In the Netherlands, an organization is presenting itself under the name of ICMA 2015 – International Classical Music Auditions, with a corporate identity resembling very much to the one of the International Classical Music Awards, ICMA. The ICMA’s President, Remy Franck, said: « We are upset that music professionals are using our name, internationally known since 2010, and present it with a logo very similar to ours for their own purposes. I would like to underline that ICMA International Classical Music Awards has absolutely nothing to do with that organization, and we only can hope that the possible confusion will not harm the international recognition and independence of ICMA International Classical Music Awards. »

Selten hat eine politische Entscheidung im Kulturbereich einen derartigen Sturm der Entrüstung ausgelöst wie die Ankündigung der Stadt München und des Freistaates Bayern, trotz aller deutlichst gemachter Versprechungen, keinen neuen Konzertsaal in München zu bauen, sondern ab 2020 den Saal des Gasteig zu renovieren. Read More →

The ICMA Board: Serhan Bali, Martin Hoffmeister, Remy Franck, Pierre-Jean Tribot., Michelle Debra

During their General Assembly in Leipzig, last weekend, the ICMA Jury members elected the ICMA Executive Board for the next three years. The current board members, Remy Franck as President, Michelle Debra and Pierre-Jean Tribot as Vice Presidents as well as Martin Hoffmeister were confirmed, while the vacant seat of Stephen Hastings was taken by Serhan Bali, editor in chief of the Turkish magazine Andante. Read More →

Neue Entwicklung: die Stadt München wird keinen neuen Konzertsaal bekommen. Stattdessen planen Stadt und Freistaat Bayern zusammen einen akustisch hochwertigen Konzertsaal in der alten Hülle der Philharmonie im Kulturzentrum Gasteig, die entsprechend umgebaut werden soll. Dies teilten Ministerpräsident Horst Seehofer und Oberbürgermeister Dieter Reiter am heutigen Montag mit.

Mahlers Komponierhäuschen in Toblach
Photo: Remy Franck

Vom 18. bis 30. Juli 2015 finden in Toblach / Dobbiaco (Südtirol/Italien) die Gustav-Mahler-Musikwochen bereits zum 35. Mal statt. Verantwortlich für den musikalischen Teil ist erneut Josef Lanz. Er hat auch für dieses Jahr ein anspruchsvolles und abwechslungsreiches Programm mit lokalen und internationalen Künstlern zusammengestallt. Im Rahmen des Festivals findet auch die Verleihung des Mahler-Schallplattenpreises ‘Toblacher Komponierhäuschen’ statt. Pizzicato-Chefredakteur Remy Franck ist erneut Mitglied in der Jury, deren Vorsitz Attila Csampai hat. Read More →

Danish National Opera invites the audience to be a key part of a performance of Così fan tutte. Once the audience is in their seats and the doors are closed, everyone is invited to vote for a classic or a modern staging. The volume of the audience’s applause determines the choice and shortly afterwards the curtain rises … Read More →

Aldo Ciccolini

French-Italian pianist Aldo Ciccolini, who won the Lifetime Achievement Award of ICMA in 2013, died today, aged 89. He was born in August 1925 in Naples. He began his performing career playing at the Teatro San Carlo at the age of 16. The ICMA Jury said in 2013: « A pianistic legend in his own lifetime, Aldo Ciccolini has been performing all over the world for more than seventy years now. His numerous recordings, some of which offer a generous overview of a composer’s works, have gained ever-increasing critical recognition with the passing decades. At a very advanced age he continues to share his passion for music with audiences and his profound knowledge of the repertoire with his pupils. ICMA’s Lifetime Achievement Award 2013 honors a great musician and an extraordinary personality. »

Kent Nagano
Photo: Broede

Kent Naganos Buch ‘Erwarten Sie Wunder!’ habe ich in kurzer Zeit gelesen, verschlungen fast, es hat mich berührt, aufgeregt, geärgert, ich fand es schön, interessant, an mancher Stelle etwas langwierig, manchmal etwas auf typisch amerikanische Art und Weise vereinfachend, ja sogar etwas naiv, dann wieder hoch intellektuell…es gibt von allem in diesem Buch, und es gibt nichts, was einen gleichgültig lässt, nicht einmal Naganos utopischsten Wünsche. Read More →

Thomaskirche, Leipzig
(c) Remy Franck

This weekend, at the very beginning of Leipzig’s millennium, the Jury of the International Classical Music Awards is meeting in the Bach city, at the invitation of the Bach Archiv and the city of Leipzig. The Jury will held a General Assembly at the Bach Archiv, visit the main musical sites of the city as well as the Blüthner factory. The Jury members also will attend several concerts, among them one by the Gewandhaus Orchestra which will host the Award Ceremony and Gala Concert in 2017.

A man holding a sign criticizing the policies of President Putin climbed onto the stage at the Metropolitan Opera on Thursday night when the singers, among them Putin follower Anna Netrebko took their curtain call at the end of Tchaikovsky’s ‘Iolanta’. The protester was escorted off the stage and subsequently arrested.