The Knight Foundation has given $20 million to arts groups in Detroit to help make the city ‘the new Berlin’ (don’t blames us, that’s what it says in the blurb).

The Detroit Symphony will divvy up $8 million of the overall grant with Detroit Institute of Arts, Sphinx Organization, Michigan Opera Theatre and Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit for investment in new programs.

Happy days are here again.

 

Members of the Baltimore Symphony have staged a pop-up concert at the Washington Monument. They say:

‘We want the public to be aware that we’ve been playing without a contract since Sept. 9….This makes a lot of people in the orchestra uneasy. We are resuming talks on Tuesday, and we return hopeful that management can bring a credible offer to the table.’

There could be trouble ahead.

The American countertenor has issued a statement denying any relationship with a young singer who accused him and his partner of rape.

Here’s the full text of his denial, issued through a PR:

Countertenor David Daniels denies allegations in civil complaint. Vows to defend his reputation.

“These allegations are both false and malicious. I have never had a physical relationship with the individual mentioned in this complaint. The events alleged here never happened and I intend to defend my reputation. I am an openly gay man who has been married to a wonderful partner for the past four years. It pains me that someone, for reasons that I cannot fathom, would attempt to destroy my career, the program at Michigan and all that I hold dear.”

The Hungarian cellist István Várdai has been appointed to the late Heinrich Schiff’s chair at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna.

He also also just signed to HarrisonParrott.

 

This is the fabulous Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León in Spain:

Betcha can’t.

Norton, 10 years old, has epilepsy and other severe issues.

He wants to conduct. The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic and Karina Canellakis made it happen.

You will not be able to watch this clip with dry eyes.

Forum Opéra reports the death of Rémy Thorens, maker of infallible turntables.

You’d have thought Gramophone might have noticed.

This year’s Robert Schumann prize has been awarded in Munich to Jörg Widmann, 45, for ‘outstanding work’.

That’s how German composers live, from one prize to the next. The Schumann comes with a 15,000 Euro cheque.

Tax free?

 

 

Leslie Suganandarajah has been named music director in Salzburg Landestheater, succeeding Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla.

Leslie, 35, is presently Kappellmeister with the Bruckner Orchester Linz.

Born in Sri Lanka, his parents settled in Germany when he was two years old.

 

Message received:

Members and Friends of ACF,

On behalf of the American Composers Forum’s Board of Directors, I am delighted to announce the appointment of Vanessa Rose as ACF’s new President and CEO, effective January 1, 2019. Her years of experience in working with outstanding contemporary music ensembles demonstrates an informed, consistent, and vibrant commitment to music of living composers. Our board members and staff are all thrilled with the selection of Vanessa to lead the American Composers Forum as she channels her enthusiasm for composers and her passion for their music into new potentials and endeavors…

The Board wishes to thank John Nuechterlein for his stellar service as President and CEO of the American Composers Forum for the past fifteen years.

 

The Washington Post reports that William Preucil, fired by the Cleveland Orchestra for sexual misdemeanours, is to be replaced on Suzuki tutorial recordings used by many children.

The publisher of the recordings said: ‘We take the allegations of sexual misconduct that have been made against violinist William Preucil, Jr. extremely seriously, and we are dismayed at the findings of the investigation conducted on behalf of the Cleveland Orchestra. To that end, we will work closely with the International Suzuki Association and will replace our current Suzuki Violin School recordings with new recordings as soon as possible.’

Read on here.