Heartwarming story on Musical Toronto.

The veteran R Murray Schafer has achieved a new score despite a diagnosis of Alzheimers.

Read here.

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The festival has signed Hartmut Haenchen to take over the new production from Andris Nelsons, who walked out.

Haenchen, 73, is vastly experienced and a safe pair of hands.

Former music director of Dutch National Opera, he has never been on Bayreuth’s calling list before.

Katharina Wagner said: ‘Ich bin Maestro Haenchen sehr dankbar, dass er sich kurzfristig bereit erklärte, das Dirigat der Neuproduktion zu übernehmen und freue mich auf sein erstes Mitwirken bei den Bayreuther Festspielen.’

 

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Gladys Nordenstrom, who studied with Ernst Krenek from 1942 to 1947 and married him soon after, died yesterday at the age of 92. She outlived Krenek by 25 years and did much to get his music recorded.

Her death came in the middle of a project to record the complete piano concertos.

Krenek was one of the musical livewires of the Weimar Republic, composer of the hit opera Jonny Spielt Auf. He quit Germany when Hitler came to power.

 

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Gladys Nordenstrom, Charles Amirkhanian, Ernst Krenek, 1980

We have been asked to post details of an emergency whip-round for the family of Hendrik Zwiener, the Gewandhaus cellist who was tragically killed on his bike this weekend.

His wife, Irina, a violinist in the Staatskapelle Weimar, is due to give birth in two weeks to their first child.

She is devastated by the tragedy and has been left in a difficult situation. Irina’s friends in Weimar, led by the music director Stefan Solyom, have launched an appeal.

Please click here if you can help.

And please share among friends.

hendrik zwiener irina

Hendrik Zwiener, an active humanitarian and a member of the cello section of the Gewandhaus Orchestra since 2006, was suddenly and tragically killed in a bicycle accident, while on his way home, on July 2nd 2016. He leaves behind his wife, Irina. Their first child, a daughter, is due in a couple of weeks. This should have been a time of joy for Hendrik and Irina. Instead, Irina will have to navigate her grief, while soon having to care for her newborn.

While there is not much anyone can do to make this better, let’s at least help Irina and her daughter not have to worry about the practical and financial difficulties that have emerged. Any contribution will help a great deal towards easing this particular burden, in this period of transition.

Hendrik Zwiener, ein aktiver Humanist und Mitglied der Cellogruppe im Gewandhausorchester seit 2006, ist am 2.7.2016 in einem Fahrradunfall, auf dem Heimweg, plötzlich und tragisch um das Leben gekommen. Er hinterlässt seine Frau, Irina. Das erste kind des Paares, eine Tochter, wird in ein Paar Wochen erwartet. Dies sollte eine Zeit der Freude für Hendrik und Irina. Statt dessen muss Irina jetzt die Sorge verarbeiten, in dem dass sie sich bald auch um ihre neugeborene Tochter kümmern muss.

Obwohl es nicht viel gibt, was jemand tun könnte, um diese Situation einfacher zu machen, können wir wenigstens Irina und ihre Tochter dabei helfen, sich die praktische und finanzielle Schwierigkeiten, die dadurch entstanden sind, zu bewältigen. Jeder Beitrag wird sehr behilflich sein, in dieser Übergangsphase, diese Bürde zu erleichtern.

At a time when UK orchestras face the loss of their valuable European markets, Graham Sheffield of the British Council questions the value of turning up, giving a concert and moving on.

The model needs to change, says Graham:

Who now wants a touring orchestra that’s just going to turn up, play, and go? Not many! So, if you are running an orchestra with shrinking public subsidy and are looking to tour, look around you, take account of the best practice from across the world including the UK, and mark your score with an accelerando. The tempo is increasing and the great conductor in the skies won’t hang around for you!

Read the full article here.

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The composer’s gift wills secure four more years of free lessons provided by the Music in Secondary Schools Trust Andrew Lloyd Webber Programme, reaching 4,000 children.

He’s seeking a matching grant from the UK Government.

More here.

andrew lloyd webber

The job of opening the lakeside festival is one of the duties of the Austrian President.

But, since the country’s constitutional court invalidated the result of the last election, there is no president.

They are asking the Parliament speakers, but it’s not yet clear if they are interested, or free.

Anyone with a black tie or clean dirndl will do.

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Leipzig musicians are in shock at the death of Hendrik Zwiener, a member of the cello section of the Gewandhaus orchestra since 2006. Hendrik was 36. He was reportedly knocked off his bike.

Hendrik devoted his out-out work hours to two passions: cycling and the fight against extremism.

He set up a foundation in his father’s name to combat ‘nationalism, fundamentalism, extremism and hatred’. In 2014 he cycled 613 kilometres with a friend to raise funds for his foundation. He was planning further such events.

Hendrik was a musician who gave his life for good causes, to which you can donate here.

Meantime, our thoughts are with his grieving family, friends and orchestral colleagues.

 

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