Violin News & Gossip, Op. 3, No. 81

October 11, 2007 at 5:01 PM

10/11/07 – Pssst…..Happy Birthday to violinist Rachel Barton Pine!

============

10/10/07 - The Cleveland Orchestra's controversial audition process, which excluded the use of first-round screens intended to protect candidates from bias, is a thing of the past, reports the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Members of the orchestra have agreed to make their auditions more like those of other American orchestras, placing screens in front of auditioning candidates. No change will be made to a provision under which final hiring authority is given solely to the music director.

Musician News

10/19/07 – Violinist Stephanie Lin will solo with the Woodstock Chamber Orchestra at Bard College in an all-Mendelssohn program. Lin is 16 years old.

10/10/07 – Norman Lebrecht’s latest column in La Scena Musicale is about Nigel Kennedy, “an old-fashioned softie who loves nothing better than to bring a glisten to an audience's eyes. He is, by a margin of millions, the biggest selling classical artist on EMI and the only living violinist with global street cred." Kennedy also tells Lebrecht about the wrist injury that sidelined him last year.

10/8/07 - Violinist David Yonan gave a lecture and recital, “The Violin as Art,” at the Nineteenth Century Club of Oak Park, Illinois. Yonan performed on an Amati violin on generous loan from Elizabeth Stein of Machold Rare
Violins Chicago.

9/16/07 – In the “better late than never” category, we are able to share the results of the Lipizer International Violin Competition, held in Gorizia, Italy. The results are:

1st - Wonhyee Bae, S. Korea
2nd - Lea Birringer, Germany
3rd - Rusanda Panfili, Moldavia
4th - Eung Soo Kim, S. Korea
5th - Khrystyna Krekhovetska, Ukraine
6th - James Han Bin Lee, S. Korea

Orchestra News

The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra has received an unexpected $1 million gift from Mercedes Bass, its new board chair. The orchestra will make its Carnegie Hall debut this January, when it presents the world premiere of a new work by Osvaldo Golijov for cello and orchestra, commissioned by Mercedes and Sid Bass.

10/10/07 - The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra has been asked to record the complete symphonic works of Sibelius following on from the success of their Sibelius Festival earlier this year, reports ABC News. “ASO chief executive Rainer Jozeps says it will be the first time an Australian orchestra has recorded all the works.”

10/4/07 – The Vancouver Symphony has rescheduled four performances due to civic strike in that city. A message on the orchestra’s website notes: “Before and during the VSO’s Opening Weekend concerts, the conduct of [union] members on picket lines at the Orpheum [Theatre] resulted in violent and obstructive behaviour – some of which required police action to mitigate – which, together with other conduct of picketers, has led to the VSO being strongly concerned for the safety and welfare of our customers, musicians, administrative staff, and volunteers.”

Other Music News

10/4/07 – According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Curtis Institute of Music is “moving ahead with plans to demolish all or part of several buildings on Locust Street [in Philadelphia] to make way for a 10-story tower and adjoining four-story structure housing an orchestral rehearsal hall, studios, cafeteria, and dorms for 88 students." But there are historic preservation concerns that could stand in the way of the expansion.

From Eugene Chan
Posted on October 11, 2007 at 5:10 PM

Inside workers in Vancouver have voted to go back to work. Thank goodness -- the Symphony stood to lose significant money.

From Terez Mertes
Posted on October 11, 2007 at 5:38 PM

>According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Curtis Institute of Music is “moving ahead with plans to demolish all or part of several buildings on Locust Street [in Philadelphia] to make way for a 10-story tower and adjoining four-story structure housing an orchestral rehearsal hall, studios, cafeteria, and dorms for 88 students." But there are historic preservation concerns that could stand in the way of the expansion.

Eeeek! Would that include the beautiful main building I've seen pictures of and heard so much about? Terrible news.

From Ihnsouk Guim
Posted on October 11, 2007 at 9:58 PM

Terez, not to worry. The main building will remain refurbished. I do think Curtis needs a dorm. Students don't have to pay the tuition but they are on their own for living arrangements. For some of them, it's their first time in life to live in a big city. Without proper supervision, adjustment can be an issue.

Ihnsouk

From Darcy Lewis
Posted on October 12, 2007 at 2:05 PM

I agree with Inshouk. My husband went to Curtis as a 15 yo with his 17 yo brother, and the two of them living alone in a major city without parents or peers was NOT a good thing.

Having the structure and social contact of a dorm might temper the negative aspects of Curtis' intense atmosphere.

This entry has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.

Violin News & Gossip, Op. 3, No. 81

Laurie's Books

Subscribe