In a hazardous balcony scene, the Russian diva comes out this morning singing, ‘my tiny toes are frozen’.

Feel free to add your own captions.

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The Montreal International Musical Competition is claiming to be the first among the 126 World Federation of International Music Competitions to offer an award for improv. The international jury will be pianist and improviser Gabriela Montero (US); pianist and composer Bruno Fontaine (France); and composer and producer François Dompierre (Canada).

The winner will receive C$5,000.

Some further details here and below:

 

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RICHARD-LUPIEN IMPROVISATION PRIZE

With this new award, the MIMC is seeking to promote classical piano improvisation, a traditional discipline still taught in some higher music education institutions. The award will be given out every three years, alongside editions of the MIMC dedicated to piano. The winner will receive a $5,000 grant. According to its General and Artistic Director Christiane LeBlanc: “The MIMC stands out among the 126 competitions in the World Federation of International Music Competitions by being the first to offer such an award. We are also very enthusiastic at the thought of having audiences re-discover this art form.” For the president of the jury, Mr. Dompierre, improvisation is music’s twin sister, and both were born a very long time ago: “At the dawn of time, to fill his solitude, primitive man improvised a rhythm on his drum made of taut animal skin. Is God himself an improviser?

The creation of this award was made possible through the generous contribution of Mr. Richard Lupien, who is seeking “to reward a pianist who can restore the glory of improvisation in the field of classical music.” Said Mr. André Bourbeau, President and Co-founder of the MIMC: “This competition is fortunate to be able to rely on a board of directors whose members are very dynamic. Mr. Lupien has been the Vice-President and a Portfolio Manager at National Bank Financial since 2000, but he is also a great music-lover and a musician in his spare time. We are very grateful for his support.

 

PARTICIPATION

The competition for this award is open to classically trained pianists of all nationalities, aged 35 years old or less on January 1, 2014. An initial selection is made based on a video accompanying the completed application, which must be submitted by mail no later than February 24, 2014. A maximum of 10 participants will be selected to compete, and will be provided with transportation and lodging. Potential candidates for the 2014 Piano Edition of the

MIMC may also register, on a voluntary basis, to compete for this new award. Rules and

conditions of participation, the registration form, and complete details are available online at concoursmontreal.ca

The Opéra de Lyon has launched an appeal to recover a saxophone that was stolen from jazz player Jacques Schwarz-Bart on the Paris-Lyon TGV.

A reward of 300 euros will be paid to whoever returns the instrument,  a bronze saxophone, made in 1954, Selmer Mark VI Tenor, serial number 57320.

Jacques Schwartz-Bart, 51, is the son of two writers Simone and André Schwarz-Bart. His father is the author of the haunting 1959 novel, The Last of the Just.

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Full story here. It is claimed that she is the first opera diva to be awarded the honour of singing the national anthem before the big game. True, or not?

One of our Twitter followers writes: good choice, it’ll be in tune and I doubt she’ll have a wardrobe ‘malfunction’ either…

Lorin has posted what he was about to say at the Davos Economic Forum, had he not been diverted to ER by a bash on the head, and then ordered to stay put for a while.

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Read his full script here.

We didn’t say that. They did.

The Welsh so-called ‘opera singer’ has a a new record deal after being dropped by Warner. And the plan, we hear, is a reversion to para-classics.

 

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KATHERINE JENKINS

@KathJenkins

SIGNS NEW DEAL WITH DECCA

RETURNING TO ‘THE HOME OF CLASSICAL MUSIC’ AS SHE CELEBRATES 10th ANNIVERSARY IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY

 

Today, 20th January 2014, Katherine Jenkins (OBE), announced that she has renewed her relationship with the world’s No.1 Classical label, Decca Records – signing a deal which will see the nation’s favourite songstress release her next album in the autumn of 2014.

 

This significant signing marks the beginning of a new era for the classical artist.

 

Katherine made the announcement at an intimate brunch at The Ritz to celebrate her 10th anniversary in the music industry.

 

Since 2004, Katherine has become one of the most successful classical crossover artists ever, selling in excess of 8 million albums to date and is one of the most in-demand classical concert artists in the world. In 2013 alone she toured in South Africa, China, Japan, The U.S., Abu Dhabi and across continental Europe.

 

Her popularity has earned Katherine numerous accolades including two Classical Brits for ‘Album of the Year’ as well as receiving an OBE for services to music and charity in the 2014 New Year Honours List.

Katherine Jenkins said:  “It feels not only very exciting but very special to be returning to Decca – a decade after they first signed me and to many of the people who helped launch my career. It amazes me to think that this will be my 10th album and for this, it seems the perfect place to be going ‘home’ to.”

 

Like me, Franz Welser-Möst does yoga. Actually, he’s been doing it a lot longer, but I’m catching up…

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We warned that more bits would fall off the troubled agency when Libby Abrahams quit two months ago as v-p. Well, today Libby announces that she’s waltzed off with IMG’s star signing, the French pianist Hélène Grimaud, as well as two conductors – the Sony-spinner Teodor Currentzis and the rising Czech, Tomáš Hanus. Press release below.

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Libby Abrahams launches Keynote Artist Management

 

Keynote Artist Management is launched today by Libby Abrahams who has over twenty years’ experience of artist management in classical music, and brings with her wealth of knowledge and understanding of artists’ and their needs in the 21st century.

 

Keynote Artists Management aims to establish and grow a boutique artist management company based on excellence, and to offer a personalised service to high profile artists with experienced staff.  It will concentrate on the core management business, retaining the independence and flexibility to seek partnerships which benefit the individual artists.

 

Libby Abrahams’ career has included roles at Van Walsum Management, Trittico Ltd, ICM, Harrison Parrott and most recently IMG Artists Ltd where she was Senior Vice President & Director in London for Conductors and Instrumentalists.

 

Keynote Artist Management commences with three artists all of whom Libby Abrahams’ worked with at IMG Artists: pianist Hélène Grimaud and conductors Teodor Currentzis and Tomáš Hanus. All three artists will be managed in association with IMG Artists.

 

Libby Abrahams commented, ‘After many fruitful years working in some of the most prestigious classical music artist agencies, setting up a smaller boutique artist agency was a natural step for me. It offers new challenges and opportunities and I relish the chance to continue to develop relationships with high profile artists and to help both shape and progress their careers. Keynote Artist Management will focus on a personal service offering high quality and excellence.’

I ripped open a new Luto release and there was not a single work I knew. It’s the piano music, very esoteric. But good. It’s my album of the week on Sinfini. Read here.

ewa kupeic

Claudio Abbado ci ha lasciati. Ma alla Scala resterà per sempre.

It begins: Claudio Abbado has left us, but at La Scala he remains forever.

And it continues in the same smug vein, celebrating his service to the ‘eternity’ while ignoring the internal struggle that evicted him in 1986. Perhaps because several of the instigators are still playing. Read here.

abbado young

1956 photo shows Claudio Abbado in a piano rehearsal with Franco Fantini and Mario Gusella.

Seiji Ozawa has posted a short tribute to his comrade:

Claudio and I were good friends from before either of our debuts, all the way to the present. Once we were both inconvenienced by illness, we took to worrying about one another. I had fully believed that Claudio’s gift for looking after himself would lead to his recovery. I am so sad to have lost such a good friend.

Seiji Ozawa

January 20, 2014

 

RECK-CON-OZAWA-E-ABBADO

The man in the middle is conductor Stefan Anton Reck.