January 16, 2023 The University of Aberdeen has issued a trigger warning for patrons attending the school's production of Stravinsky’s Petrushka regarding the death of... a puppet. +++ In today's email:
CLASSICAL CHARTS THE BIG IDEA Top Classical Music Performances and Composers of 2022A new report from Bachtrack.com compiled from their extensive events data has named the top classical music composers, operas, and performers in 2022. According to Bachtrack’s recent statistics report, there were a total of 27,124 classical music events held worldwide in 2022. Here are some highlights from the report:
Now, let’s talk about some of the composers mentioned in the report.
Overall, it looks like a healthy mix of both old favourites and new voices being heard — particularly women. While there was a lot to be concerned about, it also shows that classical music is still chugging along just fine despite the pandemic. THE LATEST Opera: New York Times’s Zachary Woolfe returns to four works at the Met Opera to compare results. News: 7-Eleven stores in California are using classical music to shoo homeless people. Opinion: Why is Cate Blanchett’s cancel culture film Tár angering so many people? Opera: Opera star Placido Domingo faces new accusations of misconduct. Culture: A new wave of people is getting interested in classical music on streaming platforms. Sound art: 'Decomposing piano' in Northern Ontario invites people to experiment with sound. For sale: Rare violin made by 'Scottish Stradivari' appears on eBay with $620K price tag. Musical Theatre: Joker: Folie à Deux, the highly-anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed film Joker, will be a musical. Profile: Julian Haylock interviews violinist Daniel Pioro. Composer: John Williams walks back retirement plans following a personal plea from Steven Spielberg. REPORT Two-Thirds in UK Say They 'Could Not Live Without Music' — As Musicians StruggleHelp Musicians, a UK-based charity, released the findings from a recent survey that says 67%, or two-thirds, of people in the United Kingdom “couldn’t live without music”. At 45%, just under half believe it is “part of their DNA”. Help Musicians is dedicated to assisting working musicians at all stages of their careers, and the organization regularly researches the field. Younger respondents rated it even higher — 83% of those between the ages of 18 and 24 said they couldn’t live without music, and 89% said it was an “important part” of their lives. Musicians and inflationAnother report released in November 2022, however, charts the dire straits many musicians in the UK find themselves in. With a rocketing cost of living among the major underlying causes, however, it’s a situation musicians all over the globe can relate to. According to that report:
As a result, nearly half of the more than 500 professional musicians across the UK who responded to the survey said they felt they will be forced to leave music as a profession in the near future. “Music has a power that we must not underestimate,” said James Ainscough, chief executive of Help Musicians in a release quoted by The Strad. “It is a force that brings people together and is intertwined with their very identity. In recent years we have all become even more conscious of how music calms our souls, lifts our spirits, and binds together communities. How ironic then that musicians themselves are facing the most brutal conditions seen for decades.” Help Musicians has a plan in place, with an estimate that it will take up to £8m from the organization’s reserves this year to provide support to individual musicians. STORY Image courtesy of Pranodrome Meet a Company That Builds Amphitheatres Entirely From Old PianosWhen you think about concert halls, you think of buildings made of brick, concrete or steel, but how about pianos? It looks like the world of concert venues is about to get a whole lot greener. A company in the UK called Pianodrome had found a unique way to repurpose old pianos that have been discarded in landfills. Here’s the rundown:
Win-winNot only are they saving pianos from a fate worse than being stuck playing “Chopsticks” for the rest of eternity, but they’re also providing a sustainable solution for event spaces. But let’s not forget the true star of the show here: the pianos themselves. These instruments have been around for centuries and have played a crucial role in music history. And now, they’re getting a chance to take center stage once again. LIZST 5 Nursery Rhymes With Surprisingly Dark OriginsNursery rhymes have been a part of our childhood for generations, but did you know that many of these innocent-sounding rhymes have dark and twisted origins? From plagues to execution, these rhymes were not always meant to be sung to children. Here are five nursery rhymes with dark origins that may surprise you.
🚨 Do you want to advertise with Ludwig Van? 🚨 We're looking to fill ad slots for 2023. We have run successful campaigns with the orchestras such as the Berliner Philharmoniker, record labels like Universal Music, plus opera companies and music festivals. If interested, hit REPLY on this email, or click here. AROUND THE WEB 📅 On this day: Symphony No. 3 (A Pastoral Symphony) by Ralph Vaughan Williams premieres in 1922 🎤 Video: Watch Marcus Felsner, the founder of Munich’s Felsner Artists, join host Zsolt Bognar for an interview in the latest episode of Living the Classical Life. 😂 Funny: 20 hilarious slang terms from the 1910s 🎹 Cartoon: Glenn Gould plays the Covid Variations 🤯 Wow: Meet an 11-year-old piano prodigy some people are comparing to Mozart MEME OF THE WEEK How did you like today's email? |