BACKWarner Music becomes first record label to partner with an algorithm
In the first deal of its kind, Warner Music has partnered with mood music app Endel to release 20 albums this year.
Endel is a German music app that uses algorithms to create ‘personalised soundscapes’ to help users relax, focus or fall asleep. Users of the app are given a personalised piece of music – or soundscape – to suit the time of day, their activity and even the weather.
In January, Endel and Warner announced that they’d teamed up to release a total of 20 one-hour albums – the first “app-as-an-artist” recordings. The first five albums in the deal have already been released and are called: Clear Night, Cloudy Afternoon, Cloudy Night, Foggy Morning and Rainy Night.
BASCA enters new era as The Ivors Academy
BASCA (British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors) has changed its name to The Ivors Academy.
The organisation, which dates back to 1944, is uniting all its activities under one familiar name – that of its much-admired and internationally renowned Ivor Novello Awards. Coinciding with the relaunch, The Ivors Academy is welcoming high profile writers including Ed Sheeran as new members.
The name-change is the start of an exciting drive to further build membership and champion the interest of music creators through its work in campaigning to protect and promote music creators, celebrating the achievements of outstanding songwriters and composers, and cultivating the next generation of talent.
The Ivors Academy has also presented the British Composer Awards since 2003 to celebrate excellence in contemporary classical and jazz composition. These awards will become The Ivors Composer Awards.
The Ivors Academy is also pushing hard to nurture the next generation of music creators as they negotiate the challenges of a changing industry.
„Wir reden offen über alles“
Matthias Schulz, der Intendant der Berliner Staatsoper, über den Streit um Daniel Barenboims Führungsstil, Uraufführungen und seine Liebe zu Mozart.
Frederik Hanssen:
Herr Schulz, Ihr aktuelles Spielzeitmotto lautet „furchtlos“. Wenn Sie nun aber zum ersten Mal keine Pressekonferenz veranstalten, um die kommende Saison vorzustellen, dann könnte man fast auf die Idee kommen, an der Staatsoper herrsche tatsächlich ein „Klima der Angst“, wie die Barenboim-Kritiker behaupten.
Matthias Schulz:
Für mich ist es wichtig, dass die aktuelle Diskussion die Präsentation des Programms nicht überlagert. Und man sieht anhand unseres Spielplans auch, dass das Haus seinen normalen Gang geht. Wenn hier eine ungute Atmosphäre herrschen würde, wäre das alles gar nicht möglich.
FH:
So lange ich mich erinnern kann, hat Daniel Barenboim bei keiner Spielzeitpräsentation gefehlt. Wenn er auch jetzt wieder einen Medientermin gewollt hätte, hätte er ihn bekommen, oder?
MS:
Wir wollten mal etwas anderes ausprobieren, um das Programm in den Mittelpunkt stellen zu können. Social Media wird beispielsweise immer wichtiger, auch im Opernbereich, und dazu braucht man keinen Vor-Ort-Termin. Wenn jemand das Bedürfnis hat, direkt mit mir zu sprechen, dann stehe ich dafür gerne bereit. Darum sitzen wir ja jetzt hier.
Matthias Schulz, the director of the Berlin State Opera, on the dispute over Daniel Barenboim’s style of leadership, world premieres and his love for Mozart.
Frederik Hanssen:
Mr. Schulz, your current season is headlined by the claim “fearless”. But as you are not holding a press conference for the first time ever to introduce the upcoming season, then you might almost think that the State Opera is actually a “climate of fear,” as the Barenboim critics say.
Matthias Schulz:
For me it is important that the current discussion does not overlay the presentation of the programme. And you can also see from our schedules and planning that the house is going its normal course. If there was a bad atmosphere here, that would not be possible.
FH:
As long as I can remember, Daniel Barenboim has not missed any season presentation for the press. If he would have wanted a meeting with media outlets again, he would have gotten it, right?
MS:
We wanted to try something different to focus on the program. Social media, for example, is becoming increasingly important, even in the opera sector, and you do not need an on-site appointment. If someone feels the need to talk to me directly then I am happy to help. That’s why we’re sitting here now.