Choir conductors' pay not enough to attract younger generation

While the younger generations are still interested in Song Festivals and are actively participating in the choirs that perform there, the situation of the conductors has worsened.

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Detroit Symphony Orchestra secures $18.5M from 4 foundations

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra says four foundations are giving a combined $18.5 million to the organization to boost programming and its permanent endowment.

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Metropolitan Opera Enjoys First Ticket Sales Increase in Six Years

Following years of declining sales in the wake of the September 11, 2001 catastrophe, the Metropolitan Opera reported an increase in ticket sales for the season just ended over the 2005-06 season.

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Gaelynn Lea talks violin, disability rights; but not always at the same time

Gaelynn Lea was in Rochester this weekend for a performance at Nazareth College. She never thought she would be a performer full time.

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The Boston Symphony Orchestra is headed to Japan

The Boston Symphony Orchestra is prepping for its first Japan tour with Andris Nelsons as music director. The BSO last toured Japan with a music director in 1999, when Seiji Ozawa led the orchestra.

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News: The Atlanta Opera's innovative Discoveries series receives $1.2 million Blank Foundation grant

The Discoveries series launched in the 2014–15 season and was nominated for an International Opera Award in 2016, a first for the company.

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A storm in 1873 'built' Music Hall. CSO, May Festival team to recreate fateful concert

If it wasn't for a stormy day and a tin roof, would Cincinnati have Music Hall? For the finale of the five-weekend celebration of the $143 million restoration of the building, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is turning to the venerable hall's genesis ...

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Big Picture: Conductor Sean O'Loughlin recalls encounter with sharks

If the theme from Jaws seems particularly nerve-jangling when the Victoria Symphony performs it at the Royal Theatre on Saturday, chances are it's because conductor Sean O'Loughlin had his own close encounter with great white sharks not so long ago.

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Remembering Jacqueline du Pré, an Icon of the Cello

The British cellist Jacqueline du Pré was in her teens when she was sent to the Swiss mountain resort of Zermatt for a master class with Pablo Casals, one of the 20th century's great cello virtuosos.

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Simone Young Renews Contract as Music Director of Hamburg Opera

Young, 46, became Intendantin of the Hamburgische Staatsoper and chief conductor of the Hamburg Philharmonic in 2005; she has now effectively extended her current contract by five years.

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Andre Rieu Owns The Largest Private Orchestra... And Now He Wants To Play On The Moon

In his decades-long career, he has sold tens of millions of albums, played in dozens of countries and he's been able to make a business work that few could have imagined: a privately-owned and privately-funded orchestra.

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Dutch violin maestro Rieu fights child labour fine

The celebrated violinist Andre Rieu has appealed in court against an "absurdly high" 116,000-euro fine — issued for allowing children to perform in his show past the legal time limit set by Dutch law

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London Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Gordan Nikolitch steps down after 19 years

Gordan Nikolitch (Nikolić) played his last concert as leader of the London Symphony Orchestra on 23 October in Madrid, under conductor Bernard Haitink. Nikolitch, born in Brus, Serbia in 1968, joined the LSO as leader 1997.

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Violinist Maria Milstein wins Dutch Music Prize

The prize, the highest offered by the Dutch Ministry of Culture to a classical musician, is awarded to young musicians with prospects of an international career following admission to a development and mentorship programme.

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Meet the 25-year-old who plays the cello for beluga whales in northern Canada

The gurgling hum of the inflatable boat comes to a stop as we glide along the turbid waters. Rob Knaggs lifts his electric cello off the floor of our zodiac and slowly begins to play.

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Musical family swells ranks of orchestra

Doherty siblings Margot, a violinist, clarinetist Rosie and French horn player Annie, come from something of a musical dynasty as their aunt, Diana Doherty, is principal oboist with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

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'Wear your trainers to the opera'

But Scottish Opera is hoping to kill off the perception that the genre is the province of sneering elitists. The company has begun an advertising campaign which says: “You don't have to dress up for the opera.

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Opera has a race problem, but we can't let bullies censor artists

The rage to censor art is as old as art itself. Since the time of Plato, moralisers have tried to ban certain sorts of music or painting or opera, because they corrupted the moral fibre of the people

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Pair of intrepid musicians climb N. Cascades summits to play

Allison pulls on a pair of embroidered, fingerless gloves. She gently bows the opening melody of Leonard Cohen's classic, “Hallelujah,” as Freeman arpeggiates the chords on piano.

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Philadelphia Orchestra principal oboist Woodhams to retire

“Woodhams is that rare orchestral gem, at once an ideal team player and yet able to stand out with distinction when called upon to take center stage,” wrote an Inquirer critic of a 1986 Mann Center performance of Bizet's Symphony in C Major.

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Yale football player Alex Galland did not kneel; he played trumpet with the band during the national anthem

With all the controversy and divisiveness generated by the current wave of protests during the playing of the national anthem at football games, this story may come as a welcome relief to many of those who are following these events.

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Trio Da Kali: the Malian musicians defying jihad – with help from Kronos Quartet

None of the trio had ever heard a string quartet, nor were they familiar with western classical music. Lassana Diabaté confesses that he was anxious how his percussive balafon would blend with Kronos's strings.

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Opera's Nicholas Sales sings Verdi in a Barnsley accent as a new Yorkshire opera opens

Why is there no opera in a Yorkshire accent? Indeed, can you actually sing opera with flat northern vowels?

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Rare Handel manuscript to be used for performance in Katikati

A rare publication of a manuscript of the famous Messiah by composer George Frederick Handel that dates back to the 1700s has been discovered in the Bay of Plenty. It is believed to be one of only four copies in the world.

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Conductor relieved of orchestra duties

The mood changed in Sayles Hall Tuesday night when orchestra students learned that Conductor Brandon Keith Brown, who was hired by the University for the 2017-18 academic year in May 2018, will no longer serve as their director.

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Former principal flutist killed in California wildfire

Lynne had been the principal flutist for the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra -- now known as the Philharmonic -- for 17 years. She also taught music to countless students.

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New York Philharmonic Apprentice and Master Violins Now Available for Students

Harold Hagopian, president of New York Stringed Instrument Company Inc., who is a Juilliard graduate and violinist, has partnered with the New York Philharmonic to create the Official New York Philharmonic Apprentice Violin

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Classical violinist, 34, who once played for the Queen and set up a fake £25000 burglary dodges jail for the second time

A classical violinist, who once played for the Queen, left a motorcyclist with life-changing injuries in a cocaine-fuelled crash.

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Opera singer and film writer ex-boyfriend in High Court battle over who wrote the script to a Hollywood blockbuster

An opera singer is locked in a High Court battle with her film writer former boyfriend over who wrote the script to a Hollywood blockbuster. Julia Kogan claims she helped Nicholas Martin write the award-winning 2016 film Florence Foster Jenkins ...

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Bychkov becomes new chief director of Czech Philharmonic

The Czech Philharmonic says Semyon Bychkov has been appointed as its new chief conductor and music director. The orchestra said Monday that Bychkov assumes his full duties at the beginning of the 2018-'19 season.

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Running viola shatters marathon record

Alistair Rutherford, a Royal Birmingham Conservatoire student who earlier this year broke the Guiness World Record for running the fastest half marathon dressed as a musical instrument, took on the Birmingham International Marathon on Sunday 15 October.

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The Guardian view on the 'yellowface' casting row: classical music has a diversity problem

The fact that common sense clearly did not kick in points to a problem with diversity in classical music that goes far beyond operatic casting.

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Symphony's Cascade Quartet walks away from head-on crash

The Great Falls Symphony has a lot to be grateful for this weekend as four of its principal members survived a near head-on collision Thursday near Seeley Lake. For Cascade Quartet members Megan Karls, Mary Papoulis, Thad Suits and Maria Ritzenthaler, ...

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Missing for hundreds of years, $1.7 million red violin comes to Bates Music Hall

On Oct. 15, classical violinist Elizabeth Pitcairn will be performing with the 1720 Red Mendelssohn Stradivarius violin at the University's Bates Recital Hall.

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Opera singer breathes with another woman's lungs

- This fall, renowned soprano Charity Sunshine Tillemann-Dick will inhale deeply, filling her new transplanted lungs with air, and sing.

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Macon Symphony Orchestra bids farewell after 41 years

A 41-year-run for one of Macon's cultural institutions is coming to an end this weekend.

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Where Mozart drank in Prague?

Cafés and historic pubs remain fascinating experiences for the curious. Rich in tradition and local legends, they have invariably become interlinked with a variety of personalities who have in their own way, helped to shape a city's cultural identity ...

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Daniel Hope awarded Germany's Federal Cross of Merit

The now Berlin-based violinist was presented with the Verdienstkreuz am Bande on the evening of the premiere of a documentary about him

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Hackney Empire pulls out of Chinese takeaway opera over all-white cast

The London premiere of an opera set in a Chinese takeaway has been cancelled after a backlash over its all-white cast.

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Youth orchestra suspends after dispute with city

The San Diego Union-TribuneA teen-run orchestra in San Marcos seems to be calling it quits after a feud with the city over practice space

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Kansas City Symphony Reaches $55 Million Endowment

After a five-year fundraising campaign , the Kansas City Symphony announced Wednesday that it had accomplished its goal of raising $55 million for its.Kansas City Symphony

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Evansville Philharmonic announces new chorus conductor

On Wednesday, the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra announced the appointment of Dr. Kerry Glann as Conductor of their chorus.

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EU youth orchestra to quit UK for Italy over Brexit

European Union Youth Orchestra will relocate to Ferrara and Rome.

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Happy to Be an Opera Engineer -

The earliest-known bootleg recording (1888) was of an opera. The earliest-known sound movie (c. 1895) used opera music. The earliest-known off-air recording (1920) was of an opera singer.

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Korean composer Unsuk Chin receives prestigious int'l prize

South Korean composer Unsuk Chin has been awarded the 20th Wihuri Sibelius Prize, one of the world's most prestigious classical music prizes, her orchestra said Tuesday.

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Cleveland Orchestra's gala raises $1.23 million

The Cleveland Orchestra announced that its gala held on Saturday, Oct. 7, raised $1.23 million. It's the fourth year in a row the annual event has brought in more than a million dollars to support the orchestra's education and community programs

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San Antonio Symphony Orchestra Appoint New Assistant Conductor

The San Antonio Symphony has today announced the appointment of Israeli-born conductor Noam Aviel as their new Assistant Conductor.

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Is David Geffen’s Gift to Lincoln Center Enough to Inspire Half a Billion More?

Lincoln Center has scaled back the plans for renovating David Geffen Hall.

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How to improve the school results: not extra maths but music, loads of it

A Bradford primary school wants the world to know its newfound Sats success is down to giving all children up to six hours of music a week

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TwoSet Violin mix classical music with comedy -

At various times, the two players appeared thinly disguised as eminent virtuosi - a Chinese pianist called Yang Yang, a mischievous bit of satire here which those in the audience who have been affected by the cancellation of Lang Lang's Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) visit next month relished;

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Bericht: Wiener Symphoniker verschwenden Steuergeld

Zu viel Personal, zu wenig Leistung, finanzielle Verluste: Der Stadtrechnungshof spricht wörtlich von Missständen bei dem Orchester, das die Vorwürfe zurück weist.

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Statue of 'America's First Composer' could come down over racism claims

A statue of Stephen Foster, dubbed "American's First Composer," could be removed over racist claims. The national debate over whether controversial statues should be removed has now put a spotlight on Pittsburgh.

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Opera company criticised over Chinese restaurant production that features entirely white cast

A Welsh opera company has defended its decision to stage a production set in a Chinese restaurant but featuring an entirely Caucasian cast.

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Are you getting your classical music 'one-a-day'?

Her café playlist included “a lot of piano music, also some gentle chamber music. Some Liszt, Chopin, Rachmaninov…” In return, she was given free flat whites for several weeks.

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Injured pianist Lang Lang 'borrows' teen's left hand for Carnegie Hall concert

Pianist Lang Lang, nursing an injured arm, found an innovative solution to avoid missing Carnegie Hall's annual gala on Wednesday – a young protege literally lent a hand.

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Celebrating culture and diversity

Rebecca Fox talks to Monica Ellis about the bassoon and being an African American classical musician. Self-proclaimed ''band kids'', members of Imani Winds are proud to be celebrating 20 years together.

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Saturday's Minnesota Orchestra concert designed for audiences confronting 'racism and injustice'

Take a look around at a typical orchestral concert in the Twin Cities, and you won't see many people of color. Roderick Cox, associate conductor at the Minnesota Orchestra, wants to change that.

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Would Joshua Bell Stop To Listen To A Violinist In A Subway?

Note: Bell was the subject of a Pulitzer Prize–winning feature story by Washington Post reporter Gene Weingarten in which he played his violin incognito outside a D.C. subway station for 45 minutes. He went largely unrecognized and earned only $32.17

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Four Female Conductors Take the Stage at the LA Phil

That may not seem like a lot over the course of an 8-month concert season, but it is considerably more than any other major orchestra in the United States (that has announced their 2017-18 season so far).

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Maxwell Quartet winner of 9th Trondheim Competition

The Final rounds of the 9th TICC competition was held Saturday 30 September in the Freemasons Hall in Trondheim, Norway. The Scottish Maxwell Quartet won the competiton with festival engagements and 15 000 €. As well as convincing the jury, the quartet also won the audience prize, and are invited back to next year’s festival as festival artists.

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Music teacher suspected of contaminating flutes with semen, roiling Southern California school districts

Two Southern California school districts were giving conflicting messages over the weekend as they attempted to guide parents through a scare touched off last week by a state and federal investigation of a music specialist suspected of contaminating musical instruments with semen.

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Sydney Symphony Orchestra board's dramatic u-turn on same-sex marriage

After days of turmoil and anger that threatened to tear the Sydney Symphony Orchestra apart, the orchestra's board has staged a stunning back-flip on the issue .

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Conductor David Heusel has died

Mr Heusel was due to conduct the RTE Concert Orchestra at the NCH in Dublin on Saturday night with singers Cara O’Sullivan and Noah Stewart

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