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.

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

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.

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.

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

Like? Not sure.

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.

We have been informed of the death, from cancer, of the leading Russian cellist, Alexander Ivashkin. Sasha was 65 and active to the last as a performer and teacher. He gave more than 50 world premieres and wrote around 20 books.

Living in London for the past quarter-century, Sasha recorded for Chandos, BMG, Naxos and Brilliant the complete cello music by Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Roslavets, Tcherepnine, Gubaidulina, Schnittke and Kancheli. His latest recording contains the world premiere of early pieces by Benjamin Britten.

I got to know Sasha in the early 1990s while commissioning a series of 20th century composer biographies for Phaidon. He was living in New Zealand, on the other side of the clock, and much of our communication was by overnight fax. But we struck up a swift and easy rapport and worked together with mutual pleasure. His book on Alfred Schnittke, published in 1996, was the first to appear in any language outside Russia. It remains a treasure trove of exclusive information.

Sasha was close to Schnittke and remained friendly with his widow, Irina. A favourite student of Mstislav Rostropovich, he seemed to know everyone in Russian music. He taught at Goldsmiths College, organised festivals all over the world and lived to the full a life that was cut far too short.

I am deeply saddened by the loss of a brilliant performer, restless activist and good friend. My heart goes out to his widow, Natasha.

UPDATE: first tributes here and here.

Ten tips from an examiner, Chris Foley, right here.