Yuri Bashmet
(c) ICA Artists
Viola player Yuri Bashmet, 63, is the artistic director of a new project which was announced in Moscow: a residence for composers. The apartment block will comprise eight buildings plus a central area aimed at creating a unique creative atmosphere. Read More →
Zubin Mehta
(c) Stephan Polzer
Zubin Mehta, 80, announced today that he will quit his job as Music Director of the Israel Philharmonic in October 2018. In 1977 the conductor was named Music Director and in 1981 he received a lifetime appointment. His first appearance with the oirchestra goes as far back as 1961. Since that time Mehta has conducted over 2,000 concerts.
Futuristic Philharmonic Hall in Moscow
The construction work of the new Philharmonic Hall in a new central park in Moscow is proceeding according to schedule, Russian media reported. Built with Valery Gergiev as adviser, the new hall will be bigger as Mariinsky II in Saint Petersburg. Read More →
A Russian military plane with 92 people on board has crashed into the Black Sea, Russia’s defence ministry said, pointing out that the plane was carrying 64 members of the Alexandrov Ensemble, soldiers, and nine journalists. It was flying from Moscow to Latakia in Syria where the Alexandrov Ensemble, the official Russian Army Choir including singers, instrumentalists and dancers, were scheduled to perform for Russian soldiers in Syria. No survivors are reported.
Hosted by Fondation de Luxembourg, Fondation Michelle is a foundation set up by an anonymous German music lover and meant to fund activities of young musicians in Luxembourg. The foundation’s activities are organized by Luxembourg’s National Cultural Fund FOCUNA. Since 2014, Fondation Michelle has supported 77 young musicians, 2 music scholars and 2 composers. Read More →
Austrian cellist and conductor Heinrich Schiff died last night at a hospital in Vienna. He was 65. He had given up performing in 2012 due to health reasons. Read More →
Giancarlo Guerrero
Despite expenses increased from $ 21.7 million to 23,85 million, the Nashville Symphony was able to make an operating surplus of $339,000 in 2015/16. Total program revenues were up from 13.1 to 15.8. Annual fundraising increased by 10 percent, from $6.6 million in 2015 to $7.3 million this year. Read More →
At the request of the Presidential Inauguration Committee, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir has accepted an invitation to sing at the ceremony on 20 January in Washington. Even though that Choir already sang at the ceremonies of other Presidents (Nixon, Bush…) a petition has been launched now against the participation of the choir at Trump’s inauguration. Read More →
Elbphilharmonie Hamburg
(c) Maxim Schulz
Die Eröffnung der Elbphilharmonie rückt näher. Auch ohne Ticket kann man die Premierenkonzerte am 11. und 12. Januar können mit dem 360°-Livestream von Google verfolgen. Noch intensiver lässt sich das Großereignis mit der Virtual-Reality-Brille Google Cardboard verfolgen: Google Arts & Culture und die Elbphilharmonie stellen dafür 38.000 Exemplare der Cardboards zur Verfügung. Ab sofort und solange der Vorrat reicht können sich alle Interessierten ihr persönliches Exemplar kostenlos im Besucherzentrum Elbphilharmonie abholen. Read More →
Bogdan Roscic
Der österreichische Kulturminister Thomas Drozda hat heute in einer im Internet übertragenen Pressekonferenz bekanntgegeben, dass der Vertrag des derzeitigen Staatsoperndirektors Dominique Meyer trotz evidenter Erfolge 2020 nicht verlängert wird. Bogdan Roscic wird neuer Staatsoperndirektor. Remy Franck fasst die Pressekonferenz zusammen. Read More →
