On Oct. 29, Russian conductor Alexander Vedernikov fell victim to Covid-19; he was 56. Born on Jan. 11, 1964, he studied at the Moscow Conservatory before taking his first job at Moscow’s Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music Theater. … » Read

When your father and sister are both accomplished lawyers, and your mother is only the second woman ever appointed to the U. S. Supreme Court, you are almost fated to follow in their footsteps. Jim Ginsberg certainly thought so when he enrolled … » Read

Donald Runnicles, having recently added “Sir” to his name courtesy of last month’s Queen’s Birthday Honors, has renewed his contract as general music director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin through 2027. Runnicles is … » Read

To the list of key music business executives announcing their retirements in the Covid-19 year of 2020, add the name Margaret M. Lioi, Chamber Music America’s CEO. CMA announced on Friday afternoon that she would be stepping down after 20 … » Read

On Oct. 29 Stephen Shipps, a former violin professor at the University of Michigan (UM), was arrested and charged with two counts of transporting a minor girl across state lines with the intent to engage in sexual conduct. His alleged crimes … » Read

LOS ANGELES (AP) — From the beloved opening lines of Leonard Cohen's “Hallelujah” to the rousing, children's-choir conclusion of the Rolling Stones' “You Can't Always Get What You Want,” President Donald Trump's … » Read

If not for Covid-19, the California-based composer Gabriela Lena Frank would be a regular visitor to Philadelphia, where the Philadelphia Orchestra selected her late last year as its composer-in-residence. “We had begun meeting with … » Read

In addition to the  departure of Sean Michael Gross earlier this month, Askonas Holt is to lose Gaetan le Divelec, artist manager to Robin Ticciati, Nathalie Stutzmann, and Sir Andras Schiff, among other luminaries. Born in France, Le … » Read

Brian Newhouse, who for 27 years served as producer and host for Minnesota Public Radio’s (MPR) live broadcasts from Orchestra Hall, has joined the other side. As of November 2 he becomes the Minnesota Orchestra’s Associate VP of … » Read

American tenor Lawrence Brownlee is on a roll lately. In November he releases Amici e Rivali ( Friends and Rivals ), a collection of male arias and duets by Rossini he recorded with tenor Michael Spyres. And he has continued to be an aggressive … » Read