tätig.

American Violinist Ida Levin Has Died From Leukaemia, aged 53. This was reported by the Violin Channel. Levin made her professional debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at ten. Since her first performance at Carnegie Hall as soloist with the American Symphony Orchestra, she was an active concert performer and recitalist throughout the world. She taught at the Sander Vegh International Chamber Music Academy in Prague, at the Harvard University and the European Mozart Academy.

The cast of the Broadway musical Hamilton addressed Donald Trumps future Vice-President in a theatre in New York where Pence was booed by the audience on Friday evening. Trump has asked for an apology over the letter read out by a cast member. Read More →

Andris Nelsons

With more free time due to his cancellation in Bayreuth, Andris Nelsons will expand his commitment at Tanglewood next summer, leading ten programs with the Boston Symphony Orchestra over four weeks. He will open the Tanglewood season with Mahler’s Second Symphony on July 7, and lead the traditional closing program of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony August 27. He will also lead the BSO’s first full-length concert performance of Wagner’s Das Rheingold on July 15.

Duo Rosa

Luxembourgish-Belgian Duo Rosa (soprano Stephany Ortega and pianist Léna Kollmeier) launches today a CD with the title ‘Return’ published by the label Et’cetera. For Ortega, born in the Dominican Republic, this CD is a journey from Luxembourg back to her roots. Read More →

Jonas Kaufmann
Photo: Mathias Bothor

After his almost three-month long pause due to vocal problems, German tenor Jonas Kaufmann was due to restart his career in Gütersloh on November 13. He cancelled the recital and he has cancelled now another one, foreseen for next week, 22 November,  at the Teatro Real in Madrid.

The New York Philharmonic has awarded the $200,000 Marie-Josée Kravis Prize for New Music to the Dutch composer Louis Andriessen. The orchestra will commission a new orchestral work by Andriessen to be premiered during the 2018–2019 season, led by Jaap van Zweden in his first season as Music Director.

The Scottish independent record label Linn Records is partnering with Belgium-based Outhere Music. The collaboration is to allow both  brands to  explore further opportunities from a wider roster of musicians. Additionally, Outhere Music will re-launch www.linnrecords.com in 2017, allowing consumers to access and explore even more high quality music from Outhere Music’s catalogue, all through a new cutting-edge download service.