A match made by John Williams, no doubt:

Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story announced today that acclaimed conductor Gustavo Dudamel will be guiding the baton for the film’s recording of Leonard Bernstein’s iconic score.

Also part of the music team are Oscar-nominated composer and conductor David Newman (Anastasia) who will be arranging the Bernstein score for the new adaptation; Tony Award®-winning composer Jeanine Tesori (Broadway’s Fun Home and Thoroughly Modern Millie), who will be working with the cast on vocals; and Grammy®-nominated music supervisor Matt Sullivan (Beauty and the Beast, Chicago), who will serve as executive music producer for the film.

“Since the moment West Side Story hit Broadway in 1957, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim’s iconic music has helped define America’s musical identity,” said Spielberg. “To find a team with the experience and talent to honor the original work – while bringing a fresh vision to our new adaptation – was a tall order. I’m confident that this incredible group will do just that, and I am privileged and grateful to have them as partners on this journey.” – Steven Spielberg, Director

The first China International Music Competition has just named 3 finalists:

Alexander Malofeev Russia Age 17 Gnessin Moscow Special School of Music

MacKenzie Melemed USA Age 24 The Juilliard School

Tony Siqi Yun Canada Age 18 The Juilliard School, Pre-College Division

They will each now perform a concerto in Beijing’s National Centre for Performing Arts with Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra. Alexander Malofeev will play Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major; MacKenzie Melemed will perform Rachmaninoff Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini, and Tony Siqi Yun will play Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23.

1 More than 100 heated comments here.

2 So how big is a small town? here.

3 Quick-thinking conductor here.

4 All they want is your money here.

5 How little can a soloist earn? here.

Never a dull moment.

This is David Greilsamer and the Geneva Camerata.

Not sure what point they are trying to make.

The Polish pianist Mieczyslaw Munz, a student of Busoni, was forced to give up playing in his 40s due to an injury to his right hand.

He went on to be a sought-after teacher in the US.

This rare recording of the Rachmaninov Paganini Variations, taken in Washington DC on December 8, 1941 – the day after Pearl Harbour – may be his last public performance.

It is utterly shattering.

Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, Laurence Olivier, and Yehudi Menuhin on United Nations Human Rights Day, Carnegie Hall, December 10, 1949.