No images? Click here April 1, 2024 Scientists tossed 350,000+ coins to prove the theory that coin tosses aren't 50/50. It turns out they were right, with odds favouring the side it starts from. In this week’s email:
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 Wigmore Hall Takes Control of Its Own DestinyLondon's esteemed Wigmore Hall made a surprise announcement along with a relatively routine season launch announcement this week. The Hall announced its intention to become financially self-sufficient without external funding. It plans to achieve this by expanding its Director's Fund from £7 million to an eye-popping £10 million jackpot by 2027. Why the move away from government funding?Wigmore Hall is already 97% self-sufficient. Only 3% of its funding comes from the public. Of that 3%, funds like the Arts Council England (ACE) are shifting their attitude on arts funding. ACE has sliced a hefty £50 million a year from London's classical music scene and reallocated it elsewhere. Wigmore is also profiting from selling tickets and chasing new younger audiences, but reaching them is increasingly expensive. Should London’s classical crowd be worried about Wigmore Hall?Not at all — Wigmore Hall is in a very good spot. Their audience numbers are smashing pre-pandemic records. With 550 concerts this season, Wigmore Hall is uniquely positioned to respond proactively to the precarious and volatile nature of arts funding. In fact, Wigmore Hall may be onto something. Art venues, orchestras, and opera companies struggling with rising costs, falling attendance, and precarious funding would benefit from harnessing investment revenue made from their foundations. In other words, arts groups could conceivably shift their funding models to investment funds first and foremost. Here’s to self-funding symphonies and standing ovations! — MV TOUR DE HEADLINES Anna Netrebko & Jonas Kaufmann (Courtesy publicity photos) Anna Netrebko & Jonas Kaufmann to Open Teatro alla Scala’s 2024-25 Season — Anna Netrebko and Jonas Kaufmann will lead the opening night of Teatro alla Scala's 2024-25 season in Verdi’s “La Forza del Destino,” among other highlighted productions including “Norma,” “Falstaff,” and “Eugene Onegin.” | OperaWire New Research Shows Extent of Gender Inequity in the Music Industry — The first UK Musicians' Census, conducted by Help Musicians and the Musicians' Union (MU), highlights significant gender inequities in the music industry, revealing disparities in safe workplaces, financial equity, and experiences of discrimination for women musicians. | The Violin Channel San Francisco Goes Mad On Seat Prices —The high ticket prices for the Yo-Yo Ma and Kathryn Stott recital at Davies Hall might indicate a misalignment in financial priorities, questioning the affordability of a music director. | SlippeDisc We Were Sick of Our Noisy Neighbours Playing the Piano So We Complained - But Their Reply Left Us Feeling Awful — After complaining about early morning piano noise, Martina Panchetti and her flatmates received a heartwarming apology letter and a gift of sweets from the children next door. | DailyMail CLASSICAL MOVES Beyoncé Releases Album Featuring Classic 18th-Century AriaIt seems the whole world is buzzing about Beyoncé’s latest album release, Cowboy Carter. Described as a love letter to her Southern roots and a sprawling Western epic, the latest album from the 42-year-old megastar includes her takes on Dolly Parton and Paul McCartney and collaborations with stars including Willie Nelson. But it’s number 11 on the album, “Daughter,” that’s got the classical music world particularly excited. Talking points: Moody track number 11 on Cowboy Carter, “Daughter,” includes a sampling of “Caro mio ben” by Tommaso Giordano. The aria was composed in the 1780s and has been recorded by Cecilia Bartoli and Luciano Pavarotti among countless others, and is a fixture in the curricula of many young voice students. In Beyoncé’s rendition, she branches away from her signature style of singing, lifting her soft palate to unleash the acoustic power and vulnerability of an unamplified, classical singer. YOU’LL BE MISSED Maurizio Pollini (Photo: York Christoph Riccius / DG) Acclaimed Pianist Maurizio Pollini Dies Age 82Considered one of the 20th century’s giants of the keyboard, Maurizio Pollini died at a clinic in Milan last Saturday at the age of 82. Pollini has been a fixture in the classical music world ever since he won the Chopin Competition at the age of 19. He was championed by fellow pianists Artur Rubinstein and Daniel Barenboim, who noted his high ethical regard for music. Pollini’s recent death has been mourned by classical musicians and fans the world over. Catch-up: The Italian pianist Maurizio Pollini was considered a specialist in the works of Chopin. He also championed and premiered Modernist repertoire, including works by Luigi Nono and Pierre Boulez. For the Deutsche Grammophon label, Pollini recorded works by Stravinsky and Prokofiev, as well as Schoenberg’s piano works, Chopin études and Beethoven’s late sonatas. QUIZ Nothing says Monday like a mini-crossword. 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