Received communication:

Katherine Jenkins scores 26 on her debut appearance on 'Dancing with the stars'-767355

 

Saturday, February 01, 2014 The American Federation of Musicians has confirmed that after 17 hit seasons with Dancing With The Stars, one of the world’s most popular TV programs, the DWTS Big Band has been fired.

ABC/Disney says the group, comprised of 28 talented musicians, singers, arrangers and copyists, will be replaced by pre-existing sound recordings and a “small electronic band” to “attract a younger viewer demographic.”

The Federation is in contact with ABC/Disney executives in an attempt to stop these unjustifiable and unwarranted actions. You can join with us to push back against this latest attack upon the livelihood and integrity of professional musicians. Please email Candice.A.Ashton@abc.com.

Please let her know that you will encourage viewers everywhere to boycott the show, ABC-TV, and The Walt Disney Company if she follows through on her plan to fire the band. The Federation will provide further information as the situation develops. If you are reading this bulletin on Facebook or social media, please share it with your friends immediately.

 

Now see Update here.

Glenn Weyant, a former professor of journalism, lives in Tucson, Arizona, and is fascinated by the nearby separation wall with Mexico. Using a cello bow, a mallet and some simple electronic equipment, he makes music out of the barrier.

“I’m a white male playing the border wall,” Weyant tells the LA Times. “I’m aware of my privileged status.”

Here’s how it sounds:

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Must try it some day on the West Bank.

Michael Henson, the vastly unpopular president and CEO of the Minnesota Orchestra, has announced that he will fulfil a pledge to take the same pay reduction as the musicians. Whether this will save his seat is other matter. The musicians are due to meet the new chairman, Gordon Sprenger, next week and Henson’s future will be a major factor in their discussions.

Meantime, Osmo Vänskä has been dropping hints he might return as music director.

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The Canadian electronic group Skinny Puppy, hearing that their loudest blasts had been used on prisoners in Gitmo, have decided they want to be paid for unauthorised use of their copyright material. This will set a few precedents if it ever comes to court. Read here.

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Anna Netrebko has signed up for a Rome Opera debut to be conducted by its music director and directed by his daughter Chiara. It will be the first time Anna works with any of the Muti family.

Chiara, 40, a film and theatre actress who is married to the French pianist David Fray, has only recently turned to directing.

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Vi Wickam, Canadian fiddle player, keeps getting asked for a critical distinction between what he plays and a Stradivarius.

He has come up with a whole range of delineators, some amusing, some true, some mythical (there is at least one classical violinist who plays concertos barefoot). But the volume of technical information that Vi assembles is valuable. This is a blog to cut out and keep. Click here.

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The pianist Maria Barankina, head of the Guild of Russian Accompanists, has died after a two-day bout of influenza. The terrible news was announced by her father on his Facebook page.

Maria, known as Masha, was a well-known member of a family of musicians. Her father, Evgeny Barankin, is chair of the advisory board of the Moscow Philharmonic.

Our thoughts are with her loved ones.

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It’s the first of February, not April. Believe what you read:

Deutsche Grammophon is proud to announce the release of  orchestral works composed by Bryce Dessner, known to many from acclaimed rock band The National, as well as a complete Suite from the soundtrack of “There Will Be Blood”, composed by Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead.

“Bryce Dessner is without doubt one of the most exciting contemporary composers working anywhere in the world today. We welcome his daring, his passion and his unique creative vision to the Yellow Label, and look forward to working with him.”

Mark Wilkinson, President Deutsche Grammophon

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More here, sadly.

Harold Shaw, who ran a boutique agency for a golden generation, has died of cancer, aged 90.

He looked after such rare talents as the violinist Nathan Milstein, the guitarists Julian Bream and John Williams, the cellist Jacqueline du Pré and the singers Jessye Norman and Janet Baker.

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The diva has been talking to an interviewer about her former relationship with baritone Erwin Schrott, whom she insists she never married. You probably don’t need to know more. If you desperately do, it’s here, in short snippets, in German.

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Oh, Dorothy, take good care. Your orchestra is recording Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony in the latest sense-surround technology.

Like? Not sure.

 

Google_Glass_7   Google_Glass_2

More here. Anyone in Kansas City want to tell us how it went?

 

UPDATE: Howls of protest from the prairies: This is the Kansas City Symphony, at the Kauffman Center, which is actually Missouri, rather than neighbouring Kansas, state of Oz.

Hope that’s clear.

 

Mariss Jansons has told the Concertgebouw he needs rest after undergoing medical treatment and will miss this week’s concerto.

Step up Gustavo Gimeno, the orchestra’s Spanish principal percussionist, who has been assisting Mariss in several productions this season. The programme, which includes a Lindberg premiere, is unchanged. More here.

 

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