Ed Balls, the British shadow chancellor, has been trying to make political capital of his new hobby, learning to play the piano. Here’s his statement on Kinderszenen.

He has either got a cloth ear, or a skin thicker than old boots. Judge for yourselves. Click here.

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Maria João Pires, the venerated Portuguese pianist, has announced plans to record on the boutique label, Onyx. First up are two Beethoven concertos. Pires has been an exclusive DG artist since 1989.

It’s a great coup for Onyx, and a bit of a diplomatic problem. Onyx, founded by ex-Sony boss Chris Craker, was bought out in 2005 by Paul Moseley. So far as we know, he still owns it though Matthew Cosgrove runs the label day to day.

Moseley today is head of Decca, sister-label to DG, from where Pires (below, left) has jumped ship. Both are owned by Universal Music. The water-cooler conversations should be interesting.

Press release follows.

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ONYX delighted to announce Portuguese pianist Maria João Pires joins the label with first recording set for release in May 2014

 

The recording, which features Beethoven’s Piano Concertos No.s 3 & 4, was made with conductor Daniel Harding and the Swedish Radio Orchestra in October 2013.

 

Maria’s future plans with ONYX include a collaboration in 2014 with French violinist and fellow ONYX recording artist Augustin Dumay to record Mozart’s Violin Sonatas, plus Beethoven’s Triple Concerto with Brazilian cellist Antonio Meneses in 2015. There are also plans to record Beethoven Piano Sonatas No.s 31 & 32.

Matthew Cosgrove, General Manager at ONYX Classics says: “We are delighted and honoured that Maria João Pires has joined our roster of Artists and we looking forward to the many exciting projects to come.”

 

The song is Asimbonanga (We have not seen him), a cry of yearning for the imprisoned Mandela.

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The Novaya Opera in Moscow has fired Victor Gerasimenko, its chief stage designer since 1995. ‘In accordance with the established procedure, Gerasimenko was able to choose one of the available staffing positions – as cloakroom attendant or labourer,’ it was stated. Gerasimenko, an Honoured Artist of Russia, said he was a victim of vengeance by a new management.

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Eric Jordan, 42, was unable to speak after a TIA. But willpower and therapy have put him back on stage.

 

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How players are facing their second Christmas without salaries. Read here and weep.

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While others pay lip-service, the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra (music director: Muhai Tang) has started a series that introduces women conductors to its musicians and audience. The first invitees are Anu Tali, Kristiina Poska, Jane Glover, Gisele Ben-Dor, and Karen Kamensek, who features in a video below.

Not too sure about the series title – On High Heels (maybe it works better in Serbian) – but it’s a positive gesture. More than a gesture: it’s a sign of changing times.

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We reported earlier the victory of Soo-Jung Ann at the International Beethoven Competition in Bonn.

Now sooner was the news out than we received complaints that the winner is a student of the competition founder and jury chairman Pavel Gililov (pictured) at the Salzburg Mozarteum.

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The winner in 2011 was also a Gililov student.

Like so many music competitions, it seems like the Beethoven is a hub of favouritism. When will the music world clean up these tawdry acts?

 

Hats off to  Soo-Jung Ann, 26, at student at the Salzburg Mozarteum.

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Details here.

From a Slipped Disc reader:

Sir Mark Elder may have made his debuts as both an actor and singer at the Royal Festival Hall last night. While conducting the belated UK premiere of Offenbach’s operetta Fantasio, Elder played the brief cameo spoken role of Le Tailleur, then sang that of Le Monsieur qui Passe.

The only known precedent, from the same podium a few years ago, was when Jose Cura both sang and conducted an entire concert, thus spending most of it with his back to the orchestra. Sir Mark,  described later by Irish baritone Gavan Ring, who sang the role of Hartmann, as “a Mensch”, spared us that spectacle by momentarily  turning sideways.

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photo (c) Laurie Lewis/Lebrecht Music&Arts

Sir Mark is music director of the Halle Orchestra in Manchester.

Prague’s police chief has praised a young officer who took time out from patrol to play a Korean tune. Police chief Martin Cervicek said the new recruit had greatly improved the image of the police force. His performance was filmed on a mobile phone and has gone viral on youtube. The tune is A River Flows In You, by a South Korean composer, Yiruma.

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Valery Gergiev’s defence of Vladimir Putin and his anti-gay laws may cost the Russian conductor his long-standing festival in Rotterdam.

The city council has called a meeting this week to examine his statements on gay issues. If they are found to be offensive, the festival could lose its subsidy and be forced to close. Report here (in Dutch).

Russian President Putin presents a Hero of Labour award to Mariinsky theatre director Gergiev during an awards ceremony in St. Petersburg