We reported a couple of months back that Oliver Aldort, a Curtis student, had won an audition for Boston. Trouble is, he’d already won a seat in the Pittsburgh. So which was it going to be?

oliver aldort

Looks like he’s made up his mind.

Boston announced today that he will be their youngest players. (Sorry, Pitts.)

 

CELLIST OLIVER ALDORT SET TO BECOME YOUNGEST MEMBER OF THE BOSTON SYMPHONY WHEN HE JOINS THE ORCHESTRA IN 2015-16 SEASON

Oliver Aldort, a 21-year-old cellist set to receive his Bachelor of Music degree from the Curtis Institute of Music this spring, will become the youngest member of the Boston Symphony, when he joins the orchestra’s cello section at the start of the 2015-16 season in September. Mr. Aldort studied under Boston Symphony musicians as a Tanglewood Music Center Fellow during the 2011 and 2012 Tanglewood seasons. He won the audition for a seat in the BSO against a pool of over 200 applicants in October 2014.

andsnes-nude-in-fjord

The Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes, caught unaware at a fjord.

boulez in the kitchen

Boulez à la cuisine…

Eugene Ormandy During His Minneapolis Years

Eugene Ormandy, out shopping in Minnesota

Heifetz-Japanese-Style

Jascha Heifetz as Ko-Ko San

menuhin shankar

Yehudi Menuhin on the floor, and upside down.

Yehudi Menuhin in yoga position on his head with

 

Hector Quine Quine was the first professor of guitar at the Royal Academy of Music, appointed in 1959 and teaching there for 30 years. He worked closely with Julian Bream and built one of his favourite guitars. Obit here.

hector quine

Vera Gornostaeva, professor at the Moscow Conservatoire and teacher of more than 50 international competition winners, has died aged 85. (Russian TV report here).

A student of the formidable Heinrich Neuhaus, Gorostaeva taught Emil Gilels’s daughter Elena and went on to train three or four generations of musician families. Ivo Pogorelich and Sergey Babayan were among her star pupils.

She recorded for Philips, Yamaha and other labels.

gornostayeva

Just in:

 

 

 

 harmonia mundi

London, UK – January 20th 2015: harmonia mundi UK Ltd. today announced the appointment of Simon Astridge as Managing Director, where he will replace Patrick Lemanski [who swanned off to Warner Classics], effective Monday 8th February 2015.

 

“I’m very excited at the prospect of this new challenge, and look forward to continuing to work for such an outstanding company in my new role” said Astridge.

 

Simon has worked for harmonia mundi UK as Commercial Manager since 2001, during which time he has acquired a great deal of experience and knowledge of both the UK company and harmonia mundi’s global operations.

 

Simon joined harmonia mundi UK from a background in music retail (Virgin, Farringdons Records and MDC Classic Music) and in his time with the company has seen it grow substantially.

 

angela-gheorghiu-cancels-carmen

Who do I have to sue to get a proper chair?

Angela Gheorghiu, the Met, 2010.

thielemann sport1

The sporty side of Christian Thielemann.

thielemann sport2

You gonna tackle me?

netrebko villazon

Er, too comfortable. Far too comfortable.

 

netrebko villazon2

Netrebko and Villazon, 2007.