Violin News & Gossip, Op. 3, No. 33

April 26, 2007 at 1:18 AM

4/24/07 – The problems of traveling with stringed instruments continue…According to the London Evening Standard, a group of British cellists traveling home from a performance on a nearly empty train this week took advantage of the abundant space by placing their instruments in empty seats. But "they were left astonished after being ordered by a ticket inspector to buy additional tickets" for the cellos. When the musicians refused, the inspector called police.

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4/20/07 – The Guardian (UK) recently ran a pianist’s reflections on the pros and cons of performing by memory: "Playing from memory in public is a fairly recent fashion. Before the late 19th century, playing without the score was often considered a sign of casualness, even of arrogance. The custom of playing from memory developed along with the growth of a body of classics that everyone agreed were worth preserving exactly as their composers had intended. Teachers encouraged students to memorise them."

Musician News

5/24/07 – This sounds like an interesting event: In addition to hearing violinist/fiddler Ed Caner perform at the Council of Smaller Enterprises Arts Business Network in Cleveland, one can also hear Caner deliver the keynote address. Caner is Director of Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Programs at Case Western Reserve University and holds a master's degree in physics and entrepreneurship from CWRU, as well as a master's degree in violin performance from Cleveland State University.

4/25/07 – The Del Sol String Quartet performed three new compositions at UC Berkeley. The concert featured works by Robin Estrada, Jen Wang, and Nils Bultmann.

4/24/07 – According to the Ottawa (Canada) Citizen, when conductor/violinist Pinchas Zukerman brought his Ottawa-based National Arts Centre Orchestra to Toronto, the reviews were blistering. Zukerman, who has been a controversial figure since taking over the NACO, took fire for his programming choices, conducting style, and solo violin skills, with one critic writing, "It doesn't get any worse than this." Interestingly, the same program had gotten two positive reviews back home in Ottawa.

4/23/07 – The Chillicothe (Ohio) Gazette profiled 13-year-old violinist Matthew Vaughn, who is Meadowmount-bound this summer. The article includes audio clips.

4/23/07 – For another take on violinist/conductor Maxim Vengerov’s tour with the UBS Verbier Chamber Orchestra and Vengerov’s injury to his bowing arm, read the New York Times’ review of the group’s Carnegie Hall concert.

4/21/07 - Gentry Lasater, an 18-year-old violinist from New Bern, NC, has won first place in the senior division of the North Carolina Symphony Youth Concerto Competition. A student of Ara Gregorian, Gentry will have the opportunity to play with the North Carolina Symphony in the near future, in addition to receiving a cash prize of $500. The first place junior division winner is 14-year-old violinist Orin Laursen from Durham, who studies with Joseph Genualdi at the North Carolina School of the Arts.

Orchestra News

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra has announced a timetable for expressions of interest to purchase its Golden Age Collection of historic string instruments. The 30-instrument collection includes pieces created by Stradivari, Guarneri, del Gesù, Guadagnini, and Testore, among others. The collection can be sold either as a whole or individually, and orchestra management is hoping that the purchaser of the collection will be willing to loan the instruments back to the orchestra. Expression of interest forms are due to the NJSO by June 1, and the goal is to close the sale by the end of the summer.

4/28/07 – The Montreal Symphony will wrap up its first Canadian tour with new music director Kent Nagano at the helm, reports the CBC. He was "hired to rejuvenate Montreal's premier orchestra after its reputation, and its relationship with its audience, suffered in the wake of a bitter and lengthy labour dispute in 2004-2005. His plans include not only touring the country but also bringing Canadian themes and content to the orchestra's programming, as his 2007-2008 repertoire shows."

4/25/07 – The New York Times reports that the New York Philharmonic is adding a new position, principal conductor, to its artistic roster. The person hired to fill the new job would have authority greater than that of a principal guest conductor, but would still be under the music director's final authority.

4/19/07 – It’s official: the Royal Philharmonic has snagged Charles Dutoit as its next music director, reports PlaybillArts.com. "Charles Dutoit succeeds Daniele Gatti, who steps down as the orchestra's music director when his contract expires in the summer of 2009. The position has an illustrious pedigree: the list of the Royal Philharmonic's previous principal conductors includes Thomas Beecham (who founded the orchestra), Rudolf Kempe, Antal Doráti, Walter Weller, André Previn and Vladimir Ashkenazy."

From David Russell
Posted on April 26, 2007 at 1:38 AM

Way to go, Matthew Vaughan! Excellent article on you in the Chillicothe gazzette! Mr. Russell

From Maura Gerety
Posted on April 26, 2007 at 1:08 PM

Maxim "flailed like a drowning man" while conducting, LOL. :) Sounds like it was effective anyway though, and I've seen some other fantastic conductors look pretty silly sometimes. :)

Poor Maxim. Hope his arm gets better soon.

From Albert Justice
Posted on April 26, 2007 at 2:13 PM

I've only gotten to listen to the Matthew's S1 Bach Adagio so far--but very very nice.

From Jim W. Miller
Posted on April 26, 2007 at 6:43 PM

Now we know how he hurt the arm maybe.

From Albert Justice
Posted on April 27, 2007 at 1:55 AM

The Vieuxtemps was very full!... Very nice.

From Maura Gerety
Posted on April 27, 2007 at 2:19 PM

Horrible news flash!!!!! Mstislav Rostropovich is dead!!!!!!!

From gert schubert
Posted on April 27, 2007 at 9:31 PM

Hi everybody, hello from old Erope! Hi Igor!
I have very good News for You:Always grinning Maxl Vengerov just played in Vienna,Austria- as Students at my School told me. 23d, 24th of 4th, at Großer Musikverreinssaal, Wien.
I believe, if he gets rid of the other Problem, he has, he might be very sane terribly soon. Or do You say terribly sane very soon- sorry for my poor English, gert

From gert schubert
Posted on April 27, 2007 at 9:52 PM

It's "Old Europe", sorry- and before You start asking: I meant the Problem with his Face, of course- actually the Reason for it even more.
g

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