I am currently in the graduate music program in cello performance at Florida State University. During the winter break I traveled back to California to visit my family. I took my cello as I’ve done many times in the past. I wanted to be able to play with my friends, practice for my recital, and earn some extra money teaching students.
Whenever I fly, I always gate check my cello to ensure that it is properly handled. When I flew back to Tallahassee, United airlines did not allow me to gate check my cello. I pleaded with them saying that I have checked the cello many times in the past and was allowed to do so on my initial flight to California. They were completely unsympathetic refusing to allow me to be present during the checking process. There were no extra seats on the plane so I could not buy a seat for my cello. I couldn’t cancel my flight and was forced to check it through normal baggage procedures.
When I got back to Tallahassee, my instrument was completely broken. Not just parts of it. The whole instrument was in pieces as well as the case. Clearly the airline completely mishandled my cello. This incident has been incredibly traumatic. I’m currently using a loaned instrument that is inferior to my cello. This instrument negatively impacts my ability to perform at a high level causing my work at school to suffer and jeopardizing my livelihood.
The maestro returned this weekend to Milan with his Chicago Symphony Orchestra, his first performance at La Scala since his angry resignation as music director in 2005.
Graham Spicer reports:
photo: Silvia Lelli/La Scala
Muti strode to the podium with cries of “Welcome back Maestro!” from the auditorium. He picked up a microphone, though not to comment on his return, but to dedicate the concert to those who have lost their lives during the recent earthquakes. The last big quakes were two days before the concert. There was a minute’s silence.
Suitably, first on the programme was Catalani’s Contemplazione, “…a sad and melancholy piece by a man who would be dead at 39”.
After the closing work – Tchaikovsky’s 4th Symphony – there was an ovation and, after five minutes of applause, Muti lifted his baton for an encore, the same piece he chose after his last concert in the theatre, with the Vienna Philharmonic in 2005:
In 1986, when my hair was still black, and rumours were going around that I dyed it, I began my wonderful years in this theatre with Nabucco. We’d now like to play the overture from that opera.
A standing ovation crowned the evening a true triumph.
Michael Buchmann, a viola player in the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, was catching a U4 Karlsplatz train home at midnight when he smelt smoking.
He pointed out to three young men, reportedly of Middle Eastern appearance, that smoking was forbidden on public transport. One of them responded with a karate kick aimed at his hand, breaking his ring finger.
He will be out of action for at least a month.
Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers stepped up to open the Detroit Symphony’s Mozart season.
Then he got familiar with the music director, Leonard Slatkin.
The Partners has designed the visual identity for the London Symphony Orchestra’s (LSO) 2017/18 season, to coincide with conductor Sir Simon Rattle becoming its music director in September this year.
Inspired by the consultancy’s original identity for the orchestra, which features a logo representing a conductor, the new identity depicts the conductor’s movements and is designed to reflect “the emotional power of music through colour, texture and motion…”
