When Universal was forced by the EU to sell EMI to Warner it had to sign an obligation to lay hands off the label’s talent.

But that’s just the artists. Any EMI exec worth his or her salt has been called in for the compatibility test. Another one dropped in today:

GRAHAM SOUTHERN JOINS UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP INTERNATIONAL AS VICE PRESIDENT COMMERCIAL AFFAIRS, CLASSICAL

We are very pleased to announce the appointment of Graham Southern as Vice President of Commercial Affairs, Classical, UMGI.

Graham joins Commercial Affairs bringing with him a wealth of experience, having previously been Vice President of Global Classical Catalogue at EMI Classics, Manager at Universal Classics and International Marketing & Publicity Manager at Decca Classics International/PolyGram.

Graham will spearhead our efforts to drive revenue and commercial opportunities across our classical business, with a particular focus on digital and emerging markets. He will also be working closely with Stephen Greene on pricing and campaigns.

Nothing to do with croissants on motorbikes (you’ll be glad to know), but access to Paris airports was jammed this morning by a taxi strike and the consequent pressure it put on other means of transportation. Taxis also protested by driving slowly down main routes.

In the picture below, Suzana Bartal (winner of New York Artist competition) has just  missed her flight to New York, pianist Paloma Kouider (of Trio Karenine) hers to Vienna and the cellist Gautier Capuçon his flight to Montreal.

The fourth person is the composer Eric Tanguy who was seeing Suzana off after she performed one of his works. They met Paloma and Gautier quite by chance in the transport wilderness.

Eric tell us: ‘this picture was taken not far from CDG airport (in Vert- Galant ) where our second train left us after the first one broke down. Impossible to get a bus or anything!’

Where is the Président de la République when you really need him? (No need to answer that one.)

An update from the severely maltreated musician, Christopher Wilke:

Here I am at the Rochester NY airport the night of January 11th 2014 in the Baggage Services office of Delta Airlines immediately following my connecting flight from Detroit that destroyed my lute. Soon passersby began to stop, pointing and gasping at the broken instrument. When a real crowd started to gather, the Delta representative (who would only give her name as “Regina B.”) abruptly announced that she would be closing the office to attend to an unrelated baggage matter, telling us to leave immediately.

When my wife and I refused to go, she threatened to have us forceable removed by the police! We instead demanded to see a supervisor, who took more of our time, but apparently only pretended to file a damage report. As of today (Jan. 13th, 2014) Delta claims no such report was ever filed. Delta, I really would like someone at your organization to take this seriously!!!

The Ulster Orchestra has announced a Venezuelan as its next chief conductor. He is Rafael Payare, 33, a personal protege of sistema founder Jose Antonio Abreu. In 2012, he won the Nikolai Malko competition. Last summer he married the cellist Alisa Weilerstein.

He succeeds JoAnn Faletta in September. The orchestra has severe financial problems and has laid off several staff.

Announcement here.

If it’s not the Customs, it’s the US airlines. This message is just in from the Lute List:

Hello all,

Last night the soundboard of my 13-course lute was completely smashed after being valet-checked on a flight. (It just happened to be my birthday. Thanks Delta.)

I have several solo lute concerts coming up in late January and

February. Is there anyone in the region of Rochester NY who would feel

comfortable loaning me a 13-course lute on which to practice and/or

perform?

Thank you,

Chris

Dr. Christopher Wilke D.M.A.

Lutenist, Guitarist and Composer

www.christopherwilke.com

See UPDATE here.

Our social secretary reports:

Karel Mark Chichon and Elina Garanca are delighted to announce the birth of our daughter, Cristina Sophie Chichon, a sister for Catherine Louise. Cristina was born on 10 January 2014 and both mother and little Cristina are doing very well.

Our family is now complete and we embrace the future full of joy and new experiences.

The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, based in Salford, near Manchester, was rescued in 2007 by a pledge from Salford Council to inject £20 million ($32m) over eight years. Salford was looking to uplift its identity above the mush of Greater Manchester and the orch, which competes with the Halle and Manchester Camerata for audiences, was keen to grab a lifeline outside the financially straitened BBC.

However, Salford Council has been hit by cuts and has told the orch it can’t pay much this year. Probably just £1m, according to MEN. How the BBC Phil will meet its bills is now on the agenda of numerous meetings.

Officially, Israel is observing a week of mourning for Ariel Sharon, its former prime minister. But officially doesn’t include its biggest city. Tel Aviv has lined up an all-week dance-music fest and conference.

Could they turn that down, please? Forget it.

We’ve been reading rave reviews overnight of an Osmo Vanska concert in Geneva. It included one of his trademark Carl Nielsen symphonies and a new concerto by the exquisite French composer Pascal Dusapin – the kind of new-frontier music he would have struggled to squeeze past the custodians of Midwest culture. Review here (en francais).

A psychological survey at the University of Hildesheim confirms that musical taste changes as we age. At 19, we want it loud, zappy and in short bursts. At 65, we are more reflective. No surprise there.

But the listener’s reaction to music does not atrophy with age. The survey, of 470 people aged 19 to 85, finds the same intensity in advanced age as it does in blazing youth. That’s interesting.

Results here, with details of a forthcoming lecture.

image source here