The Atlanta Symphony music director has decided to step down when he completes 20 years in the job.
Press release:
Robert Spano has announced plans to conclude his distinguished tenure as Music Director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) in June 2021. The 2020-21 Season will mark his 20th year at the Orchestra’s helm, making him one of the longest-tenured music directors of a major U.S. orchestra. Spano is one of only four music directors to lead the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra during its 75-year history. Following the 2020-21 season, he will assume the title of Conductor Laureate of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and will continue to conduct the Orchestra on a regular basis. The 2019-20 season will mark the ASO’s 75th Season, which will be celebrated with special projects and events.
Robert Spano, Music Director, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, said:
“To end an intense artistic relationship is never an easy decision to contemplate, especially one as fruitful and inspiring as the one I have enjoyed as Music Director of this outstanding American orchestra. Twenty years is a good benchmark to balance the long-term commitment I have made to the ASO with the necessity of looking towards its future as well as my own. Accordingly, I have decided to complete my tenure as Music Director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra at the end of the 2020-21 season. I believe that together, many shared goals and dreams have been achieved. After these many years of great personal and artistic fulfillment, this is an institution that I deeply love: our devoted board members, our committed staff, our enthusiastic audiences, our talented youth orchestra, our magnificent chorus, and of course, all these extraordinary musicians who constitute the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. I look forward to many return visits in the years ahead.”
Just look at those stats.
It’s the Singapore Symphony.
Has anyone got a lower demographic?
UPDATE: This chart represents the average for all SSO subscription concerts in 2017, excluding Pops and Family concerts.
Water damage at the Deutsche Oper Berlin after flooding at Christmas has prompted the Ballets de Monte Carlo to cancel its performances later this month.
The decision was taken by Monte Carlo’s artistic director Jean-Christophe Maillot after finding that some of the stage equipment is not yet operational.
The pianist who received this text assumes it was auto-corrected.
We prefer to think not.
Any other entries for best musical compliment?
The next head of artistic planning for the Swedish Radio orchestra and chorus, and for the Baltic Sea Festival, will be Christian Thompson, presently head of programming at the Orchestre National de Lyon.
Before Lyon, he worked at Verbier.
The number of salaried positions in German orchestras fell last years from 9,816 to 9,746, the German Orchestra Association has announced.
Four orchestras were merged into two – SWR Baden-Baden / Freiburg with Stuttgart and the Thuringia Philharmonic Gotha with Landeskapelle Eisenach. That leaves 129 orchestras altogether.
Dunkirk – Hans Zimmer Phantom Thread – Jonny Greenwood The Shape of Water – Alexandre Desplat
Star Wars: The Last Jedi – Jon Williams Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri – Carter Burwell
Jeffrey Rink has resigned after 10 years as music director of the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, based at Northwest Florida State College.
The job application for his successor specifies terms and conditions.
The candidate will be paid $49,500 to $63,750 for planning the orchestra season, conducting all rehearsals and concerts, teaching classes at NFSC, fundraising and developing the Northwest Florida Youth Symphony Orchestra.
He or she will also undertake speaking engagements.
Lot of work, not a lot of pay.
Some maestros earn twice as much for one night in Japan.
The phenomenal Hugh Masakela has died of prostate cancer, aged 78.
A towering infuence in South African music, Hugh was given his first trumpet as a child by Archbishop Trevor Huddleston and soon added flugelhorn, trombone and cornet to his instrument pack.
He studied at the Guildhall in London and was helped by Yehudi Menuhin and Johnny Dankworth. He wrote his own songs and sang them, too.
In the US, he was taken under wing by Harry Belafonte and toured with Paul Simon.
Exiled under the apartheid regime, Masakela led a 1980s campaign to free Nelson Mandela.
He was briefly married to the singer Miriam Makeba.
Media pressure is building for his dismissal. Gallet, 41, head of Radio France and in charge of its several orchestras. He is a friend of President Macron’s.
Last week, Jennifer Rowley deputised as Tosca in David MacVicar’s production.
Last night, she was Leonore in Il Trovatore.
It’s the first time she sang either role at the Met.
Mark McLaren says she was not outshone by big stars. Read here.
