Classical 101

Festival to Honor Early Music Pioneer

Jennifer Hambrick — Fri, 25 May 2012 14:00:17 +0000

David Munrow was equal parts antiquarian and visionary, an academic who unearthed buried musical treasure in dusty libraries and formed the equivalent of an early music garage band to bring it before the public.

Music for the Golden Gate: May 27 Is Frisco Day on Classical 101

Jennifer Hambrick — Thu, 24 May 2012 17:55:13 +0000

On May 28, 1937, the city of San Francisco inaugurated an orange vermilion suspension bridge spanning the azure waters of San Francisco Bay. The San Francisco Chronicle called it a “35 million dollar steel harp,” and the musical metaphor has proven prescient: over the next 75 years San Francisco would become one of the most [...]

New Faces of Classical Music: Nikolaj Lund’s Photos of Musicians

Jennifer Hambrick — Thu, 24 May 2012 17:00:19 +0000

Photographer Nikolaj Lund shows classical musicians not just doing business as usual: a percussionist defies gravity amid flurries of sheet music, three musicians lie buried beneath a cello, a pianist floats on a baby grand piano adrift on the water.

Philip Glass Premiere in Times Square, Public Invited

John Rittmeyer — Wed, 23 May 2012 19:24:02 +0000

Ever want to sing in a world premiere in front of a big crowd? In honor of composer Philip Glass turning 75 this year, NPR commissioned him to write a short work that is going to be performed in New York City, in Times Square on June 21st. Amateurs and professionals are invited to join in this event, which will be videotaped and recorded.

“Listening Machine” Creates Symphony from Twitter Tweets

Jennifer Hambrick — Tue, 22 May 2012 14:47:05 +0000

The Britten Sinfonia, an artist and a scientist have teamed up to create a symphony using data gathered from what people tweet on Twitter.

Want To Play in the NYC Subway? Sign Up to Audition.

Jennifer Hambrick — Thu, 17 May 2012 16:36:46 +0000

To paraphrase an old joke, how do you get a New York solo debut? Practice. And you could also audition for the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority’s Music Under New York performance series. According to the New York Post, it’s audition season once again for Music Under New York, the series that since 1985 [...]

Music Degree Programs: Next on the Chopping Block?

Jennifer Hambrick — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:00:52 +0000

The Australian National University has proposed changes that would end one of its bachelor of music degree programs and significantly alter the other, eliminating 32 jobs and ending one-on-one music tutelage.

Kid Rock Concert Benefits Detroit Symphony

Boyce Lancaster — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:00:20 +0000

Kid Rock audience gives Beethoven rousing standing ovation;Yo Yo Ma, Paul Simon, win Sweden's prestigious Polar Music Award; Renee Fleming to perform at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee

Copenhagen Philharmonic Flash Mob a Hit During A.M. Subway Commute

Jennifer Hambrick — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:00:10 +0000

Above: the Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra serenades morning subway commuters with “Morning” from Edvard Grieg’s Peer Gynt. Ah, Denmark – home of the Tivoli Gardens, Legoland, fabled blue cheese and some great classical music flash mobs. You might remember the Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra’s brilliant flash-mob rendition of Ravel’s Bolero in Copenhagen’s Central Station about a year [...]

Strad dealer sounds sour note

Boyce Lancaster — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:23:17 +0000

One of the world's most successful dealers of Stradivari violins finds himself in the middle of a firestorm.