Schola Cantorum of Oxford has named Steven Grahl as conductor from the 2017-18 season.
Grahl is Director of Music at Peterborough Cathedral. Before that he spent seven years as Assistant Organist at New College, Oxford.
Daniel Mahoney has been appointed Conducting Fellow. The pair succeed James Burton who is leaving after 15 years to become Choral Director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and conductor of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus.
The conductor tells the Berliner Morgenpost that in the past 11 months the London Symphony Orchestra has received fewer applications from Europe for its auditions.
‘People simply don’t know how complicated it’s going to be (after Brexit),’ he says. ‘Nobody wants something bad to come out of this decision, but it’s hard not to think of it as an act of self-injury. Myself, I feel more European than ever.’
He says he was rehearsing with the orchestra the morning after the Brexit vote last year and players were weeping in their seats.
Full interview here.
Detroit Opera House paid tribute Friday night to its founder Dr David DiChiera, who is bowing out with pancreatic cancer.
General Motors President Dan Ammann was the first of many speakers to describe DiChiera as “a visionary, impresario and true civic leader.”</>
Read on here.
photo: Brittany Greeson, Detroit Free Press
A polemic in The Stage throws stones at the fastest-growing, most innovative sector in UK opera:
Country-house opera: a small but critical part of the operatic economy, staging creative productions and innovative repertoire while offering career opportunities for hardworking, but underpaid, musicians. No, that doesn’t sound right. Let’s try again.
Country-house opera: a load of overdressed and over-accented toffs snoozing through antiquated performances after indulgence in champagne and quails’ egg sandwiches.
Read on here.
photo: Garsington/Mike Hoban
They seem to be having a good time.
A statue raised last year to Fartein Valen, the most prominent Norwegian composer after Grieg, has been decapitated outside city hall in Sveio.
Police say they are looking for three young men and a woman.
Summer drunks? Music critics?
‘After a careful evaluation of existing staff operations and resources, the Houston Symphony has decided to reorganize some administrative departments to ensure that we have the right structure and people to continue implementation of our 10-year strategic plan,’ says Executive Director/CEO Mark Hanson.
He adds: ‘As part of this process, some existing staff members are moving into newly-defined positions that better align with our staffing and organizational needs, while others have been offered separation packages and early retirement benefits to help ease their transition.’
Three executive positions have been abolished, reducing the headcount to 74.
It’s not clear how many staff are affected.
The superb cellist Natalia Shakhovskaya, first winner of the cello section of the Tchaikovsky Competition in 1962, has died in Moscow at the age of 81.
A student of Mstislav Rostropovich, she taught at the Moscow Conservatoire from 1974 and at the Queen Sofía School of Music in Madrid from 1994.
The Jena Philharmonic in eastern Germany has chosen a Swiss, Simon Gaudenz, as its next music director.
The Owensboro Symphony Orchestra in Kentucky has unveiled Troy Quinn as its next Music Director.
And Eric Garcia is the new chief in Boise, Idaho.
After a week of media silence over his agency switch, the Chinese pianist has issued this statement:
Jean-Jacques Cesbron and CAMI music have been my manager for over ten years and will continue into the future.
The reported news of this changing is untrue.
CAMI music and I are excited to have CAA assist us in exploring opportunities in new areas.
A report on BBC World. Click here.
See also here for long-running controversy.
From the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra:
Who knew ping pong could also become rhythmic instruments? You won’t want to miss our “Ping Pong Diplomacy”, in which composer Andy Akiho features Ping Pong balls as the main “soloist” for the concerto. We will be doing two concerts on the piece, one for mature audiences as part of our Swire Denim, and another for kids as part of our Swire Sunday Family!
