From the music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra:

 

 

We hear that Hee-Young Lim, former principal cello of the Rotterdam Philharmonic, has been appointed Professor of Cello at the Beijing Central Conservatory.

At 30 she is the youngest professor ever appointed at the Conservatory, and the first Korean.

 

Richard Morrison did not think much of Trioperas, three operatic masterpieces filleted by Pamela Tan Nicholson ‘and presented with all the artistic subtlety and emotional depth of a Club 18-30 holiday, in a staging that veers from kung-fu movie to breakdance to unintentionally hilarious am-dram …’

Ms Nicholson responded yesterday with a full-page ad in the Times – page 16, estimated cost £8-10,000 – in the form of an open letter to Mr Morrison, accusing him of ‘terrifying bigotry directed against anyone who enjoys (or offers) poular music entertainment.’

She continues: ‘Cultural elitism is every bit as unedifying as racism, sectarianism, sexism – this list goes on.’

This last proposition seems a tad extreme.

And perhaps not the most cost-effective way to make a musical point.

 

The excellent Canadian writer Colin Eatock explains why he is giving up his career as a reviewer of concerts and opera.

I believe that our culture (and by “our culture” I’m talking about North America, and perhaps also Europe, to some extent) has undergone a fundamental shift. Expertise is no longer much valued in the cultural sphere; rather, it seems that the currently prevailing belief is that any one person’s opinion is as good as any other’s. Furthermore, if critical judgements are acknowledged at all, they are the judgements of the masses, expressed in economic terms: what is best is what sells the most.
 
There are some determined “elitists” who steadfastly oppose this trend. I wish them well, but I’ve come to the conclusion that to stand against this sea-change is to defy the incoming tide, as King Canute once tried to do. And even Canute knew when his feet were wet.
 
As a profession, classical music criticism emerged in the early 19th century and remained an esteemed aspect of musical culture to the end of the 20th century.  It had a good run. But to cling to the idea, in the year 2018, that music criticism remains somehow relevant, and to soldier on with it, is to behave like a child clinging to a much-loved but hopelessly broken toy who refuses to throw it away….

Read on here.

Agree?

 

From the pianist Daniil Trifonov:

I am very sorry that I will not be able to perform with Kremerata Baltica on our upcoming tour, which was to feature the world premiere of my new work, Quintetto concertante, written for Gidon Kremer. I recently suffered a bicycle accident in New York, my home city, and injured my ankle. My orthopedist has forbidden me to play piano using my foot until my ankle has healed.

We wish Daniil a speedy recovery.