BACKOpera Holland Park general director Michael Volpe announces retirement
Michael Volpe, general director at Opera Holland Park, has announced his retirement after 31 years with the company.
Volpe will take early retirement after the 2020 season and the end of the 2019/20 financial year, taking effect from 30 September 2020. He began work in 1989 with the then owners of the Holland Park Theatre, and founded Opera Holland Park under their management in 1996.
Commenting on his departure, Volpe said: ‘It has been a life’s work at Opera Holland Park, but there comes a moment when one feels it is time for a change – both in one’s personal life, but perhaps also for the company, which is now mature enough to thrive and evolve on the strength of its own achievements and family of supporters.
‘I have so many people to thank and have made so many friends among the talented OHP family as well as within our supporters whose faith and commitment have been so critical to OHP’s success.’
CS Young Artist Award für Saxophonistin Valentine Michaud
Die Saxophonistin Valentine Michaud erhält den Credit Suisse Young Artist Award 2020. Die Auszeichnung ist mit 75.000 Schweizer Franken (rund 69.000 Euro) und einem Konzertauftritt mit den Wiener Philharmonikern versehen.
Valentine Michaud wurde 1993 als Tochter zweier Künstler geboren. Den ersten Saxophonunterricht erhielt sie im Alter von acht Jahren, außerdem nahm sie Klavierstunden. Sie begann ihr Studium bei Colette Musquer am Conservatoire de Nantes, wo sie auch das Jazzquintett Penta Tonik mitbegründete. Im Alter von 16 Jahren zog sie in die Schweiz, wo sie an der Haute Ecole de Musique de Lausanne bei Pierre-Stéphane Meugé studierte. Neben dem Fach Saxophon und Instrumentalpädagogik studierte sie außerdem an der Université de la Sorbonne in Paris Musikwissenschaft. Von 2017 bis 2018 war sie als Assistentin von Lars Mlekusch tätig. Heute spielt sie mit der Pianistin Akvile Sileikaite im Duo Akmi und tritt sowohl mit diesem als auch als Solistin international auf. Michaud gründete das transdisziplinäre Projekt “Waiting for Amon” und unterrichtet am Conservatorie Populaire de Musique de Genève. Die Musikerin wurde bei mehreren Wettbewerben ausgezeichnet, darunter 2016 bei der Jurjans Andrejs IV Woodwind Competition in Riga und beim Concours de Saxophone de Nantes 2006. Michaud spielt sowohl zeitgenössische Werke als auch Transkriptionen barocker und klassischer Musik.
CS Young Artist Award for Saxophonist Valentine Michaud
Saxophonist Valentine Michaud receives the Credit Suisse Young Artist Award 2020, which comes with 75,000 Swiss francs (around 69,000 euros) and a concert performance with the Vienna Philharmonic.
Valentine Michaud was born in 1993 as the daughter of two artists. She received her first saxophone lessons at the age of eight and also took piano lessons. She began her studies with Colette Musquer at the Conservatoire de Nantes, where she also co-founded the jazz quintet Penta Tonik. At the age of 16 she moved to Switzerland, where she studied at the Haute Ecole de Musique de Lausanne with Pierre-Stéphane Meugé. In addition to saxophone and instrumental pedagogy, she also studied musicology at the Université de la Sorbonne in Paris. From 2017 to 2018 she was assistant to Lars Mlekusch. Today she plays with the pianist Akvile Sileikaite in the Duo Akmi and performs internationally with the latter as well as as a soloist. Michaud founded the transdisciplinary project “Waiting for Amon” and teaches at the Conservatorie Populaire de Musique de Genève. The musician has won several competitions, including the Jurjans Andrejs IV Woodwind Competition in Riga in 2016 and the Concours de Saxophone de Nantes 2006. Michaud performs contemporary works as well as transcriptions of baroque and classical music.
Billie Eilish va interpréter la chanson officielle du nouveau James Bond, composé par Hans Zimmer
Tout va toujours très vite avec James Bond, alors qu’on a appris la semaine dernière qu’Hans Zimmer avait été appelé d’urgence pour finaliser la composition de la bande-originale du film, c’est à moins de 3 mois de la sortie de « No time to die », le 25ème film de la saga (le 2 avril au Royaume-Uni, le 8 en France et le 10 aux États-Unis), qu’on apprend que la chanson-titre du film sera interprétée par Billie Eilish. L’artiste de 18 ans, qui a écrit le texte du morceau avec son frère et complice habituel Finneas, sera la plus jeune interprète de l’histoire des bandes originales de James Bond.
Billie Eilish will perform the official song of the new James Bond movie, composed by Hans Zimmer.
Everything always goes very fast with James Bond, whereas we learned last week that Hans Zimmer had been called urgently to finalize the composition of the original soundtrack of the film, it is less than 3 months before the release of “No time to die”, the 25th film of the saga (April 2nd in the UK, April 8th in France and April 10th in the US), that we learn that the title song of the film will be interpreted by Billie Eilish. The 18-year-old artist, who wrote the text of the song with her brother and usual accomplice Finneas, will be the youngest performer in the history of James Bond soundtracks.