Opera North and Leeds College of Music announce new partnership

Leeds College of Music and Opera North have announced a new partnership, providing students studying classical music with a direct link to the industry.

Students will be given the opportunity to play side-by-side with the Orchestra of Opera North, observe the production and rehearsal process, work with conductors and chorus masters on repertoire, and have access to workshops and masterclasses with visiting artists.

Gerry Godley, principal and managing director at Leeds College of Music, said: ‘We are thrilled to partner with Opera North … having this direct link between the next generation of classical musicians from Leeds College of Music and the professional musicians of Opera North will allow us to work collaboratively to develop talented musicians and support the sustainability of classical music in the North of England.’

For further information, read more here…

ENTRIES OPEN FOR THE IVORS COMPOSER AWARDS 2019

The Ivors Composer Awards, formerly known as The British Composer Awards, are now open for entries across 12 categories.

The PRS for Music sponsored awards have 12 categories across classical, jazz and sound art and anyone, including the composer, can enter eligible works which are then judged anonymously.

All eligible submissions are reviewed by juries specifically appointed by Ivors Academy, and the awards are presented by fellow composers and songwriters to their peers at a ceremony on Wednesday 4 June 2019.

Each entry has a £10 administration fee and the closing date is Friday 12 July 2019.

For further information, read more here…

New warts-and-all Pavarotti film released in cinemas

American filmmaker Ron Howard’s new documentary, entitled Pavarotti, is released in US cinemas on 7 June and due for its UK release on 15 July.

Luciano Pavarotti has no trouble in filling the screen in Ron Howard’s new film, not just with his considerable height and girth but with his huge personality. A natural presence, he almost bursts from his cinematic constraints. Opera luminaries queue up to pour out their admiration for the superstar tenor, falling over themselves to lavish praise for his outstanding voice and sunny disposition.

Howard cleverly frames his film with clips of an informal interview with Pavarotti, who is asked how he would like to be remembered one hundred years hence. At the start of the film he seems quite cheerful, answering that he never had a plan; ‘things just happened’. By the end of the film he looks infinitely less certain, rueful, even sad, and obviously all too aware that much of his life hasn’t been as successful as the public image suggests.

For further information on the documentary, read more here…