Rebecca Albers has been promoted after seven years as assistant principal viola.
Thomas Turner has asked to move back into the viola section, after 23 years as principal.
Two new recruits, Natsuki Kumagai and Ben Odhner, join the second violins.
The veteran Catalan musician, 75, is under fire for some injudicious interview comments in La Stampa.
Savall said, among other things:
– The meaning and value of classical music are in decline
– At this time in the classical world there is no more creativity. There are great performers, great composers, but they do not know how to create, improvise.
– In the eastern world, the soul of music is improvisation. Every time the result is different, even unpredictable. It is a musical culture that is preserved and renewed.
There has been an onslaught of responses.
Among the most savage is a blast from the Bologna cellist, Roberto Gini, who accuses Savall of being personally responsible for the decline by blurring the lines between western and eastern music, corrupting both.
Caro Jordi, “il significato e il valore della musica classica sono in declino” anche grazie al tuo contributo, alle truffaldine Follie che pasticci da anni sempre peggio, alle tue Tarantelle, alle nacchere con cui accompagni la musica di Marais, alla tua Barak Norman a sette corde con cui suoni Ortiz accompagnato da ogni strumento possibile fuorché il richiesto dall’autore, alla viola italiana a sei corde amplificata con cui al contrario hai suonato musica francese a Bologna, alle tue insalate miste di programmi da profumeria di grande magazzino, alla tua approssimazione, alla faccia tosta con cui sai imbonire il pubblico vendendo prodotti commerciali talmente ripieni di ogni diversità che ciascuno vi riconosce qualcosa e ha l’illusione di aver partecipato, comprendendolo, di un evento musicale imperdibile.
The Paris-based major has signed George Li, runner-up at the 2015 Tchaikovsky competition in Moscow.
He’s playing at Verbier this week.
The first release follows immediately.
Catriona Morison, surprise winner of Cardiff Singer of the World, has signed worldwide exclusive representation with the London firm Rayfield Allied.
Hotly pursued by big agencies, the Scottish mezzo chose to sign with Deborah Sanders, Director of Opera at Rayfield Allied.
The Hindemith-influenced composer Paul Angerer has died after a short illness.
A violist in the Vienna Symphony Orchestra in the 1950s, he became chief conductor of the Vienna Chamber Orchestra and the Salzburg Landestheater.
His huge catalogue of works is divided between Doblinger and Universal Edition.
He was best known as host of a popular radio programme.
photo: ORF
The Rochester Philharmonic, which has been in turmoil for five years, has installed Curtis Long of the Alabama Symphony as its new president.
He’ll work on a recovery plan with music director Ward Stare.
The original video of the alleged marital revenge raid appeared on Slipped Disc a year ago.
Watch it here.
The aggrieved luthier has now been confirmed to be Daniel Olsen Chen, 62, a Norwegian based in Nagoya.
His arrested wife, Midori, is described in Chinese media as being ethnic Chinese.
One of the smashed violins is an Amati.
Katharina Wagner was greeted with volleys of displeasure at the third revival last night of her gloomy Tristan und Isolde.
There were cheers for the conductor Chrsitian Thielemann, and for the leading singers Stephen Gould, Petra Lang, René Pape and Christa Mayer.
While we hate to see booing of artists who are giving their best, there may be a case for conveying dissent at the hereditary director of a public funded festival who pushes herself forward to take charge of some productions.
Or should we pay homage to her genetic authority?
Worcester Civic Society, with Worcester Cathedral, will unveil a blue plaque on College Green this Saturday, July 29 to commemorate Thomas Tomkins, organist and master of the choristers at Worcester Cathedral from 1596 until his death in 1656.
His house at 9 College Green has survived largely unchanged.
Joshua Bell has been renewed as music director of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields for three more years.
He says: ‘The Academy is an incredible group of musicians, and they are like family to me – our tours together are always highlights of my year. Having served as the Academy’s Music Director since 2011, I’m thrilled that we’ll be continuing our relationship for another three seasons.’
He will not be required to busk at any London tube station.
The countertenor Giles Pilgrim Morris died on July 13 at St Christopher’s Hospice from the effects of a glioblastoma brain tumour.
His funeral will be held at 2.30pm, on the 25th of July at St James Church, Sussex Gardens, London, W2 3UD.
Formerly a lay clerk at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Giles started singing professionally while studying at the University of London, as a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace. He performed with the Gabrieli Consort, Musica Beata and the Aberdeen-based consort group Cantamus Hodie and was involved in educational work with the Music of Life Foundation.
