The ecclesiastical authorities of the Church of St Martins in the Fields, after refusing to take calls all day, have told the organisers of tonight’s Charlie Hebdo Adagio that ‘it is too much of a security risk’ to have the performance on its premises.
Flannelled cowards and heartless fools. For once, the Church has a chance to do something meaningful with people who otherwise have no interest in its product and they run a white flag and surrender to Al Qaeda terror. For shame.
Never mind. The Charlie Hebdo Adagio will go ahead on the North Terrace of Trafalgar Square.
Vanessa is keeping a meeting place for musicians at the Church until 9.45 to avoid confusion.
Vanessa says: ‘We will not be silenced!’
John Luther Adams has announced on social media that he has been given the William Schuman award for lifetime achievement. It makes him $50,000 the richer and means he need no longer be referred to as ‘the other John Adams’.
John Luther Adams, 62 this month, won a Pulitzer and had an orchestral best-seller this past year. Alaska based, he paid his first visit to Carnegie Hall in the spring of 2014.
The Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France helds a moment’s silence at noon for the victims of the Islamist attack on the satirical magazine. They then performed Beethoven’s seventh symphony, with Daniel Harding.
Watch video of the silence here.
Audience and orchestra players held placards that read ‘Je suis Charlie’.
Robert Lyall’s had enough at Michigan’s Opera Grand Rapids. Read here.
It was 2009 when he last set foot in London.
Have we missed Kent Nagano?
Press release follows.
After more than 5 years, Kent Nagano is returning to London on 31 January 2015 to conduct the BBC Symphony Orchestra inWolfgang Rihm’s “Tutuguri” – a work for large orchestra, percussionists, taped chorus and speaker. The performance at the Barbican in London is the UK premiere of Rihm’s “Poeme danse”. Kent Nagano has conducted this monumental piece before to great acclaim – at the rostrum of the BR Radio Symphony Orchestra Munich in 2012.
The concert is part of the BBC Symphony Orchestra’s “Total immersion: Percussion” – an interactive day featuring masterclasses, performances, talks and workshops at the Barbican, London.
Message from the Allegri Quartet. Please share.
In light of the Charlie Hebdo massacre, for those that died and for their family and friends. For the sake of democracy and free speech and for the role artists and musicians play in it, there will be a performance tonight of Barber’s Adagio for Strings at 10.45pm outside St Martins in the Fields Church, Trafalgar Square.
Meet at 9.45pm at the church to rehearse. Bring a stand. Pegs to hold music. Stand lights if you have them.
Can you play?
Can you invite lots of people to play/come along please?
Ness (Allegri Quartet)
UPDATE: Thomas Gould will lead. Double-basses sorely needed.
2nd UPDATE: Slight change of venue here.
FINAL UPDATE: Here’s a report from the performance.
No surprise that the new artistic administrator speaks the Maestro’s lingo.
Press release below:
CHICAGO—Jeff Alexander, President of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association from January 12, 2015, announced today the appointment of Cristina Rocca to the position of Vice President for Artistic Planning, the Richard and Mary L. Gray Chair, effective March 16, 2015. Rocca replaces Martha S. Gilmer, who left the CSOA in September to become Chief Executive Officer of the San Diego Symphony.
In her new role, Rocca will design and execute the artistic plans and vision for the CSOA, working closely with Chicago Symphony Orchestra Music Director Riccardo Muti and CSOA President Jeff Alexander to develop innovative programs and to engage guest artists for the CSO.
She will also collaborate with the CSOA’s Director of Programming in the presentation of guest artists and ensembles from a wide variety of genres—classical, jazz, world, and contemporary—annually offered as part of the CSOA’s prestigious presenting series, Symphony Center Presents.
Born in Bologna, Italy, Rocca currently serves as Artistic Director, Orchestre National de France, a post she has held since September 2012. Before that, she was Director of Artistic Planning for the Cleveland Orchestra. She also has been the Artistic Manager, Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg; Head of Concerts and Programming, Bournemouth Symphony; and Head of Artistic Planning, Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia.
Rocca is known for her strong skills in orchestral arts administration, her collegiality and professionalism and her deep knowledge of and experience with classical music repertoire and artists, many of whom the CSO engages regularly. She is fluent in English, French and Italian.
Her numerous accomplishments include widening and diversifying the repertoire and pool of visiting artists at the Orchestre National de France, where she worked alongside Music Director Daniele Gatti to enhance the orchestra’s position nationally and internationally. There she also strengthened relationships with the ARTE, Medici and Mezzo television and web companies. In Cleveland, Rocca’s knowledge of and experience in the European music world helped contribute to the success and diversification of the orchestra’s programming at home and on tour.
In announcing Rocca’s appointment, Alexander said, “It became clear during the search process to fill this very important position that Cristina Rocca’s background, experience, artistic sensibilities and personal qualities were exactly what we were looking for. Her reputation with artists and artist managers in the United States and internationally is impeccable. I am pleased to welcome Cristina to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association, and look forward to working with her.”
Riccardo Muti, Music Director of the CSO, said, “I am very happy that Cristina Rocca has accepted the position of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Vice President for Artistic Planning. She is someone I have known well for many years and is a person of great experience and professionalism. She will be a wonderful addition to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra family.”
Said Rocca, ‘I feel privileged and honored.’
Soon after the orchestra was allowed back to work after a disastrous lockout, a local foundation gave $38 million. This week, an Atlanta couple have added $1.25 million to support the musicians’ endowment fund.
Money is flooding in to the orchestra. The city wants it to survive. Why did its management think otherwise? Why is the Woodruff Arts Center still being run by the same executives and board members who thought silencing the orchestra was a good idea?
Answers, anyone?
The daily disintegration continues.
David Lai, who took over as agent for one of IMG’s biggest earners after Elizabeth Sobol moved to Universal, has left the company of his own volition. We hear others are heading the same way.
Meanwhile, a directive is doing the rounds suggesting that agents should work at home to save headquarters costs.
Some day, this will make a good musical.
The city’s application for the title has gone in for 2025, by which time the Mayor, Helma Orosz, hopes Dresden will be seen as a bridge between east and west, rather than a barrier. Reacting to the latest Pegida rally, she said: ‘This is not our town, what’s happening here.’
Shocking statistics in a survey just published by The Stage. Half of the directors who responded to a survey earned less than £5,000 a year, many less than £1 an hour. Read here.
Charlie in Hebrew is…
(one for Mr Sondheim)
