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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: classical music

classical music stories: 45 news summaries

21 - 40 of 45 Stories | << Prev 1 2 3 Next >>

Chinese Virtuoso Conducts Assault on Glass Ceiling

Classical superstar Xian Zhang is young, energetic—and a woman

(Newser) - In the traditional world of classical music, no area has been less hospitable to women than the conductor’s platform. So it’s remarkable that one of the world’s hottest maestros is not just a woman, but a 35-year-old from China—Xian Zhang, associate conductor at the New York... More »

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China music classical music Chinese women New York Philharmonic orchestra conductor Xian Zhang wowOwow

How to Get to Carnegie? YouTube, YouTube, YouTube

Cyber orchestra created to merge world music

(Newser) - The road to Carnegie Hall now passes through YouTube, which is borrowing a note from American Idol to give aspiring classical musicians a chance to perform on the world-famous stage. To snag a seat in the cyber-orchestra, contestants must download and perform—using a liberal interpretation of "instruments"—... More »

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classical music Carnegie Hall

 Cellist Runs 
 Church of 
 Beethoven 

Albuquerque arts devotees start secular Church of Beethoven in old gas station

(Newser) - Congregants gather on Sundays at an old gas station in Albuquerque to greet friends, ponder the divine, and listen to classical music, NPR reports. Espresso-sipping members of the Church of Beethoven also listen to poetry readings and engage in group song, but don't need to have religious beliefs. Cellist Felix... More »

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music art classical music church NPR Albuquerque

US Composer Says Feds Are After Him

John Adams claims agents have targeted him for his politics

(Newser) - One of the most famous composers in America insists that Homeland Security has targeted him for his liberal views, the Guardian reports. John Adams, who achieved fame with his Nixon in China opera 20 years ago, says airport immigration grills him whenever he comes home. "I'm perfectly aware that... More »

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immigration classical music Department of Homeland Security composer John Adams

 Rap Fan's Sentence: Bump Bach 

Unable to listen for 20 hours, defendant opts to pay fine

(Newser) - An Illinois municipal court offered to reduce a 24-year-old’s fine for a noise violation if he listened to 20 hours of classical music, but he lasted just 15 minutes, the Springfield News-Sun reports. "I didn't have the time," says the college basketball player, denying that the... More »

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classical music Oprah Winfrey Illinois rap music Dr Phil Urbana-Champaign Urbana University noise violation Chevrolet Impala

 New Mozart Score 
 Surfaces in France 

Melodic sketch was part of a collection given to a Nantes library in early 1800s

(Newser) - A single-page musical score located in a French library has been confirmed as a Mozart original, the Telegraph reports. “Mozart's handwriting is clearly identifiable,” an expert said. “There's no doubt that this is an original piece handwritten by Mozart.” The notation is for a melody only,... More »

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France classical music Austria score Vienna authenticity discovery Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Nantes library

 You Are Your Music: Study

Study says music reflects our personalities

(Newser) - Our favorite music speaks volumes about who we are, according to a new psychological study. It turns out that Indie fans are miserable, and metal heads act a lot like classical music lovers. The Independent breaks down personalities by genre:  
  • Indie: Low self-esteem and lazy, not to
... More »

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music classical music list psychology country music rap music reggae heavy metal blues rock music survey dance music indie rock

Gergiev to Lead Defiant South Ossetia Concert

London Symphony's principal conductor  hails Russian victory

(Newser) - Valery Gergiev, the principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, among other prominent posts, will preside over a victorious concert tonight in South Ossetia, celebrating Russia’s recent military successes, theTimes reports. Gergiev is an ethnic Ossetian and close personal friend of Vladimir Putin—they are godfathers of each... More »

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Russia classical music Georgia South Ossetia Valery Gergiev

How an Amateur Made Classical Cool in NYC

Chamber rock series invites young fans to hear old masters

(Newser) - Ronen Givony is no musician, he can’t read music, and had never organized a concert—until recently. Now the 28-year-old is considered one of New York’s top impresarios, thanks to his “Wordless Music” series, which puts top indie rock and electronica bands on the same bill as... More »

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New York City classical music concert Lincoln Center indie pop rock music

 Fire Lashes Berlin Philharmonic 

No one injured in blaze as musicians bolt from iconic concert hall with instruments

(Newser) - A fire broke out at the Berlin Philharmonic today, bringing more than 100 firefighters to the concert hall, Der Spiegel reports. No one was injured in the blaze, with musicians fleeing with their instruments; a lunchtime concert had to be evacuated. "We don’t believe anyone is in danger,... More »

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Germany Berlin classical music firefighters California wildfires fire Berlin Philharmonic

 Robo-Maestro Takes Baton 

Honda robot manages to wow Detroit audience despite limitations

(Newser) - It was classical music, but when the Detroit Symphony Orchestra hit its final note last night, it sounded an awful lot like the future. Honda’s Asimo robot led a real, live, human orchestra, and though the android was only repeating the recorded movements of a human, the performance went... More »

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Violinist to Serenade
Taxi Driver

Concert at Newark airport for cabbie who returned $4M Strad

(Newser) - When violin virtuoso Philippe Quint left a 1723 Antonio Stradivari “Ex-Kiesewetter” in a New Jersey taxi two weeks ago, he was distraught: The $4 million instrument was not only irreplaceable, it was on loan. But the cab driver returned the violin next morning, and today, in gratitude, the Grammy-nominated... More »

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 Muti to Lead Chicago Symphony 

Italian personality had been pursued by NY orchestra, others

(Newser) - After four years of searching for a new music director, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra has finally found its man: Italian maestro Riccardo Muti. He will take over for the 2010-11 season on a five-year contract. In September, Muti rejected the idea of an American music directorship because of hefty administrative... More »

Vivaldi Opera Revived 278 Years Later

Czech musician tracks down long-lost work
in Germany

(Newser) - A long-lost opera by Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi has resurfaced nearly 280 years after its Prague premiere, BBC reports. Argippo, a tale of love and deception set in an Indian maharaja’s court, was first performed in 1730 but vanished soon after, leaving only a libretto. But that was enough... More »

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 Mozart Helps Snap
 Saudi Taboos 

Mixed-gender concert signals opening to outside world

(Newser) - Mozart hasn't challenged cultural taboos for more than 200 years, but last night he caused quite a stir in Saudi Arabia. A German-based quartet gave the nation its first public classical concert where men were allowed to hear Mozart and sit next to, gasp, women. "The concert is a... More »

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Saudi Arabia classical music concert Muslim women Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

 Shhh! Europe Law Forces 
 Orchestras to Tone It Down 

Noise legislation means musicians are playing musical chairs, the real game

(Newser) - A new law in Europe to protect employees from ear-damaging noises is stifling a surprise industry—orchestras. Conductors are taking it down a notch to comply, in one case canceling a world premiere because it exceeded the allowable decibels in rehearsal, the New York Times reports. At the Royal Opera... More »

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 Pavarotti Lipsynched
 Last Performance 

Late tenor too sick to sing live at Turin Olympics opening ceremony

(Newser) - Lipsynching isn't just for neophytes like Nikki Hilton—none other than tenor Luciano Pavarotti faked his way through his final public performance at the opening of the Turin Winter Olympics, the Guardian reports. In a new book, Pavarotti's conductor and pianist claims that he recorded the cancer-stricken tenor and the... More »

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MUSIC REVIEW

 Dudamel Dazzles in LA Debut 

Venezuelan conductor kicks off new job

(Newser) - Gustavo Dudamel lived up to all the hype last Friday, when he conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic for the first time since Esa-Pekka Salonen announced that the 27-year old maestro would be replacing him as the orchestra's music director in 2009.  Dudamel paid homage to Salonen by opening with... More »

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classical music Gustavo Dudamel orchestra symphony LA Philharmonic Debussy Esa-Pekka Salonen

 Heal Me, Amadeus! 

Docs credit "Mozart effect" with improving epilepsy

(Newser) - A British patient's epilepsy showed remarkable improvement after he started listening to 45 minutes of Mozart daily, the Independent reports. And while research is still sparse on the music's effect on epilepsy, some doctors speculate that his complex melodies stimulate the brain in a way other composers' works don't. "... More »

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health classical music brain epilepsy neurology Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

OPINION

Fine Arts
Could Use
Some Color

Black author laments lack of company at music, theater events

(Newser) - Britain's culture minister set off a row about high culture and national identity this week in castigating a popular series of classical music concerts for failing to attract a multiethnic audience. For Candace Allen, an African-American author living in London, the debate is more than theoretical: while classical music can... More »

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race BBC classical music Gustavo Dudamel Candace Allen Proms Cecilia Bartoli Margaret Hodge Simón Bolìvar Youth Orchestra

21 - 40 of 45 Stories | << Prev 1 2 3 Next >>