The busy Italian conductor Francesco Cilluffo tied the knot this weekend in Milan with Giulio Castronovo, artist manager at Stage Door Agency.

They are not connected professionally, but have been together for ten years.

We wish them every happiness.

 

Munich, June 2018:

 

 

 

Richard Wagner 1813 — 1883
PARSIFAL

Ein Bühnenweihfestspiel in drei Aufzügen • 1882
Libretto vom Komponisten

Conductor Kirill Petrenko
Director Pierre Audi

• Amfortas Christian Gerhaher 
Titurel Bálint Szabó
Gurnemanz René Pape
Parsifal Jonas Kaufmann
Klingsor Wolfgang Koch
Kundry Nina Stemme
Erster Gralsritter Kevin Conners
Zweiter Gralsritter Callum Thorpe
Stimme aus der Höhe Rachael Wilson
Erster Knappe Elsa Benoit
Zweiter Knappe Tara Erraught
Dritter Knappe Manuel Günther
Vierter Knappe Matthew Grills
Blumenmädchen Golda Schultz, Elsa
Benoit, Selene Zanetti, Tara Erraught,
Alyona Abramowa, Rachael Wilson

Last month, reports the daily Yisrael Hayom, marked a landmark in the life of Yigal Tuneh, concertmaster of the Israel Philharmonic for the past thirty years. He left the Re’ut rehab centre and returned to visit his Tel Aviv apartment for the first time in almost a year.

On May 28, 2016, during a concert tour in Europe, Yigal suffered a suffered a severe stroke. After two months in a coma he emerged with left-side paralysis and sight difficulties. But he’s making progress… and he has got married.

Report here (in Hebrew).

session photo from 2014

More than two hundred musicians have written to the Guardian newspaper in response to an article by Charlotte C. Gill  titled ‘Music education is now only for the white and wealthy‘.

Ms Gill argued that teaching children to read music is elitist.

You can read the letter below – it has yet to be published – along with the long list of signatories. Among them are the composers Tansy Davies, Richard Barrett, Ivan Moody and Adam Gorb.

If you want to add your name, contact Ian Pace here.

UPDATE: Simon Rattle signs.

Charlotte C. Gill (‘Music education is now only for the white and wealthy’) argues that ‘to enable more children to learn [music], we must stop teaching in such an academic way.’ While rightly noting the increasing chasm between state and private education in terms of music provision, her conclusions about musical notation and theoretical skills amount to simple anti-intellectualism.

Gill dismisses the study of music ‘theory’ and argues patronisingly that musical notation is ‘a cryptic, tricky language (…) that can only be read by a small number of people’. This claim flies in the face of countless initiatives over two centuries making musical literacy available to those of many backgrounds. As with written language, musical notation enables effective and accurate communication, as well as critical access to huge amounts of knowledge. In many musical fields, those without it will be at a deep disadvantage and dependent upon others.

Gill’s comments about ‘limited repertoires of old, mostly classical music’ are unfounded and presented without evidence: composing, listening, singing, and playing are embedded in much musical education, which also widely encompasses jazz, popular, and non-Western traditions. Claiming that classical music comprises a limited repertory is inaccurate: composers have been adding to its repertory for centuries and continue to do so. We agree with Gill that aural and other skills are equally important as those in notation. However, through her romanticisation of illiteracy, Gill’s position could serve to make literate musical education even more exclusive through being marginalised in state schools yet further.

Jim Aitchison, composer and graphic score artist
Helen Alexander, freelance musician
Ralph Allwood, music teacher
Pedro Alvarez, composer, Adjunct Lecturer, Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
Paul Andrews, Anglican priest with PhD in music, former music librarian and choral conductor
Genevieve Arkle, PhD candidate in Music, University of Surrey
Jessica Aszodi, vocalist, doctoral candidate, Queensland Conservatorium of Music
John Aulich, composer, freelance tutor in composition and theory, and recording artist.
Brendan Ball, trumpeter and educator
Nicholas Bannan, Associate Professor of Music, University of Western Australia
Stephen Barber, Retired music teacher
Matthew Barley, cellist
Lester Barnes, composer, producer, and former music teacher
Richard Barrett, composer, Institute of Sonology, The Hague
Adam Bell, composer, doctoral student, Brunel University
Rebecca Berkley, Lecturer in Music Education, University of Reading
Mark Berry, Senior Lecturer in Music, Royal Holloway, University of London
Noel Bertram, Retired Head of Cumbria County Music Service
George Bevan, Director of Music, Monkton School
Dr. C.M. Biggs, performer; Director of Piano Studies, Cambrian College
James Black, MSt. in Musicology, University of Oxford
Kate Blackstone, freelance musician, PhD researcher, University of Leeds
Darren Bloom, composer, Lead Tutor for Composition and Musicianship, Junior Trinity
Andrew Bottrill, pianist
Mark Bowden, freelance composer; Reader in Composition, Royal Holloway, University of London
Andrew Bowie, jazz musician, Professor of Philosophy and German, Royal Holloway, University of London
Laura Bowler, composer, vocalist, Lecturer in Composition at Royal Northern College of Music and Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Anne Brown, primary school music teacher
Harvey Brown, secondary music teacher and musician
Janice Brown, piano teacher
Mariko Brown, teacher, pianist, and composer
Robin Browning, conductor; Conducting Instructor, University of Southampton
Martin Butler, composer, pianist, Professor, University of Sussex
Peter Byrom-Smith, composer
Sara Caine, singer & oboist, GP
Jacqui Cameron, Education Director, Opera North
Gerry Carleston, B Mus, retired violinist and teacher
Stephen Carleston, organist & choir-trainer, music examiner and arranger
Tim Carleston, lay clerk, St George’s chapel, Windsor Castle
Gary Carpenter FRNCM, HonRAM, FRSA. Composer, composition professor Royal Academy of Music and Royal Northern College of Music, BASCA Director
Philip Cashian, Head of Composition, Royal Academy of Music
Alan Cassar, composer and arranger
Oliver Chandler, Visiting Tutor in Historical Musicology, Royal Holloway, University of London
Anthony Cheung, composer, pianist, teacher (University of Chicago), co-artistic director of the Talea Ensemble
Pablo Santiago Chin, Adjunct Instructor, Music Theory and Composition, Saint Xavier University
Ray Chinn, violin teacher
Peter Cigleris, clarinetist, BMus (Hons), PGDip, Royal College of Music
Keith W Clancy, artist/composer/computer musician, Melbourne, Australia
Colin Stuart Clarke, Classical music journalist
Nicholas Clapton, singer and singing teacher
James Clarke, composer, Researcher, University of Leeds
Chris Collins, Head of Music, Bangor University
Sarah Connolly, opera singer and teacher
James Cook, University Teacher in Music, University of Sheffield
Rachel Cowgill, Professor and Head of Music and Drama, University of Huddersfield
Franklin Cox, Associate Professor of Theory, Cello, and Composition, Wright State University
Francis Cummings, violinist and Director of Music at Sistema Scotland, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
David Curran, freelance music educator, PhD Candidate, Royal Holloway, University of London
Steven Daverson, composer, Lecturer in Compostion and Sonic Arts, Brunel University London
Gavin Davies, freelance violinist
Tansy Davies, composer
Rebecca Day, Visiting Lecturer, Royal Holloway, University of London; Tutor in Music Theory and Analysis, University of Oxford
Caroline D’Cruz, B.Mus, ARCM, LRAM pianist and choral conductor
Nathan James Dearden, Performance Manager and Visiting Tutor in Music Composition, Royal Holloway University of London
Simon Desbruslais, trumpet soloist and Director of Performance, University of Hull
Josephine Dickinson, former music teacher, composer, and poet
Emily Doolittle, composer, Athenaeum Research Fellow, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
John Duggan, composer, singer, teacher
Jason Eckardt, Professor, City University of New York
Dr Paul Max Edlin, composer, Director of Music Queen Mary University of London, Artistic Director Deal Festival of Music and the Arts
Barbara Eichner, Senior Lecturer in Music, Oxford Brookes University
Aaron Einbond, composer, Lecturer in Music, City, University of London
Daniel Elphick, Teaching Fellow, Royal Holloway, University of London
Mark Elvin, Bass Guitarist, Double Bassist, Tubist, Composer/Arranger/Transcriber, Educator, Conductor
Daniel Fardon, PhD student in Composition and Teaching Associate at University of Birmingham
Greta Fenney, therapist
Adam Fergler, composer, arranger, and conductor
Laetitia Federici, freelance pianist and peripatetic piano teacher
Cal Fell BA Hons LRAM Freelance musician State Educated
Coia Ibàñez Ferrater, Director of Xilofon Elementary School of Music
Chris Fisher-Lochhead, composer and violist
Dr Alexandra Fol, composer; conductor and organist at Missione Maria Ausiliatrice, Montréal, Canada
Peter Foster. Music Teacher
Christopher Fox, composer, Professor of Music, Brunel University
Cheryl Frances-Hoad, composer
Luke Fraser MMus, composer and Piano Teacher for Arts First
Brigid Frazer, Kodaly based Early Years Music Specialist
Judith Fromyhr, Senior Lecturer in Music, Australian Catholic University
Hugh Fullarton,Organist and Master of the Choristers at Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral, Wangaratta
Ben Gaunt, Senior Lecturer Leeds College of Music, Tutor Open College of the Arts
Patricia Giannattasio, Professor of Music, Bergen College in New Jersey; PhD candidate at The Graduate Center
Don Gillthorpe, Director of Music and Performing Arts, Ripley St. Thomas CE Academy
Hannah Gill, pianist, organist, choral conductor and music teacher
Rob Godman, Composer, Reader in Music at the University of Hertfordshire
Nigel Goldberg Artistic Director Youth Music Centre
Miles Golding BMus, LTCL, LRSM, free-lance violinist, teacher of violin, viola, music theory
Richard Gonski Conductor Torbay Symphony Orchestra
Liz Goodwin, teacher, founder/director Flutewise
Sumanth Gopinath, Associate Professor of Music Theory, University of Minnesota–Twin Cities
Adam Gorb, Head of School of Composition, Royal Northern College of Music
Stephen Goss, Professor, University of Surrey
Dr. Barbara Graham, Retired Professor, Ball State University and amateur violist
Dr Michael Graham – postgraduate researcher, Royal Holloway; tutor, Rhondda Cynon Taff music service
Penny Grant, Singing Teacher and Soprano
Coady Green, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Conservatorium of Music.
Gavin Greenaway, composer, conductor, pianist
Nicole Grimes, Assistant Professor of Musicology, University of California, Irvine
Marc-André Hamelin, pianist
Ross Hamilton, Peripatetic Percussion Teacher, Cornwall Music Service Trust
Helen Hampton, Director, Popchoir
Patrick Harrex, composer and Musical Director of Brighton & Hove Arts Orchestra
Sadie Harrison, secondary school peripatetic teacher of piano and music theory; composer and lecturer
Jeremy Hawker B.mus, M.Teach, L.mus, professional guitarist and instrumental tutor at Townsville Grammar School
Steve Hawker, Inclusion Manager, Cornwall Music Service Trust
Morgan Hayes, Professor of Composition, Royal Academy of Music
Benjamin Hebbert, Director, Benjamin Hebbert Violins Limited
Andrew Henderson, singer, keyboard player, secondary school Director of Music, primary school governor, committee member, MMA – Music Teaching Professionals
Áine Heneghan, Assistant Professor of Music Theory, University of Michigan
Ken Hesketh, composer, Lecturer, Royal College of Music
Julian Horton, Professor of Music, Durham University
Tim Horton, pianist
Janet Hoskyns, Professor Emerita, Birmingham City University
Dr Jocelyn Howell
Alexander Hunter, composer and performer, Australian National University
Derek Hurst, Associate Professor of Composition, Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory
David Hutchings, conductor
Miika Hyytiäinen, composer, doctoral student, University of the Arts Helsinki
Dr Jenny Jackson, composer & private piano teacher
Julian Jacobson, musician
Frauke Jurgensen, musician, Lecturer, University of Aberdeen
Rob Keeley, composer and pianist, King’s College
Dorothy Ker, Composer, Senior Lecturer University of Sheffield
Christopher Kimbell, Visiting Tutor in Historical Musicology, Royal Holloway, University of London; peripatetic teacher in music theory
Owen Kilfeather, composer and writer
George King, Head and Senior Lecturer (retired), Department of Art History, Visual Arts and Musicology, University of South Africa
Helen Kingstone, Postdoctoral Researcher in History, Leeds Trinity University (and pianist and choral singer)
Ruth Knell,  violinist, English National Ballet. Learnt to read music initially at the age of 6/7 in recorder lessons at an infant school on a council estate in the 60s
Annabel Knight, head of recorder, Birmingham Conservatoire
Kathryn Knight, CEO Tido Music and a director/founder of Sing Up
Kevin Korsyn, Professor of Music Theory, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Toni J. Krein, President of the Association of Swiss Professional Orchestras
Uday Krishnakumar, Composer
Elizabeth Eva Leach, Professor of Music, University of Oxford
Christian Leitmeir, Magdalen College, University of Oxford
PerMagnus Lindborg, composer, Assistant Professor, School of Art, Design, and Media,  Singapore
Dr Alexander Lingas, Reader in Music, City, University of London; Fellow, European Humanities Research Centre, University of Oxford; Music Director, Cappella Romana
Rodney Lister, faculty department of composition and theory, Boston University School of Music, faculty The New England Conservatory Preparatory School
Dave Longman, drummer, percussionist, teacher and author of “Skins Drum Performance Method”
Sonia Lovett, television director of opera and classical music concerts
Shay Loya, Lecturer in Music, City, University of London
Karl Lutchmayer, Senior Lecturer, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
WordPress.com
Frances M Lynch, singer, director, composer, teacher
Graham Lynch, composer
Tracey Mair, freelance piano and vocal tutor
Joshua Banks Mailman, Instructor of Music Theory, University of Alabama
Charles MacDougall, founding member of VOCES8, currently Choral Specialist for The Voices Foundation
Nigel McBride, Composer, BMus (Hons), MSt. in Composition (Oxon.), DPhil in Music (Oxon.)
Rachel McCarthy, doctoral candidate and visiting tutor, Royal Holloway, University of London
Paul McCreesh, conductor, founder and artistic director, Gabrieli
Elizabeth Macdonald – violist and arts administratorGeraldine McElearney, GSM,singing and piano teacher
Peter McMullin, Printed Music Specialist, Blackwell’s Music Shop
Katherine Marriott, mezzo-soprano
Chris Marshall, Head of Professional Development, Birmingham Conservatoire
Cecília Melo, Magistrate
Virgílio Melo, composer
Chris Mercer, composer, Lecturer, Northwestern University
Nathan Mercieca, Teaching Associate, Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge University
Jonathan Midgley, lay clerk, Ely Cathedral
Madeleine Mitchell, state-school educated violinist, professor, Royal College of Music
Cara Ellen Modisett, pianist, Episcopal music director and essayist
Alison Moncrieff-Kelly, cellist, music educator, and examiner
Josephine Montgomery, violinist, early years string teacher
Ivan Moody, composer, CESEM – Universidade Nova, Lisbon
Eva Moreda Rodriguez, Lecturer in Music, University of Glasgow
Dittany Morgan, former Sub principal Viola BBC symphony and teacher of Violin/ Viola
Huw Morgan, freelance choral director and organist
Kate Morgan, Director of Music, Harrogate Ladies’ College
Katie Morgan, flautist, music writer, and flute and music theory teacher
Catherine Motuz, trombonist
Theresa Muir, Ph.D. Musicology, conductor and singer
Gordon Munro, Director of Music, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Rachel Musgrove, director, daytime choirs for retirees
Thi Nguyen , GSMD, IoE (MA in Music Education), violinist and teacher
Mike Nichols, Bassist. ACM lecturer, ABRSM consultant. Regularly work in orchestras and non reading bands
George Nicholson, composer, Professor in Composition, University of Sheffield
Mariko North, pianist
Michael Nyman, composer
Lady Anita O’Brien, Violinist/ Music Teacher
Dolors Olivé Vernet, music teacher, Headmaster, Teresa Miquel i Pàmies Elementary School
Des Oliver, composer
Richard Osmond, Director of Music, Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School
Ian Pace, pianist, Lecturer, Head of Performance, City, University of London
Joan Arnau Pàmies, composer, Aural Skills Instructor, Northwestern University
Dr Tom Pankhurst, Music Teacher and Author
Tom Parkinson, composer and sound designer, Royal Holloway, University of London
Jenny Pearson, freelance cellist, teacher at Severn Arts Worcester
Damian Penfold, conductor and primary school governor
Ian Penwarden-Allen, choral conductor and teacher of music
Selah Perez-Villar, pianist and music educator
Stephen Pettitt, writer and critic
David Pickvance, film and TV composer, composer-in-residence to the BBC
John Pitts, composer and music teacher
Tamasine Plowman MA
Rosie Pollock, BMus MA (learned notation aged 6/7)
Benjamin Pope, Conductor working with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Orchestras
Caroline Potter, Reader in Music, Kingston University
Eleri Angharad Pound, freelance harpist and composer, amateur choir singer
Jonathan Powell, pianist
Scott Price, Director of Music, The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School
Peter Puskás, promoter and artist manager
Sanna Raninen, Research Associate, University of Sheffield
Manvinder Rattan, CEO and Head of Conductor Training, Sing for Pleasure
Carla Rees, Music Programme Leader, Open College of the Arts
Camden Reeves, Professor and Head of Music, University of Manchester
Sally Richardson, Artist Manager; owner of Tashmina Artists
Dr Tim Ridley, Director of Music, Glenalmond Gollege
Judith Robinson, Creative Project Leader for Education, Sound and Music
Martin Roscoe, pianist, Professor, Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Pamela Rose, ABRSM Theory Examiner, Music Educator
Cyrilla Rowsell, Kodály specialist, teacher at GSMD and for the British Kodály Academy, co-author of Jolly Music
Edward Rushton, composer and pianist
Julian Rushton, Emeritus Professor of Music, University of Leeds
Isabelle Ryder, private piano teacher
Helen Sanderson, Winston Churchill Fellowship in guitar education, Artistic Director of National Youth Guitar Ensemble, CEO of Guitar Circus, guitar professor at RWCMD
Melinda Sawers, Director of Music, Wadhurst, Melbourne Grammar School (Australia)
Thomas Schmidt, Professor of Music, University of Manchester
Annelies Scott ARAM, cello and music theory teacher
Fred Scott, founder, Soundpractice Music
Jeffrey Siegfried, saxophonist, doctoral candidate, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Linda Shaver-Gleason, PhD Musicology, University of California, Santa Barbara
Rachel Shirley, Music teacher; PhD researcher in Music Education, Lancaster University
Andre Shlimon, musician and teacher
Nigel Simeone, music teacher, English Martyrs’ Catholic School
Mark Simpson, BBC Philharmonic Composer in Association and former BBC Young Musician of the year 2006
Shirley Smart, jazz cellist, musicianship and improvisation teacher, City, University of London, and Royal College of Music Junior Department
Ben Smith, pianist and composer, postgraduate student, Guildhall School of Music and Drama
David J. Smith, Professor of Music, University of Aberdeen
Tim Smith, Director of Music, St. Mary Harrow on the Hill/Arts Faculty Leader, Heathland School
Ernest So, concert pianist
Stephen Soderberg, Senior Specialist for Contemporary Music (retired), Music Division, Library of Congress
Zoë South, (state-educated) professional opera singer, singing teacher
Shauna Spargo, amateur violinist, soprano in the local church choir (learned to read music at 6 when I had free violin lessons at a state primary school)
Simon Speare, Head of Composition and Contemporary Music, Royal College of Music Junior Department
Mic Spencer, Associate Professor of Music, University of Leeds
Mary Stagg, Primary Music specialist
Clare Stevens, music journalist
Owain Sutton, private instrumental teacher
Aleks Szram, Academic Lecturer and Piano Professorial Staff, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
Caitriona Talbot BA Mod, freelance music tutor, Sefton
Diego Jiménez Tamame, composer
Christopher Tarrant, Lecturer in Music, Anglia Ruskin University
Mark Tatlow, conductor, educator, researcher Department of Culture & Aesthetics, University of Stockholm
Alun Thomas, professional violinist /Alexander Technique Coordinator Trinty Laban
Phillip Tolley, Choral Music Advocate, British Choirs on the Net
Mikel Toms, conductor
Julian Tovey, singer and lecturer, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Simon Toyne, Executive Director of Music, David Ross Education Trust
Peter Tregear, Professor, Royal Holloway, University of London
John Traill, Director of Music, St. Anne’s College, Oxford University; Director, Oxford Conducting Institute
Natalie Tsaldarikis, pianist, teacher, PhD student, City, University of London
John Van der Slice, composer
Simon Vincent, composer, performer, and former Visiting Lecturer at City University London, University of Bayreuth, University of Potsdam and University of Applied Sciences Potsdam
Matthew Vine, volunteer music teacher (Kampala, Uganda)
Alison Wahl, soprano, singer-songwriter, and music teacher
Charlie Wakely, Physics teacher and amateur musician
Helen Wallace, Kings Place Music Foundation, Soundsense Music
Richard Wallace, violist Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, viola tutor Bangor University
David Warburton MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Select Committee on Music Education
Jenny Warren, maths teacher and classical soprano who learned to sight read at state school
Rachel Watson, cellist, cello teacher with experience of secondary school teaching
James Webb, Director of Music, Hull Collegiate School
James Weeks, composer, Associate Head of Composition, Guildhall School of Music & Drama
Richard Whalley,  Senior Lecturer in Composition, University of Manchester.
Dr Anthony Whittaker, composer, piano teacher and examiner
Christopher Wiley, National Teaching Fellow and Senior Lecturer in Music, University of Surrey
Ceri Williams, music teacher
James Williamson. Composer, PhD candidate at the University of York
Andrew Wilson, Freelance musician, and Head Teacher, Teesside High School
Jay Wilkinson, flute and theory teacher
Katherine Williams, Lecturer in Music and Head of Performance, Plymouth University
Frances Wilson LTCL (AKA The Cross-Eyed Pianist); pianist, writer, and teacher
Jaye Wood, BA Hons, freelance classical piano and voice teacher
Toby Wood, Music recording engineer and producer
Catherine Woodman. Head of Keyboard Studies at Redmaids High School and examiner
Kenneth Woods, Artistic Director, English Symphony Orchestra
Catherine Wyn-Rogers, opera singer and teacher
Anna Wyse, B.Eng. M.Sc.(Eng), AIEMA
Joshua D. Xerri, Sub-Organist (St Alphege, Solihull), singer, composer
Amit Yahav, pianist, doctoral student, Royal College of Music
Marc Yeats, composer and visual artist
Toby Young, composer, Junior Research Fellow, University of Oxford
Jay Alan Yim, composer, Associate Professor of Music, Northwestern University
Alistair Zaldua, composer and conductor, visiting lecturer in Music, Canterbury Christ Church University
Julio Zúñiga, composer, graduate student, Harvard University

 

We have just received the new brochure from La Monnaie in Brussels.

 

 

It’s not a lot of laughs.

Director Peter de Caluwé writes: ‘When we reflect on our mission, we don’t only think about our artistic vision but also, and above all, our higher purpose.’

Apart from Cav&Pag there is not a single obvious crowd-pleaser in the season. No Verdi or Puccini. No bel canto. No Mozart/DaPonte. No Carmen.

Just very serious stuff:

Boesmans, Pinocchio

Rossini, Tancredi

Mozart, Lucio Silla

Poulenc, Dialogues des Carmelites

Dallapiccola, Il Prigioniero – with Rihm, Das Gehege

Wagner, Lohengrin

Bartok, Bluebeard’s Castle/Miraculous Mandarin

Newest video from the BBC Young Musician 2016, Sheku Kanneh-Mason:

We hear that the Royal Albert Hall yesterday informed Raymond Gubbay Ltd that they will not allocate them pre-Christmas dates from next year for the annual Christmas Festival which has been running for 25 years.

The Hall will be promoting its own Christmas events from 2018.

RGL has now lost more than half its annual dates at the iconic and profitable venue.

Raymond Gubbay, its founder, has issued the following statement: ‘I am very sad to hear that the Christmas Festival at the Royal Albert Hall which I started all those years ago will not continue beyond next Christmas. However, I sold the company which still bears my name and so I am not involved in any way with these events.’

An all-too-familiar tale from Perth musician Riley Pearce. Read here.

Riley, 24, will still go ahead with two London concerts at Camden Lock.

 

We reported in January about the UK-Iranian composer Soosan Lolavar who had been told she could not re-enter the US to witness the premiere of her first opera, ID, Please.

Since then, the travel ban has been eased to allow dual nationals with a British passport to enter the US. Ms Lolavar is presently in Pittsburgh, attending the premiere this weekend.

Three lines from her libretto seem extraordinarily timely:

I clutch my passport so hard my hand hurts /I’m never going back to where I’m from / I do not like the way you look at me like that.

Washington’s National Symphony Orchestra rehearsing in Moscow’s Great Hall under the gaze of its late music director.

photo: Steven Honigberg