Every since we broke the story of St Sepulchre’s, the National Musicians Church, telling musicians they are unwelcome, signs have appeared of a civil war in London churches between traditional Anglicans and Evangelicals.

The battle has just taken a nasty new turn with a salvo from St Sep’s former director of music, Andrew Earis, describing how the church’s mission is being traduced.

Dr Earis writes: Gradually, PCC members left and were replaced with those from the new ministries. The “Henry Wood” meeting- and rehearsal-room was re­­styled the 24/7 prayer room. And the church was used for a whole host of new activities, including a not­able youth event with caged foot­ball in the church nave. Many felt that this was deeply unfaithful to the legacy and history that had been inherited.

Read his full article here.

The Stamford Symphony in Connecticut has recruited Russell Jones, presently with the New York Philharmonic, as president and CEO.

Jones, a former head of the Association of British Orchestras, worked as director of major gifts at the NY Phil.

The dancer Tamara Tchinarova died yesterday at her daughter’s home in Spain at the age of 98.

Of Armenian, Georgian and Ukrainian descent, she trained with Olga Preobrazhenskaya and in 1932 was recruited by the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo where she was known as one of Balanchine’s Baby Ballerinas.

She decided to stay in Australia at the end of her second tour in 1939. Four years later, she married the hell-raising actor Peter Finch. After their divorce in 1959, she settled in London as a dance writer and interpreter.

 

 

From the Lebrecht Album of the Week:

No label generates such a buzz around new releases as the quirky Munich-based ECM which, after 48 years of high output, still manages to produce the unexpected, and at high quality. To find the senescent music of C.P.E. Bach in a series that specialises in living composers is surprise enough. To hear him played on an esoteric Tangent piano is altogether a delight…

Read on here.

And here.

And here.

The label already has Sir Bryn Terfel, Aled Jones, Michael Ball and Katherine Jenkins.

Today it signed the phenomenally popular Adiemus composer Sir Karl Jenkins (no relation).

Anyone left in the valleys?

The Akron Symphony in darkest Ohio has plucked a concertmaster from the New York freelance scene.

Tallie Brunfelt was, until recently, leading a national tour of Fiddler on the Roof.

In Akron, she replaces Alan Bodman, who steps down after 22 years. And she starts next week.

UPDATE: Message from Tallie:

I have no plans to leave New York City and will continue to be based there, commuting to Akron for performances throughout the season.

I look forward to engaging with a thriving and enthusiastic community in Akron, which I enjoyed getting to know during my visits last season. Neither the loss of three minutes of daylight nor the additional 18” of snow per year (as compared to New York City) will “darken” my appreciation for the city of Akron or the state of Ohio, especially as a born and raised Minnesotan.

We heat that Eva Thorarinsdottir, highly esteemed principal second violin of the Halle Orchestra, has quit her seat.

The official reason is she wants to play more chamber music.

 

 

 

A Leizpig-based teacher and composer has been told he must leave the country by the end of the year.

Zhebo, 33, was drawn to Leipzig from Mongolia by his lifelong love of Bach and has lived there for six years. He has studied with Wolfgang Rihm and taught more than 100 Leipzigers.

But the authorities have refused to renew his residency permit and the rules say he must leave.

Full story here.

 

 

The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra has just landed the largest gift in its history – a check for $1.5 million from philanthropists Carol and Warner Henry.

The donation is for the Allan Vogel Chair, named after the LACO’s former principal oboe Allan Vogel, who retired last year after 44 years in the seat.

 

Noam Zur has been named music director of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Salta.

The Italian conductor Fabiano Monica died yesterday after a long illness.

Widely respected in the Parma region, he served as artistic director of the San Remo symphony orchestra and as president of the Boito Conservatory.

 

The funeral of the violinist Dmitri Kogan, who died this week of cancer at the age of 38, will be held at Moscow’s International House of Music tomorrow, starting at 10 a.m.

The service will commence at noon in the Temple of the icon of the Mother of God in Bolshaya Ordynka. Храме иконы Божией Матери “Всех скорбящих Радость” на Большой Ордынке. Dmitri will be laid to rest in the Troekurov cemetery.

We have received this tribute from the Bezrodny family:

One could have never imagined that this day, 29.8.2017, would bring such indescribable sorrow and pain, filled with devastating confusion. Dmitri Kogan, at only a mere 38 years of age, is no longer amongst us.

Words are not enough to describe this horrendous tragedy, and ironically this is where we, musicians, are privileged to use other means of communication through music itself. It is nearly impossible to even begin to accept the fate that was given to him at such a young age, and yet here I am, trying to find consolation in the fact that Dmitri is now in a much better place.

Dmitri was a descendant of a true dynasty of outstanding musicians, himself being an extraordinary violinist. Our families have intertwined already from 1937, when my father and Dmitri’s grandfather, Leonid Kogan, as well as his grandmother Elizaveta Gilels studied together in Moscow with the great professor Abram Ilyich Yampolsky. Dmitri always had a very unique and personal way of expressing himself through music, never failing to lose the listeners attention. His whole being was extremely sincere, pure-hearted, kind and giving, with sharp wit and a quick mind.

Our hearts are crying and our souls are screaming because of this unfair and painfully early departure of a dear friend and a wonderful human being. No parents should ever have to bury their children, and our hearts go out to Dmitri’s mother, Ljubov Kazinskaya, and father, Pavel Kogan.

With love and tears,

Anna-Liisa Bezrodny
Mari Tampere-Bezrodny
Sergei Bezrodny