November 18, 2024

🎶 Keep an eye on the baton — the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra in Ohio faced a plot twist more dramatic than a Wagnerian opera. Their new music director, Sergey Bogza, resigned before his tenure could even begin, citing a “misalignment of visions.” The orchestra is now left to regroup as they navigate what comes next.

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The big idea: Yale University offers course on Beyoncé’s cultural impact
Talking points:
— Juilliard dismisses violin professor Li Lin for “reported misconduct”
— 300-year-old Scottish cello set for historic public debut
Around the web + Laugh of the week

CLASSICAL CHARTZ

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THE BIG IDEA

Yale University Offers Course On Beyoncé’s Cultural Impact

In Spring 2025, Yale University will offer a course examining Beyoncé’s cultural impact. The course’s professor views the course as an appropriate response to the recent US election.

What’s the buzz: Beginning next spring, Yale University will offer a course examining Beyoncé Knowles-Carter’s cultural impact in America over the past two decades. Daphne Brooks, a professor of African American Studies and music, will use Beyoncé’s works released between 2013 and 2024 as a vehicle with which to look at Black cultural history. In the course, “Beyoncé Makes History: Black Radical Tradition History, Culture, Theory & Politics through Music,” students will look at interdisciplinary works of Black cultural thought and grassroots activism over the past few hundred years.

Digging deeper: Yale isn’t the first university to focus a course on a pop star. UC Berkeley, Harvard University and Queen’s Law School in Canada have all focused courses around Taylor Swift’s impact, and The University of Southern California once offered a sociology course centered on Lady Gaga.

Following the recent US election, Daphne Brooks believes in the importance of recognizing Beyoncé’s cultural impact more than ever. Brooks cites Beyoncé’s number of breakthroughs, engagements with Black cultural life through her aesthetics, and her interweaving of history and politics into her art as hallmarks of the star’s output.

Sounds like those Ivy-leaguers are in for a treat. — SS

TOUR DE HEADLINES

🎶 SF Symphony Chorus Takes a Stand: Members of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus are striking for higher pay, saying their wages haven’t kept up with the rising cost of living in the Bay Area. As integral contributors to the Symphony’s reputation, they’re drawing attention to ongoing challenges in arts funding. The Symphony has yet to publicly respond, leaving future performances in question.
Read more

🎻 Hilary Hahn Cancels U.S. Tour Dates: Beloved violinist Hilary Hahn has canceled her performances with the Berlin Philharmonic on their U.S. tour, citing “personal reasons.” The sudden announcement has left fans disappointed and speculating about the adjustments the Philharmonic will make for the rest of the tour.
Read more

🎵 Apple Music Classical Hits the Road: CarPlay users can now enjoy Apple Music Classical on the go, with seamless access to curated playlists and iconic recordings. This update caters to audiophiles who prefer their Beethoven and Bach to accompany their daily drives.
Read more

MORE CLASSICAL NEWS TO KNOW

🎭 Met Opera’s New Leadership: The Metropolitan Opera has named Daniel Rustioni its new Principal Guest Conductor. Known for his energy and bold interpretations, Rustioni’s appointment signals exciting changes ahead for the company.
Read more

🌟 NY Philharmonic Awards New Music Prizes: The New York Philharmonic has announced the winners of its prestigious Marie-Josée Kravis Prize for New Music. The awards underscore the Philharmonic’s dedication to fostering emerging talent and expanding the classical repertoire.
Read more

🎼 Pacific Symphony’s New Direction: Under the leadership of Alexander Shelley, the Pacific Symphony is focusing on innovative programming and broader community outreach. Shelley’s vision aims to build a more inclusive audience while maintaining the orchestra’s artistic excellence.
Read more

TALKING POINTS

Violin Professor Li Lin

Juilliard Dismisses Violin Professor Li Lin for “Reported Misconduct”

Last week, the Human Rights Federation protested the music director-designate of the New York Philharmonic Gustavo Dudamel. The conductor has been called a “puppet and henchman” for Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.

Driving the news: Last week, the Human Rights Federation (HRF) held protests against Gustavo Dudamel outside the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. The Venezuelan Conductor-designate of the New York Philharmonic Gustavo Dudamel was conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Dudamel has been criticized for his silence over the human rights violations of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, from whom Dudamel receives millions of dollars in off the books payments. Dudamel leads El Sistema, a Venezuelan state-run music education program that also serves as a propaganda tool for the Venezuelan government.

Digging deeper: Nicolás Maduro has served as president of Venezuela since 2013. As president, he has been accused of corruption, violent repression of civil society, economic collapse, mass exodus, and for recently stealing an election from Edmundo Gonzalez. Maduro is currently being investigated by the International Criminal Court.

In a letter to LA Philharmonic concertgoers, the HRF wrote that while Dudamel occasionally criticizes Maduro in public, he serves as an unofficial ambassador for the regime in private. Dudamel has stayed silent over the recent election results, in which Venezuelans voted overwhelmingly for Gonzalez, and refuses to condemn the Maduro regime’s human rights violations. — SS

Cello John Simpson crafted in 1726

300-Year-Old Scottish Cello Set for Historic Public Debut

Scotland's oldest surviving cello will make its public debut after nearly 250 years of silence. The rare baroque instrument, crafted in 1726 by John Simpson, was discovered in an Edinburgh basement.

Details: The historic cello will be played publicly for the first time since the 18th century at Edinburgh's St Cecilia's Hall on April 25. The instrument was recently restored by renowned Scottish luthier David Rattray after being found in the basement of Edinburgh University's Reid Concert Hall. The performance will feature baroque cellist Robert Irvine playing period-appropriate music.

Digging deeper: The cello represents a crucial piece of Scottish musical heritage. John Simpson, its maker, was Edinburgh's first professional violin maker and helped establish the city's tradition of instrument crafting. The instrument's survival is remarkable given that most cellos from this period were either destroyed or modified to meet changing musical standards.

The restoration process, led by Rattray, took particular care to maintain the cello's original baroque specifications, including gut strings and a shorter fingerboard typical of the period. The instrument's preservation offers rare insights into 18th-century Scottish musical practices and craftsmanship. — MV

GAMES

Nothing says a new week like a mini-crossword .

AROUND THE WEB

On this day: In 1963, President John F. Kennedy was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery, with an estimated one million people in attendance. Read more

👀 Video: Explore the most incredible moments captured on camera in this compilation.

🧮 That's cool: Discover 14 things you're probably seeing for the first time in your life.

🧠 Game: Test your reflexes with this challenging “Try Not to Laugh” compilation.

🐱 Aww: Meet this handsome feline who isn't fond of having his face touched. Check it out.

LAUGH OF THE WEEK

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