October 16, 2023

Instead of looking into a galaxy far, far away, leading telescope manufacturers are now looking at a lawsuit. Amateur astronomers have filed class-action lawsuits alleging telescope price-fixing conspiracy. The alleged conspiracy includes several Canadians in B.C.

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In this week’s email:

The big idea: New report raises the alarm about the prevalence of medical conditions in musicians
Historic Moments: First woman to lead a Berlin orchestra in the city’s history
Issues: Daniel Barenboim calls for peace in the Middle East
Photo of the week
Around the web: The everything calculator, the ROM’s curator of climate change, the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, plus more curious internet finds.

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

New Report Raises Alarm About Prevalence of Medical Conditions in Musicians

Anyone who’s played the violin knows how easily one can develop injuries. Conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, and fiddler’s neck are common ailments caused by over-practising.

A new report from the Berlin Centre for Musicians’ Medicine surveying over 900 violinists revealed some surprising new findings. The results from Berlin’s Charité Hospital outlined numerous unexpected playing-related health conditions that can develop amongst violinists, as well as ways to address them.

The surprises…

Turns out, it’s not only musculoskeletal conditions that can be acquired from too much time at the fiddle.

Violinists are particularly prone to left-ear hearing impairment due to the instrument’s closeness to that hearing pathway. Violinists in orchestras seated closely to brass instruments are also at risk for hearing loss. Furthermore, violinists can develop muscular disease, focal dystonia, temporomandibular disorders, and even allergic reactions to the violin. Perhaps most shockingly, playing the violin for many hours at a young age was shown to alter a child’s facial development.

But… we need to practice!

…right. However, the report stressed the importance of implementing ergonomic warm-ups and nutritional and health regimes, much like an athlete would. The institute hopes their report may lead to a paradigm shift in rehearsal culture, emphasizing the need for healthy and sustainable rehearsal processes for players.

The big takeaway?

While violinists may enjoy touting their “violinists’ hickeys” to demonstrate their many hours of practice, it may be time to start looking at those hickeys a little differently. Experts recommend mental audiation and other forms of silent practice to avoid health conditions and injuries.

It’s time to stop celebrating overwork and recognize the toll it takes on artists.

TOUR DE HEADLINES

Julian Lloyd Webber (Photo: Stephen Schowns, CC BY 2.0

Martyn Brabbins Resigns As ENO Music Director — Martyn Brabbins resigned as English National Opera’s music director, opposing the severe cuts to the orchestra and part-time contracts for musicians. ENO's financial struggles and decreased Arts Council England funding influenced these changes. | Classical-music.uk

English National Opera Plans to Axe 19 Orchestra Jobs and Employ Remaining Musicians Part-Time — Following a praised performance, the English National Opera announced plans to cut 19 orchestra jobs and shift remaining musicians to part-time roles. The cuts are due to financial challenges, including reduced Arts Council England funding and relocation plans. | Classic FM

Rare Mahler Manuscript to Go On Display at Cleveland Museum of Art — The Cleveland Museum of Art will display the rare manuscript of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection,” donated by orchestra trustee Dr. Herbert G. Kloiber. The unique manuscript, showcasing Mahler's creative process, remains preserved at the museum and traces back to Mahler’s widow. | Cleveland.com

‘The tuba player is now a machine gunner’: Classical Music on the Ukrainian Frontline — The National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine is performing in Kyiv and touring the UK, highlighting their resilience amidst the Russian invasion. Their performances, reflecting the nation's spirit and struggle, also aim to elevate Ukrainian art and counter biases about their musical culture. | The Guardian

San Francisco Opera to Present 'Omar' — The San Francisco Opera is set to premiere "Omar," inspired by 19th-century scholar Omar ibn Said's journey from West Africa to American slavery. Performances run from Nov. 5-21, with a livestream on Nov. 11. | Operawire

London’s Royal College Suspends its Head of Strings Over Alleged Misconduct — Mark Messenger, the head of strings at the Royal College of Music (RCM) for 20 years, has been suspended following complaints about his behavior. This suspension comes after a recent case involving another RCM violinist, Jan Repko, who faced charges of sexual assault. | The Violin Channel

Women Only Composer Agency, 515, Launches — Music supervision company RESISTER has introduced 515, a new agency dedicated to female and gender minority composers. The initiative aims to promote underrepresented talents in the composition sector and foster a more inclusive industry. | Televisual

HISTORIC MOMENTS

Photo courtesy of the artist

First Woman to Lead A Berlin Orchestra in City’s History

Joana Mallwitz will be the chief conductor at Berlin’s Konzerthaus.

What’s Up: Germany’s Joana Mallwitz has been appointed chief conductor of the Konzerthausorchester Berlin. Mallwitz also received the Order of Merit of the Federal Government of Germany two weeks ago, awarded by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Refresher: The pianist and conductor Joana Mallwitz, 37, has been hailed as the “next big thing” in classical music. Her appointment as artistic director of the Konzerthausorchester Berlin follows her work over the past five years as General Director of the Staatstheater Nürnberg. She has conducted to widespread acclaim at the Salzburger Festspiele, the Royal Opera House, and the Bavarian State Opera, among others organizations. In 2019, she was named “Conductor of the Year” by Opernwelt Magazine.

Why It Matters: Joana Mallwitz is the first woman to lead a major orchestra in Berlin. In 2020, she was also the first woman to completely oversee a production at the Salzburger Festspiele, where she conducted Così fan tutte.

Her appointment in Berlin contrasts the appointment of the 64-year-old Christian Thielemann, who will take over as conductor of the Berlin Staatsoper unter den Linden from Daniel Barenboim.

ISSUES

Daniel Barenboim Photo courtesy of Decca Classics

Daniel Barenboim Calls for Peace in the Middle East

— The conductor and founder of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra calls for peace.

Following Hamas’ terror attack on Israel and the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war, conductor Daniel Barenboim issued a statement to his social media. Barenboim expressed horror, sadness and condemnation of Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel. He also expressed his wish for peace and an end to military action, saying that Israel’s retaliatory siege on Gaza would constitute a violation of human rights.

Refresher: Though born in Argentina, the conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim moved to Israel with his family when he was 10. In 1999, he co-founded the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra with the Palestinian public intellectual and writer, Edward Said. The orchestra has promoted peace between Israel and Palestine by bringing together musicians from countries throughout the Middle East. Said and Barenboim also founded the Barenboim-Said Akademie in Berlin in 2015 with the same principles.

Why It Matters: Barenboim, who is Jewish, was the first person to hold both Israeli and Palestinian citizenships simultaneously. He is known for his nuanced engagement with antisemitism and politics through his conducting of Wagner in Israel, as well as his peace initiatives. In June 1967, he and his then-fiancé Jacqueline du Pré performed around Israel before and during the Six-Day War, demonstrating their solidarity with the people of Israel during another time of horror.

QUIZ

True or False?

F minor has the same key signature as A flat major.

Scroll down for the answer…

AROUND THE WEB

📅 On this day: Aaron Copland’s ballet, Billy the Kid, premieres in 1938.

🔢 Useful: Looking to calculate something? This site has a calculator for anything!

☁️ Interesting: The Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto has hired its first curator of climate change.

😂 Funny: The 2023 contenders for the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards have arrived, and naturally, they’re hilarious.

🐐 Aww: Make room for the kid.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Gaetano Donizetti (Pictured right) in Paris (1847), two years after he was diagnosed with syphilis and severe mental illness.

QUIZ ANSWER

True

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Today's email was brought to you by Sara "Konzerthausorchester" Schabas with editing by Michael "temporomandibular" Vincent.

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