Beginning in early 2020, the pandemic shut down almost everything but online activities by symphony orchestras for nearly two years. During that time, there were several heartfelt musings by industry leaders suggesting that international touring … » Read

The City of Birmingham (U.K.), which declared bankruptcy last September, has announced some drastic cuts over the next two years  to tackle a £300m budget shortfall. Arts groups are particularly impacted. In addition to increasing … » Read

In Search of the Magic Bullet , a report released by the Wallace Foundation, summarizes insights gained from a four-year initiative that saw the funder invest nearly $41 million in grants supporting audience-building projects by 25 performing … » Read

Taking a symphony orchestra on the road has many of the challenges of a small military campaign, fortunately without any of the attendant bloodshed. When the National Symphony Orchestra recently departed Washington for its first European tour … » Read

The timetable and costs for the Colburn School 100,000-sq.-ft. expansion, designed by Frank Gehry, have been updated. Initially announced in March of 2022 , and situated next to the School's Grand Avenue campus in downtown Los Angeles, the … » Read

A new report issued at the annual conference of the Association of British Orchestras this past January emphasizes the good work orchestra musicians do in formal and informal care settings throughout the U.K. The Orchestras in Healthcare report , … » Read

It is received wisdom among classical musicians in the U.S. that a career in Europe offers a great deal more stability because governments at all levels subsidize the arts. “Yes, but…,” responds Heather Kurzbauer, a violinist … » Read

The Metropolitan Opera’s 2024-25 season, which opens September 23 with Jeanine Tesori’s Grounded , continues emphasizing contemporary operas, this time all tried and tweaked elsewhere before coming to the Met stage. That includes the … » Read

One of the many appeals of Bradley Cooper’s Oscar-nominated film Maestro is the authenticity of its musical performances, most especially the recreation of the London Symphony Orchestra’s 1973 performance of Mahler’s … » Read

The 2024-25 season of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO), the ensemble’s 145 th and Stéphane Denève’s sixth as music director, kicks off on Sept. 19 with the traditional free concert on Art Hill in Forest Park. Over … » Read