‘He invited me to the football World Cup. Well, I am Brazilian…’
More here.
They’ve added a new V-P, Lisa Mantone, to head the development department, whichh includes fundraising, PR and publications, the last two of which need a kick up the foundations. Lisa started out at the NYPO, before going on to raise squillions for Columbia University, MoMA and WNET.
In a separate move, Bill Thomas, senior V-P, is named Chief Operating Officer (COO).
Pinchas Zukerman’s time is almost up. They’re calling in extra batons. Press release below.
January 6, 2015 – OTTAWA (Canada) – Today, the National Arts Centre Orchestra strengthened its artistic leadership with the appointment of John Storgårds, Chief Conductor of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, as its Principal Guest Conductor, effective September 1, 2015. It also announced contract renewals for Alain Trudel as Principal Youth and Family Conductor and Jack Everly as Principal Pops Conductor.
The Storgårds appointment is a three-year contract. The orchestra musicians and administration are all smiles.
Storgårds made his conducting debut with the NAC Orchestra in 2013 with an all-Finnish program to great acclaim, and last year shaped and conducted the orchestra’s performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No 8.
Commenting on the appointment, NAC Music Director Designate Alexander Shelley said, “I’m thrilled that distinguished Finnish conductor John Storgårds has accepted this post. I admire his work and look forward to his exciting artistic contribution.”
Just click on pic.
The Mayor of Saint-Etienne in the Loire region of France has a lawsuit on his hands.
Conductor Laurent Campellone, 42, dismissed after 11 years as music director of the Opéra Théâtre de Saint-Etienne by the Mayor, Gaël Perdriau, is suing for aggravated damage. The theatre’s director general and head of production were also fired, allegedly for misconduct.
Campellone, a Christoph Eschenbach protégé, is fuming. He accuses the Mayor of ‘une violence inhumaine et s’apparente à une véritable rafle’ – the last noun being a coded reference to police roundups during the German Occupation.
The endlessly inventive animator film producer Andras Erkel, founder of Hungary’s Studio Baestarts, has died of brain cancer.
After launching with a Simpsons music cartoon, he worked with MTV, HBO, Disney, Warner, BBC, ITV, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, ZDF, WDR and Svensk Film.
This one-minute video, retrieved from the company’s bunker, is what CNN will screen in the event of a nuclear wipeout.
Assuming anyone’s watching CNN.
(The BBC probably has Abide With Me in the nuclear safe).
The conductor Joe Guercio, who arranged ‘The Way We Were’ for Barbra Streisand and much else, has died in Nashville, aged 87.
His greatest triumph was the six-note theme that heralded Elvis Presley’s arrival on stage.
Joe was in charge of the band at the Las Vegas Hilton when Elvis first swung by.
Live session footage from Daria van den Bercken. Watch Gerd’s hands. Magic in them.
A mystery collector in mainland China has bought the 1727 General Dupont Stradivarius violin, once owned by Arthur Grumiaux.
The sale, by a New York dealer via a Hong Kong auction house, was on behalf of its recent owner, a Cleveland philanthropist, who last loaned it out to the New York-based soloist, Jennifer Koh.
The new owner says he intends to create a foundation for instrument loans. It is reported to be the first Strad in private hands in China.
The Greek violinist Leonidas Kavakos is pursuing legal action against a specialist dealer in Burbank, Cal., who broke his bow, valued at $80,000.
According to court papers, Kavakos, 47, ‘65,000 euros for an 1850 J. Henry bow in August 2012, “ornately adorned with tortoise shell and silver.” He says he brought it to Gevorkian Nazareth Violins in January 2013 to find out why the bow was curved. Gevorkian “began applying pressure to the Henry Bow, at which time the Henry Bow snapped into two pieces.
‘Kavakos says Gevorkian should have heated up the bow first, to make it responsive to straightening, but he did not. He says the bow is broken beyond repair. He seeks $80,000, and damages for negligence and breach of contract.’
h/t: Alexandros Rigas
We regret to report that Bath Compact Discs, long deemed Britain’s best classical specialist, has gone into administration.
Sarah Howells, its co-owner (with Steve McAllister), told us this morning that turnover had been in decline for the past couple of years, Christmas sales had been poor and an unexpected tax bill left them with no alternative but to shut down.
Aside from being the best stocked classical shop in the country, Bath Compact Discs had the most picturesque location of any record store – close to a bridge crossing the River Avon. Where on earth do we go now to find a good CD?
