The Cleveland Orchestra, together with Oberlin Conservatory, CIM, Credo Music and the Northeast Ohio Red Cross, are playing a benefit concert next Friday to raise funds for Houston flood victims.

The conductor is James Feddeck, Cleveland’s former assistant conductor.

You wonder why other US orchestras have not responded sooner.

The family has confirmed to us the death of Burton Bernstein on August 26th, a day after what would have been his brother’s 99th birthday.

Burton, a staff writer on the New Yorker from 1957 to 1992, was the author of eight books, among them a biography of James Thurber, a study of the Sinai desert, a celebration of flying and memoirs of his brother and his family.

He was a civilised man, replete with the Bernstein charm.

The promotional video showing a leaf blower exposing a girl’s bottom was taken down last night by the Concertgebouw orchestra, which was using it to promote its new season.

No explanation was given for the takedown, and certainly no apology.

Being a Dutch orchestra means never having to say you’re sorry. (Ask Bernard Haitink. He’ll second that.)