In their second snatch of the day, IMG Artists have lured Michael Fabiano away from ailing CAMI.
It’s hotting up out there.
The heiress Eleanor McCain has fired back with a second deposition against her ex-husband, the ex-Toronto Symphony president, Jeff Melanson.
The latest round involves relations with their children, a reversible vasectomy and IVF treatment.
Nothing of musical interest. It’s here, if you need to know more.
If you’re a vinyl person, you need to be at the auction on June 19 at the Maison de la Radio.
See the catalogue here.
Everything from early Beatles to original musique concrète.
Most are being sold in job-lots. There are bargains to be had.
Here’s the statement on her website:
Breaking news: Audra regrets that she must postpone her West End debut in Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, but is thrilled to announce that she and husband Will Swenson are expecting.
As a result, Audra will continue performances of Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed through July 24, at which time Grammy-winning singer Rhiannon Giddens will step in as Lottie Gee and choreographer and tap legend Savion Glover will join the cast. Audra will return to Shuffle Along in the winter following her temporary maternity leave.
The Brussels decision to end funding for the European Union Youth Orchestra has all the hallmarks of standard practise. It’s why so many citizens of Europe hate and despise its governing bodies.
The cut was arbitrary, unreasoned and intended to be fatal, giving the orchestra no time to find alternative sources of funding.
The men behind the decision are answerable to no-one. They will keep their fat seats regardless of the outcome of any decision they make. Who was the last EU Commissioner to be fired for incompetence?
So let’s name the guilty men: Culture Youth and Sport Commissioner Tibor Navracsics.
Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament and Honorary President of the EUYO,
Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission.
The EUYO website is asking supporters to write to these pen-pushers. It also seeks donations to help fight closure. The loss of subsidy amounts to 600,000 Euros.
Check the EUYO website for ways to help the fightback.
Let’s storm the Juncker bunker.
The National Endowment for the Arts has given $25,000 to the Nashville Symphony to record John Harbison’s post-9/11 Requiem.
It will be released on Naxos.
IMG have signed the remarkable violinist Daishin Kashimoto in a bid to develop his solo career.
Daishin was appointed first concertmaster of the Berliner Philharmoniker in 2009 and has appeared as a soloist with the orchestra under the batons of Sir Simon Rattle and Andris Nelsons.
San Franciso Opera wants word to get out about its upcoming Carmen.
So it’s handing out free seats to inveterate tweeters for the dress rehearsal.
We want your authentic opinions and thoughts, and perhaps even a scene-by-scene recap of the onstage action. In other words, we’ll give you an opera ticket in exchange for your stellar social media skills!
Apply here if you’re feeling stellar.
Apparently it worked rather well last year with Marriage of Figaro.
What do we think of this initiative (in less than 140 characters)?
The European Union Youth Orchestra was the brainchild of Claudio Abbado, a means of bonding young musicians from different countries. In almost 40 years it has helped 3,000 musicians to find their voice.
The EUYO’s Honorary Patrons include heads of Government of all 28 member states, as well as the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Parliament.
Today, these worthies abolished the orchestra.
UPDATE: We’ve been informed that the member governments are each prepared to continue their national subsidy. But the EU Commission withdrew its support. The resistance is organising.
First responses:
Sir John Tusa, Co-Chair said: “For 40 years the EUYO has been the musical expression of European unity, artistic collaboration and partnership. It is a tragedy that the European Community seems no longer to value such work as a key part of the European project.”
Ian Stoutzker, CBE, Co-Chair, said: “I and others became Trustees in 2014 with the sole aim of helping the EUYO to fulfil its mission at the highest level. Recent critical acclaim suggests that we are on our way. Should the Orchestra be abandoned at this point by the EU, the European Union will have scored a spectacular own-goal.”
Marshall Marcus, CEO of the European Union Youth Orchestra said: “If the EU is not able to help fund its own youth orchestra, an orchestra which is the only organisation in the world that recruits and brings together young people every year from all 28 EU member states in support of the ideals of the Union, then the Orchestra will cease to exist. A sad day for the EU”.
If you have personal experience of playing in the orchestra, now is the time to speak out.
UPDATE: What else you can do.
press statement:
The European Union Youth Orchestra, now in its 40th anniversary year, is to cease operations from 1 September, 2016 due to the lack of funding from the European Union.
For 38 years, between 1976 and 2013, the EUYO was supported by the EU as a Cultural Ambassador for the EU.
Since 2014 a change in the EU’s cultural funding policy meant that the Orchestra was no longer funded by the EU, as funding was no longer given to any cultural organisation, but was only available for projects under the EU’s new Creative Europe programme. Representation was made at the time that this method of funding could not sustain the Orchestra, and that the proposed funding method was inappropriate. With no other option, the Orchestra applied to Creative Europe, and from 2014-15 the Orchestra received funding under the new Programme.
The EUYO was however informed three weeks ago that its Creative Europe partnership is no longer to be in receipt of any funding from the EU. Since that time the Orchestra has been in regular contact with the EU to attempt to find alternative funding from the EU. However, the funding routes so far suggested by the EU do not allow the Orchestra to plan any form of secure future.
Considering the high visibility of many agreed performances this summer – such as the Grafenegg European Music Campus, the Slovak EU Presidency concert, the Wrocław European City of Culture concert, the Alpbach European Forum opening concert and the launch of a major 40th anniversary 3 year tour to all the 28 Capital cities of the EU’S member states – the Trustees of the Orchestra have come to the conclusion that it would be harmful to the long term interests of the Orchestra, and of the EU, for the summer 2016 tour to be cancelled. They have therefore decided to take responsibility for the forthcoming tour, and together with the EUYO’s Residency Partners, to find the monies required to permit this year’s tour to proceed.
The Summer 2016 tour is therefore assured. Details of this tour are attached. Thereafter, without funding from the EU, the EUYO has no alternative but to cease operations.
UPDATE and reactions here.
The German composer, who died 100 years ago yesterday, is best known for his response to a hostile critic: ‘I am sitting in the smallest room of my house. I have your review before me. In a moment, it will be behind.’
But there is another bon mot for which he should be remembered:
‘Das Schwein und der Künstler werden erst nach ihrem Tode geschätzt.’
The pig and the artist are only appreciated after their death.
Not always, Maxi, and not by everyone.
The conductor will be honoured today by the Brahms-Gesellschaft of Schleswig-Holstein with the 2016 Brams Prize and a bank order for 10,000 Euros.
