The Guardian

Maestro Verdi, your Art must not die

He gives music to the emotions … tenor Rolando Villazón on singing and listening to Verdi in his bicentennial year.

The Telegraph

Classical musicians demand ‘sport star tax breaks’ from George Osborne

The Chancellor should stop discriminating against visiting foreign musicians and artists by denying them tax breaks which are offered to top foreign footballers and athletes, leaders of Britain’s biggest orchestras say today.

The Times

Magdalena Kozená: Simon Rattle’s wife on singing with the enemy

Kozená is about to do something few singers are privileged to do: give a recital at the Staatsoper accompanied on the piano by Barenboim.

Classic FM

Alison Balsom to receive prestigious Silver Clef Award

Classical trumpeter Alison Balsom will receive the PPL Classical Award at this year’s Nordoff Robbins O2 Silver Clef Awards.

Gramophone

LSO to perform two tribute concerts for Sir Colin Davis

The London Symphony Orchestra honours its former president and principal conductor on June 16 and 18.

Digital Journal

Pushing Toronto Opera Audiences Into New Territory

Alexander Neef, General Director of the Canadian Opera Company, recently announced the company’s 2013-2014 season. It expresses not only a vision for the COC, but of opera’s role in the cultural fabric of Canada’s largest city.

The Guardian

(Written on May 7, 2013 )

We are thrilled to announce that Accentus Music has been honoured with the Silver Hugo for ‘Best Documentary, Arts/Humanities’ at the Chicago International Film Festival Television Awards for John Cage – Journeys in Sound. 

The documentary, which combines rare archival footage with concert excerpts and a series of interviews with former associates of Cage, has already been awarded three awards in the past four months: the ‘Best Documentary’ award at the Golden Prague Festival, ‘Best Educational Program’ at the FIFA in Montréal, along with an International Classical Music Award in the ‘DVD Documentaries’ category.

Accentus Music’s upcoming release of Bruckner’s 5th Symphony is eagerly awaited, following the success of the first instalment of the symphonic cycle series. Performed by one of the oldest orchestras in the world, under the baton of Daniel Barenboim, The Mature Symphonies was performed in just under a week: an astonishing accomplishment.

Watch the trailer for John Cage – Journeys in Sound below, for an insight into the multi-award winning DVD. Also, keep up to date with Accentus Music news through Facebook, Twitter and regular blogs on the WildKat PR website.

(Written on April 24, 2013 )

New York Times

Wolfgang, Is That You?

In the impossible search to know exactly what the face of musical genius looked like, researchers in Salzburg, Austria, have made progress. Their subject was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a local boy.

Runway Crescendo: Strut Over, Beethoven

At Carolina Herrera’s fashion show on Monday at Lincoln Center, don’t expect to hear the Knife’s “Full of Fire,” Haim’s “Don’t Save Me” or Rihanna’s “Diamonds.”

The Economist

Daniel Barenboim performs Beethoven

Edward Said and Daniel Barenboim created the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra in 1999. The group is a rare, and virtuosic, collaboration between Israelis and Arab

The Telegraph

Michael Gove’s GCSE U-turn: how EBacc was scrapped

Michael Gove’s plan to replace discredited GCSEs with new academic English Baccalaureate Certificates has been shelved after less than five months

Huffington Post

How Music is Instrumental in Breaking Generational Barriers

Within the 21st century, there is a large barrier between generations. Parents have difficulty understanding their children’s individual expression while adolescents have trouble accepting their parents’ wisdom.

Classical Source

The Royal Opera’s Eugene Onegin Broadcast Live Into Cinemas Worldwide On Wednesday 20 February

Kasper Holten, Director of Opera for The Royal Opera, makes his directorial debut with the Company with an exciting new production of Tchaikovsky’s poignant Eugene Onegin which will be broadcast live into cinemas worldwide on Wednesday 20 February.

The Wagnerian

New Wagner Book: The Cambridge Wagner Encyclopedia

Should you have a spare £120 then the following maybe of interest…

Music Week

iTunes Store sells 25 billionth song

Apple has announced has surpassed 25 billion sales of songs via its iTunes Store.

The Guardian

iTunes and Spotify devastate high street music sales as fans go digital

HMV and others hit by ‘digital music switchover’ as more than a quarter of UK population download or stream music

New York Times

(Written on February 7, 2013 )

Beginning this year, Accentus Music will be releasing Anton Bruckner’s The Mature Symphonies starting with one of his most popular works, Symphony No. 4. Accentus have released a trailer in anticipation of the release, providing fans with a sneak peek of the production.  The major cycle, performed by the Staatskapelle Berlin under the baton of Daniel Barenboim, was recorded in the Philharmonie Berlin in just one week: an epic accomplishment.

To find out more about The Mature Symphonies DVD collection and other Accentus Music releases, visit their website here.

(Written on January 31, 2013 )

Classic FM

Choral version of Anne Frank’s diary gets release date

Composer James Whitbourn’s choral setting of The Diary of Anne Frank is to be released on January 22nd.

League table reveals hardest-working in classical music

New York Philharmonic, Alan Gilbert, Sir Simon Rattle, Arvo Pärt and Handel’s Messiah are the winners in a survey of classical music concerts in 2012.

Gramophone

Obituary: John Carol Case, bass-baritone

The English bass-baritone, singing teacher and carol composer John Carol Case, OBE, has died, aged 89.

Irish Independent (found on Musical Chairs)

Bird ‘more complex than orchestra’

Songbirds possess a musical instrument more complex than anything found in an orchestra, a study has confirmed.

Slipped Disc

David Bowie and Philip Glass talk through their two symphonies

The world awoke [yesterday] to the news that David Bowie, on his 66th birthday, has broken ten years of creative silence with a seminal new single, Where Are We Now?

British composer misses Carnegie Hall deadline

Oliver Knussen has failed to deliver a new work to the Philadelphia Orchestra in time for a Carnegie Hall premiere next month.

The Independent

Why clapping ruins concerts

Intrusive applause can spoil a classical concert, leading conductors tell Simon O’Hagan

Deceptive Cadence, NPR

Leonidas Kavakos: Letting Beethoven Shine

Violinist Leonidas Kavakos is something of a musician’s musician in the classical world.

Irish Independent

(Written on January 9, 2013 )

Gramophone

BBC Two presents ‘Howard Goodall’s Story of Music’ in January 2013

Six-part series explores the development of Western music

Classic FM

British Paraorchestra release charity single

After a successful performance at this year’s Paralympics Closing Ceremomy, the British Paraorchestra are the stars of a new charity single: ‘True Colors’ with the Kaos Signing Choir for Deaf and Hearing Children and the voices of ParalympicsGB.

The Telegraph

Catrin Finch: The harpist who is adding new strings to her bow

Catrin Finch is keen to push the boundaries of the harp, she tells Adam Sweeting.

Classical Music Magazine

Autumn Statement means more Arts Council cuts

The arts are to take a further funding cut because the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and Arts Council England have been so pared down themselves that they say they are unable to sustain the new reductions announced in chancellor George Osborne’s Autumn Statement.

Slipped Disc

Just in: Arab state confirms a female music director 

We told you, exclusively, two months ago that Han-Na Chang, the Korean cellist, as to be music director of the Qatar Philharmonic.

Just in: Barenboim’s state opera gets slammed for ‘wasteful, sordid’ mismanagement

The criticism comes from the powerful culture committee of the Bundestag and it is directed at the renovation costs of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden.

Just in: Editor of The Times is fired

Rupert Murdoch has got rid of James Harding, editor of the Times.

The Wagnerian

Guardian to broadcast act 3 of ROH Walkure using multiple persectives

As part of the new partnership between the Guardian and the ROH, the Guardian website will broadcast Act 3 of this years Walkure – from multiple and unusual perspectives.

(Written on December 13, 2012 )

Classic FM

Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo will be the next opera to be performed by the Silent Opera company
Designed to be an immersive opera experience, this version of L’Orfeo will feature a performance space that the audience can freely move about in and wireless headphones for each audience member.

A cappella choir The Other Guys aim for Christmas No. 1

The Other Guys, an a cappella choir from St Andrews, have released a festive single entitled ‘Christmas Gets Worse Every Year’ in a bid to get it to the Christmas No. 1 position. The group are currently at no. 4 in the Amazon download charts.

Rhinegold

Ulster Orchestra consults over future ‘to preserve this orchestra’

The Ulster Orchestra has entered into a consultation process with staff and stakeholders that interim chief executive Ed Smith says may lead to ‘some losses to the core orchestra and administrative staff’.

The Strad

Violin pedagogue Eta Cohen dies aged 96

The violin teacher born to Jewish immigrant parents dies after a 70 year career, pioneering a new method for teaching beginners.

Limelight

Death of an Orchestra: Orchestra Romantique’s swan song

Thoughts on the premature demise of an ensemble whose grand dreams were dashed against the rocks of financial reality.

Slipped Disc

Kirsten Flagstad died 50 years ago today

She was the greatest Isolde for half a century.

The Guardian

The best classical music of 2012

At the Proms, more people got a chance to hear the work of Pierre Boulez than had previously heard it in half a century, thanks to Daniel Barenboim

Classic FM

(Written on December 7, 2012 )

Today, the conductor, pianist and Music Director of the Staatsoper Berlin, Daniel Barenboim, will celebrate his 70th birthday. Accentus Music, in association with ZDF and Arte, will honour the esteemed musician with a two-part documentary and a live broadcast on Arte of his “birthday concert” with the Staatskapelle Berlin. In addition, Accentus Music is pleased to announce the DVD release of Bruckner’s Symphonies Nos. 4-9 performed by Daniel Barenboim and the Staatskapelle Berlin.

This evening, the Staatskapelle Berlin and Daniel Barenboim will give a concert in aid of a music kindergarten in Berlin, which will also mark the conductor’s birthday. Under the direction of Daniel Barenboim’s long-time colleague, Zubin Mehta, a new piece by Elliott Carter: “Dialogues II” will be performed. The work for piano and orchestra is dedicated to Daniel Barenboim, who will perform the piano part, as well as Beethoven’s 3^rd Piano Concerto and Tchaikovsky’s 1^st Piano Concerto. Accentus Music will record the concert in co-production with ZDF and Unitel at the Berlin Philharmonie, which will be broadcast live from 20:15CET on Arte.

The two-part documentary; “Crossing Borders: Daniel Barenboim” by Paul Smaczny accompanies the artist in a search of the social significance of music and his tireless efforts for intercultural dialogue. The first part shows Barenboim working with the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra and follows him at sensational premiere concerts in Cairo and Gaza City. Part two highlights Barenboim’s efforts to overcome the Wagner taboo in Israel. Arte will broadcast the co-production of Accentus Music and ZDF tonight at 22:00 CET, following the special birthday concert broadcast.

Completing Accentus Music’s monumental celebration will be the release of a major symphonic series: Anton Bruckner’s “Mature Symphonies”. In 2010 Daniel Barenboim and the Staatskapelle Berlin performed Bruckner’s Symphonies Nos. 4 to 9 in just eight days. Accentus Music and Unitel Classica recorded the six highly acclaimed concerts at the Berlin Philharmonie. In January 2013, Accentus Music will start with the release of Bruckner’s Symphony No 4.

Paul Smaczny, producer, director and founder of Accentus Music, has collaborated for over 20 years with Daniel Barenboim. In numerous concert recordings and publications, Smaczny documents the musical work of the Buenos Aires-born conductor and pianist. For his film, “Knowledge is the Beginning – Daniel Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra”, Smaczny won the 2006 International Emmy® Award for Arts Programming.

Broadcast date: Thursday, 15th November 2012, Arte

20.15: Daniel Barenboim Birthday Concert – Live from the Berlin Philharmonic

(A production of Accentus Music in coproduction with ZDF and Unitel, in collaboration with Arte.)

22.00: Crossing Borders: Daniel Barenboim (1/2): Music and Politics

23.00: Crossing Borders: Daniel Barenboim (2/2): Musical Approaches

N.B. Above times are CET.

(A production of Accentus Music in coproduction with ZDF, in collaboration with Arte)

For more information please visit the Arte website here, or the Accentus Music website here.

(Written on November 15, 2012 )

Gramophone

Non-stop Beethoven at Berlin’s Konzerthaus

A 12-hour Beethoven marathon welcomes Iván Fischer as chief conductor of the Konzerthausorchester Berlin

Classic FM

Nigel Kennedy UK tour dates confirmed for spring 2013

Nigel Kennedy has confirmed plans to tour the UK in April and May 2013.

Slipped Disc

Barenboim, 70 tomorrow, launches music academy for the Middle East

He has raised 20 million Euros from the German Bundestag and another 8.5  million from private donors.

Just in: Last chords tonight for South Africa’s failing orchestra

The Johannesburg Philharmonic gives its last concert tonight before closure. It has been placed under bankruptcy protection and is emitting airy talk of reorganization.

A famous quartet is silenced by a musical thief. Your help is urgently required

We’ve just had a call from the organisers of the Brodsky Quartet’s 40th anniversary tour of Holland.

Daily Mail

Classic FM goes to war on Radio 3 ‘copycats’: Station accuses BBC of stealing string of ideas following rival network’s revamp

Global Radio Network accuses BBC of trying to steal Classic FM listeners

Daily Express

Opera Chief is name in the frame to be new BBC boss

LORD Patten has wasted no time in searching for a new BBC boss. He is believed to have sounded out Royal Opera House chief Tony Hall.

Opera Now

Don’t miss the spectacular 2013 Verona Festival centenary season

For opera lovers, the Arena di Verona offers the most dramatic setting for a truly memorable evening.

Berliner Morgenpost via Slipped Disc

(Written on November 15, 2012 )

Gramophone

Ryan Wigglesworth to make Covent Garden debut after Pappano withdraws from conducting The Minotaur

Award-winning young conductor steps up for Birtwistle revival

The Guardian

The orchestra as mass collaboration

Tod Machover is democratising classical music – by inviting Totonto’s 2.6 million inhabitants to be composers

Tom Service’s Blog – The Guardian

A Guide to Morton Feldman’s music

Don’t be daunted by his five-hour-long string quartet – Feldman offers a truly intimate encounter with the substance of sound

Deceptive Cadence

John Williams’ Inevitable Themes

For more than 50 years, John Williams’ music has taken us to galaxies far, far away through adventures here on earth, made us feel giddy joyand occasionally scared us to death.

Daniel Barenboim Remembers Elliott Carter

Over the course of an exceptionally long and productive life, the lateElliott Carter was championed by many leading conductors, soloists and ensembles. Among the most prominent is pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim, who has premiered many of Carter’s works.

The Telegraph

George Osborne’s night at the opera didn’t come cheap

George Osborne, Michael Gove and Ed Vaizey are thought to have accepted tickets for all four parts of the Ring cycle at the Royal Opera House that were worth £2,664.

LA Times

Marvin Hamlisch makes posthumous cameo on ‘The Simpsons’

Before he died in August at the age of 68, Marvin Hamlischrecorded a brief cameo for ”The Simpsons,” playing a version of himself in an episode involving Abe Simpson’s hidden past.

LA Times

(Written on November 13, 2012 )