In the last hours before Christmas, when hardly anyone is at their screens, the Philharmonia Orchestra has slipped out the announcement that it has found a new managing director.
She is Helen Sprott, director of music at Arts Council England.
Her predecessor, David Whelton, arrived at the Philharmonia by the same route.
The orchestra has been expert at working the public funding conversation.
Press release follows.
The Philharmonia Orchestra is delighted to announce that Helen Sprott is to be the Orchestra’s new Managing Director. Helen moves to the Philharmonia from Arts Council England, where she has been Director of Music and has worked since 2005.
Helen will take up the post in April 2017 as the permanent replacement for David Whelton, who retired in August 2016 after 29 years with the Orchestra, and takes over directly from Interim Managing Director Alistair Mackie.
Helen Sprott said: “I have been a fan of the Philharmonia Orchestra and Esa-Pekka Salonen since my student days. The Philharmonia is one of the world’s great orchestras, generating extraordinary passion and loyalty among its followers, and it is a real privilege to be appointed Managing Director. My ambition is to support these wonderful musicians to reach new audiences across the world, whether virtually or through live concerts, so that as many people as possible see and hear the Philharmonia, and experience the incredible work of this Orchestra.”
Kira Doherty, Chair of the Philharmonia Orchestra, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Helen to the Philharmonia. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience as well as a deep love of music and respect for the Orchestra. We very much look forward to working together.”
Esa-Pekka Salonen, Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor said: “It is great news for the Philharmonia that Helen will be the new Managing Director. She has tremendous passion for our art form, and will bring her considerable energy and expertise to the role. I look forward to working with her and the exciting times ahead.”
Prior to joining Arts Council England, Helen Sprott was Commissioning Editor for Music and Performing Arts with Channel 4 Television, a music specialist on BBC 2’s The Late Show, and Commissioning Editor, Music Books, with the publisher Faber and Faber. She trained as a cellist and graduated with a BA (Hons) in English Language and Literature from University College, London.
The marvellous Austrian soloist and conductor Heinrich Schiff has died today in a Vienna hospital. He had been in poor health for several years after suffering a stroke and he no longer played the cello, but his teaching and his conducting lit up the music world.
We mourn his loss.
Heinrich Schiff was artistic director of the Northern Sinfonia in England from 1990 to 1996. He was also chief conductor of the Copenhagen Philharmonic and the Orchester Musikkollegium Winterthur.
Our diarist Anthea Kreston lives close to the market that was attacked. Here are her resolutions, as an American in Berlin.
This week, Berlin suffered a tragedy – a terrorist attack at a Christmas Market close to our home.Similar to the attack in Nice, France, this major attack (by a truck cutting a tornado of death and destruction through a festive market) was the deadliest terrorist act on German soil in many years. Germany now joins Brussels, France in a tragic reality of fear and unsettled sadness. This is the third, and most immediate terrorist experience for me since our move here.
The Christmas Market which was attacked surrounds the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church – or, the “Broken Church”. It remains, as it was at the end of World War II, a jagged tooth – a broken reminder of what befell. It is just down the street from us – on the glamorous Ku-Damm, our version of 5th Avenue. I was practising and Jason came in – he said have you looked at your phone? – and I looked down and it was going crazy with messages. He said – it happened, it happened here. I almost immediately threw up. The girls were asleep already, but on my phone are fresh photos of them on the kiddie rides at the market, just days old.
When I started this diary for Slipped Disc 10 months ago, I decided to give myself a few simple restrictions. One of these was to remain neutral politically. As a musician, we often find ourselves at a cross-road. We, as musicians, are a multi-colored, multi-oriented and multi-national band of people who make our way through life in always creative ways – looking for connection, for inspiration from one another.We often find ourselves as a small island of entertainers, entertaining people who may not share our natural openness, our desire for inclusiveness. Conversations after concerts with patrons can be sensitive, and we more often than not steer clear of any possible conflict – innately sensing when a fundamental difference exists.
So, with this in mind, I have been asked to share my thoughts of recent events here and in the States as a musician living abroad. Here goes – I will do my best.
I am afraid, afraid for my children, my friends, for myself, and for the earth. I am afraid of the inherent darkness of humans – and the encouragement of this darkness. I am afraid of the way people may feel they can teach their children – the newly acceptable parameters of right and wrong.
The day after the US election, the night of which was spent in fits and starts as I continually checked the New York Times coverage, I felt powerless. Somehow, I had expected a confirmation of our belief that women were indeed equal, powerful and capable of whatever they desired. Am I fooling myself?Are we less?Can we not be trusted with great responsibility?All the teeny and not-so-teeny slights I have experienced my whole life – I was ready to turn a new leaf, to kindly but firmly mark my space, to not brush aside these daily reminders of my place in the world as a woman.
My daughter, the day before the election, told me her friend at school said that if the man became president, there would be a war. I assured her that this would not be the case – to not worry. There is a swirling darkness, something that is not right with the world now. I don’t have any answers for my daughter.
With the attack this week in Berlin, I experienced a strange numbness. I stopped, hesitated, spoke to Jason, posted an “all is well with our family” on Facebook, then went back to practicing. I just felt, and still feel, like I am in a dream state. I have begun to accept this new reality. Angela Merkel is in trouble. The Right is attacking, and she is the last head of state who stands strongly for democracy here. With the United States at a crossroads, Europe in a struggle between right and left, I can’t shake the feeling that we are living at a juncture in history. A juncture which will become a fundamental curriculum in school for children in the future. They will ask, “why didn’t they see it coming, why didn’t they do anything?”
I regularly speak by FaceTime to my friends in the States. I feel far away and unsure of what the feeling is there on the ground.I walk around with my safety pin on my shirt. It is a symbol of support for those in need of support – I will stand by you in any moment of injustice. I believe in equality. I know this is a small thing – to put a pin on my shirt – but I do stand up for others and will continue to do so. I have always been unafraid and quick to act in danger. I will continue to work with the refugees here. I will continue to teach my children strength of character and kindness. I will steady myself, stay focused and strong. I will do this for myself and for my family. I know you will too.
The shock hit of the season is a pair of classical crossover singer, Michael Ball and Alfie Boe. Their Together record has sold quarter of a million UK copies in a fortnight and is firmly predicted to be the all-coveted #1 in the pop charts on Christmas Day.
This is a record made not so much in heaven as across a desk.
A record exec – let’s spare her blushes – had an idea that two lads on the loose might work better together than apart.
You never know til you try.
Rafael Baghdasaryan, solo clarinet of the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra of Russia and professor of clarinet at the Moscow Conservatory, has died. He was in his early 80s.
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has posted this:
At the request of the U. S. Presidential Inauguration Committee, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir has accepted an invitation to sing at the swearing-in ceremony during the presidential inauguration at the U.S. Capitol next month in Washington, D.C.
On January 20, 2017, the Choir will perform during the inauguration ceremony for President-elect Donald J. Trump and Vice President-elect Michael R. Pence.
This performance will mark the sixth time the Mormon Tabernacle Choir has sung at an inauguration. These inaugural events include the official swearing-in ceremonies for George H. W. Bush (1989), Richard M. Nixon (1969), and Lyndon B. Johnson (1965). They performed in inaugural parades for George W. Bush (2001), George H. W. Bush (1989), and Ronald W. Reagan (1981).
“The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has a great tradition of performing at the inaugurals of U. S. presidents,” said Ron Jarrett, president of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. “Singing the music of America is one of the things we do best. We are honored to be able to serve our country by providing music for the inauguration of our next president.”
Ed Rosen, baritone, founder of Premiere Opera Ltd and insatiable enthusiast for the art, died yesterday after a short illness. He was a vital hub of the New York operatic scene.
Here’s what was posted on his fb site:
I am writing this post on behalf of Ed Rosen. With deep sadness I have to announce that Ed passed away late last night after a brief illness that started at Thanksgiving. Ed had made a point with me that I was not to inform anyone about his illness until he was feeling strong enough to correspond directly with all of you. The Opera community was the joy of his life and I am planning a tribute to Ed in Manhattan in the New Year. I will be reaching out to many of you in the days and weeks ahead, however, I can be reached at steve.striffler@gmail.com anytime and will respond quickly. Having known Ed for the past 35 years and he being a part of my family, it is a difficult time for all, but we take comfort in the fact that he did not suffer and died peacefully. Best wishes Steve Striffler
The trombonist Ruud Merx died yesterday, December 22nd 2016, in the Academic Hospital of Maastricht. He did not recover consciousness after suffering a heart attack in his sleep on Saturday morning in Leeds.
Ruud was 47. He had played in the Johann Strauss Orchestra since 1994. His wife, Alina Lin Jong, was among the first musicians in the orchestra. They have two teenaged children. Our thoughts are with them at this wretched time.
Tributes are being posted here and on the orchestra’s site.
André Rieu has posted this memorial video.
Ruud’s favourite work was Mahler’s third symphony.
Our friend Jeremy Rosen has written a moving piece about a beggar-violinist he knew in Antwerp….
One of the characters who frequented Hovenierstraat almost every day of the working week was a beggar everyone knew as Hopla. He was a small, rotund elderly man dressed in a raincoat no matter what the season, with a small shabby hat on his head. He was always carrying a black bag and a walking stick, which he used liberally to prod or whack anyone he felt slighted him, made fun of him, or did not give him a big enough donation. He often shouted at people and was particularly aggressive with kids who loved to tease him. It seems he got his nickname because every time he succeeded in giving someone who provoked him a whack with his stick, he would shout out “hopla!” Just like a circus clown or acrobat delighting in his performance, or victory.
On my first day there, I ignored him as I walked by. He shouted at me. I ignored him. The second day he blocked my way, glared at me, and waved his stick. I was repelled by his aggression and yet drawn to him…
Hopla, who died in 2006, would have turned 90 this year.
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Bogdan Roscic, who was announced this morning as the next director of the Vienna State Opera, is the second successive head of the Sony Classical label to run an international house.
His predecessor, Peter Gelb, has been general manager of the Metropolitan Opera since 2006.
Neither Gelb nor Roscic had prior experience of running an opera house.
Gelb’s plan for the Met has been movie-driven. He launched Live from the Met in cinemas across the world and imported Hollywood-style directors to liven up his new productions.
The consequence has been a catastrophic fall in ticket sales, from near-capacity to below 70 percent.
The medicine may have worked, but the patient is dying. Over time, Gelb realised just how much he had bitten off.
What Roscic plans for the Vienna Opera remains to be revealed. But he was chosen, as Gelb was, for his reputed success at Sony Classical – actually, a steep sales decline – and he will be keen to put his mus-biz genius to work on a stately institution that is achieving its best results for years.
