I’ve been filming a conversation with the inspirational young harpsichordist, Mahan Esfahani, who thinks his instrument works best with modern and contemporary music. He’s about to release his first commerical recording. Out of the blue, in a sea of Bach, Mahan starts playing Mikrokosmos … and it sounds like club music. Irresi

Watch us talk and play right here on Sinfinimusic.

There’s a longer audio interview here and a Bach session with Mahan here.

After all the media hysterics about her facing jail, concert pianist Laia Martin has been found not guilty by a court in Gerona of inflicting noise pollution on her irascible (and possibly irrational) neighbour. Read the verdict here.

Now some of you may appreciate why Slipped Disc refrained from covering the non-story. We send our best wishes to Laia and wait to hear her side of the case.

Guy Tem was riding his bike in Louisiana when a low-hanging cable caught him across the throat.  He’s suing the cable company.

Arik Einstein’s coffin will be brought at 1.30 today to Rabin Square, where the nation will say farewell to its most iconic singer. The funeral is at 3.30 in the old Tel Aviv cemetery. An epoch is being laid to rest with its singer, an artist who never sought recognition outside his own society.

Seiji Ozawa has announced that he will be conducting Beethoven’s fourth symphony with the Mito Chamber Orchestra in January.

Still too frail to take on a whole concert, he has given the first half to the French contralto, Nathalie Stutzmann, whom he is encouraging to become a conductor. Nathalie will conduct Mendelssohn’s Fingal’s Cave and fourth symphony. Details here.

publicity photo (c) Simon Fowler

Our associate Elijah Ho has a fascinating interview with Marina Mdivani, the first female Soviet musician to be presented in America. She should have made her debut on November 22, 1963. Events intervened. Here, she reflects on studying with Gilels, losing out to Ashkenazy and why competitions don’t produce good musicians. Read Marina, a voice of reason.

Matthew Bucksbaum, whose $25 million gift created a music school, has died in Chicago. He was 87.

A self-made billionaire, Matthew was America’s second largest shopping mall owner.

Matthew and his wife, Kay, came to Aspen on their first wedding anniversary in 1953 and attended his first classical music concert. He was hooked. End of story.