September 9, 2024

Happy Monday, folks. Yuja Wang auctioned a concert gown over the weekend on eBay. It comes with a certificate of authenticity! Now, you, too, can help an internationally renowned pianist declutter Marie Kondo-style.

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In this week’s email:

• The big idea: When it’s time to rename your orchestra
• Making news: Ryanair refuses to board a violin
• Talking points: First woman and person of colour appointed to lead Seattle Symphony
• Laugh of the week

CLASSICAL CHARTZ

Weekly selections are based on sales numbers and albums we simply love and think you NEED to hear!

For the complete top 20, tune into Classical Chartz with the New Classical FM’s Mark Wigmore every Saturday from 3-5 pm EST!

THE BIG IDEA

When It’s Time to Rename Your Orchestra

According to an article from the League of American Orchestras, orchestras across the U.S. are getting a facelift — starting with their names.

From Symphoria rebranding as Syracuse Orchestra to Symphony San Jose shedding its Silicon Valley identity, these name changes reflect broader efforts to reconnect with local pride or reposition in the market. The New Jersey Symphony even went so far as to drop “Orchestra” from its name to make its branding simpler and more in tune with its roots in the Garden State.

A New Identity: Geography vs. Emotion

Interestingly, while some orchestras lean into geography, others are embracing evocative names that emphasize emotion or abstract qualities. Stamford Symphony became Orchestra Lumos, shedding its local name to reflect its expanded presence across Connecticut. Similarly, the Portland Columbia Symphony transformed into Orchestra Nova Northwest, signalling a new focus on underrepresented composers and a wider regional identity. 

Strategic communications firms often guide these shifts, which advise that a name change should resonate with an orchestra's evolving mission and audience base. 

The Risks of Rebranding

But rebranding is tricky, and not without controversy. When Lincoln Center dropped its Mostly Mozart brand after 50 years in favour of the Festival Orchestra of Lincoln Center, some feared it signalled a departure from its classical roots. 

Lincoln Center, however, emphasized continuity, with new Music Director Jonathon Heyward ensuring beloved composers like Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven still featured prominently in the lineup.

Striking a Chord with Modern Audiences

As Roger Sametz, a branding expert, points out: if your name no longer reflects who you are or where you’re headed, it’s time to rethink it. Done right, a name change can strike a chord with modern audiences and ensure the orchestra’s long-term success in a fast-evolving cultural environment. — MV

TOUR DE HEADLINES

Tony Banks (CC BY 2.0/Wikipedia)

Why Did This Prog Rock Legend Turn to Writing Classical Music? —Genesis keyboardist Tony Banks transitioned from prog rock to classical music composition after his band's touring days, releasing orchestral suites that reflect his lifelong interest in musical complexity and orchestration.  | Classical-Music.com

Soprano Angela Gheorghiu Faces Backlash after Interrupting 'Tosca' in Seoul  —  Soprano Angela Gheorghiu is facing backlash after halting a performance of "Tosca" in Seoul, stopping the orchestra mid-show to criticize her co-star's encore, leading to audience disapproval, boos, and demands for a public apology. |  Korea Times

Subdued, Sleepy and Despised by Snobs: How Minimalist Piano Eclipsed Classical Music  —  Minimalist piano music, characterized by its soothing tones, simple arpeggios, and emotional intimacy, has gained massive popularity on streaming platforms, yet remains largely dismissed by the classical music establishment for its lack of musical complexity and innovation. | The Guardian

Flying Is a Nightmare, Especially if You Have a 19th-Century Violin —  Professional violinist Esther Abrami faced a frustrating situation when Ryanair refused to let her board with her valuable 19th-century violin, forcing her to miss her flight and book a costly last-minute alternative, as she now calls for airlines to adopt more accommodating policies for musicians traveling with fragile, irreplaceable instruments. | The Washington Post

MAKING NEWS

Salzburg FestivalDon Giovanni 2024: Kyle Ketelsen (Leporello) (Photo:  SF/Monika Rittershaus)

Ryanair Refuses to Board a Violin

The virtuoso violinist Ester Abrami was refused boarding on her Ryanair flight because of her violin. The TikTok star took to social media to complain.  

What’s up: On September 5th, the British-French violinist Ester Abrami posted on social media that Ryanair had refused to board her violin on her flight from Marseille to Berlin. Abrami had been en route from her family home to record her third album with Sony Classical. When Abrami offered to pay any additional amount in order to board the instrument, the crew refused, claiming the flight was full. Abrami claims she had already paid for cabin luggage, but her violin was 1cm over the Ryanair requirements. Abrami plays a 200-year-old Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume violin.

The reaction: Abrami took to social media to express the adversity caused by missing work in such a competitive industry. She also explained that she had never been spoken to so rudely as by the Ryanair staff on this particular flight. 

Many musicians commenting on Abrami’s post noted that the violinist should have taken the precaution of paying for an extra seat for her instrument, as is standard for cellists and other instrumentalists. Others encouraged her to stop complaining; a centimetre is a centimetre. — SS

TALKING POINTS

Xian Zhang’s conducting the Seattle Symphony in Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring.” (Photo: Carlin Ma)

First Woman and Person of Colour Appointed to Lead Seattle Symphony

Xian Zhang has been appointed head of the Seattle Symphony. Her appointment breaks long-standing barriers in the industry and in Seattle.

The news: On September 5th, the Seattle Symphony announced that Xian Zhang will be its next music director. Zhang’s 5 year contract will begin at the beginning of the 2025/2026 season. A multiple GRAMMY award winner, Zhang has spent 8 seasons as music director of the New Jersey Symphony and guest conducted for the Metropolitan Opera, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the LA Phil, and the Boston Symphony. She also serves as Artistic Ambassador of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Conductor Emeritus of Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano. She holds an honourary doctorate from the Juilliard School.

Zoom out: Zhang’s appointment is kind of a big deal. Born in Dandong, China, Zhang is the first woman and person of colour to lead the Seattle Symphony. Her only female counterpart at an American top-tier orchestra is Nathalie Stutzmann, who currently leads the Atlanta Symphony.

The Seattle Symphony has been without a music director since 2022, when the Danish conductor Thomas Dausgaard resigned mid-season. Seattle Symphony President & CEO Krishna Thiagarajan described how Seattle audiences were witnessing history being made with Zhang’s appointment. Brava & it’s about time, maestra. — SS

GAMES

Nothing says Monday like a mini-crossword.

LAUGH OF THE WEEK

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