Jan Vogler
(c) Jim Rakete

German cellist Jan Vogler, 55, will remain director of the Dresden Music Festival until 2026, the festival announced today. The press release says: « In 2009, he assumed the role of director of the festival, founded in 1978, and has since endeavored to establish it as one of the most important and successful classical music festivals in Europe. From 2009 to 2019, the Festival’s revenue from ticket sales and funds from sponsors has increased fivefold. »

Einem Bericht der italienischen Zeitung La Repubblica zufolge hat das Conservatorio Santa Cecilia in Rom wegen des Coronavirus sämtliche asiatische Studenten vom Unterricht ausgeschlossen, darunter Chinesen, Koreaner und Japaner, sowie Studenten aus relevanten gefährdeten Ländern am Unterricht teilnehmen. Am 5. Februar sei ein Arztbesuch geplant. Nur denjenigen, bei denen keine Auffälligkeit festgestellt worden sei, dürften wieder am Unterricht teilnehmen. Read More →

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) and its musicians announced the ratification of a new contract, seven months prior to the current contract’s expiration on September 6, 2020. The new three-year agreement – the third in a row to reach an early resolution – includes a scale increase totaling 5.1 percent over the previous contract, plus one additional performance week (39 weeks beginning in the third year of the new contract, up from 38), with total guaranteed compensation going from $98,524 in year three of current contract to $105,481 in year three of new contract. Read More →

The Boston Symphony Orchestra’s four-city tour to East Asia (Seoul, Taipei, Shanghai, and Hong Kong) with Andris Nelsons, February 6–16, has been canceled due to increasing concerns over widely documented official news and government agency reports assessing the spread of the new coronavirus, the orchestra announced today in a press release. Read More →

The Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della Rai and its Principal Conductor James Conlon will be in Spain from 11 to 15 March. The tour comprises concerts in  the cities of Madrid, Alicante, Murcia, Oviedo, and San Sebastian. Violinist Michael Barenboim is the soloist of the five concerts.

Beethoven, or BTHVN in the ineffably plucked version, is now being exposed to the Corona virus. The local German organizer has signed a cooperation agreement with the German national tourist board in order to promote the German BeeTHoVeN activities in Asia and beyond. Read More →

Dmytro Choni

Der 1993 geborene ukrainische Pianist Dmytro Choni hat sich als Gewinner zahlreicher renommierter Klavierwettbewerbe bereits auf internationaler Ebene einen Namen gemacht. Als Stipendiat der Internationalen Musikakademie in Liechtenstein ist er dieses Jahr Artist in Residence beim VP Bank Classic Festival im Grand Resort Bad Ragaz (7.-15. Februar). Remy Franck hat sich mit dem jungen Musiker unterhalten. Das Interview können sie hier lesen.

Bryn Terfel

British bass-baritone Bryn Terfel has broken an ankle in three places and will have surgery this week, the Lyric Opera of Chicago said in a statement announcing the cancellation of Terfel’s recital on Sunday. New York’s Carnegie Hall has also cancelled his recital set for 9 February. Terfel also stepped out of the upcoming Metropolitan Opera production of Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman in March.

The International Classical Music Awards are celebrating this year their 10th anniversary. ICMA was created in 2010 as the successor of the MIDEM Classical Awards, formerly Cannes Classical Awards. The Award ceremony and Gala Concert scheduled for the 30th of April 2020 in Seville and hosted by the Royal Symphony Orchestra of Seville will be the tenth in a row. Read More →

Ariane Mathiak

Die 1980 geborene französische Dirigentin Ariane Matiakh, die seit dem vergangenen Herbst Generalmusikdirektorin in Halle ist, soll angeblich ihren Posten bereits im ersten Jahr ihrer Amtszeit verlassen. Das meldete MDR Kultur. Read More →