The BBC Symphony Orchestra’s May 13 concert at London’s Barbican Centre managed to field two premieres while celebrating four composer anniversaries. Two were major birthdays—César Franck’s 200th and Ralph Vaughan … » Read

CAMI Music, not to be confused with the defunct CAMI—though both originated on Ronald Wilford’s watch—has signed composer Andy Akiho , who specializes in large-scale, theatrical works such as Seven Pillars , performed last month … » Read

Musical commitment and innovative programming are not exclusive to America’s major symphony orchestras. As Alex Ross argues, “The South Dakota Symphony [SDSO] is bolder and savvier in its programming than all but a handful of American … » Read

The Lewis Prize for Music is now accepting applications for Accelerator Awards for Creative Youth Development (CYD). The program provides multi-year awards of $500,000 each to music organizations that enhance youth access to learning, creating, … » Read

Yo-Yo Ma has been announced as the winner of the triennial Birgit Nilsson Prize, which brings with it $1 million and an elaborate concert and presentation on October 18 by his Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf at the Stockholm Concert Hall. Nilsson … » Read

LONDON--“Life is precious,” wrote Michael Tilson Thomas back on March 2. He was referring to his ongoing treatment for Glioblastoma Multiforme, a form of aggressive brain cancer. The conductor underwent an operation to remove what was … » Read

Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen, Minister for Culture for North Rhine-Westphalia, has announced that beginning November 1, 2023, Ivo van Hove will become artistic director of the Ruhr Triennale for a three-year term. Van Hove will succeed the current … » Read

The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (SPCO) has named two artistic partners—the South African cellist Abel Selaocoe and German violist Tabea Zimmermann—as of the 2022-23 season. Zimmermann, widely considered to be the world’s … » Read

The Curtis Institute of Music has added to its adjunct composition faculty for the 2022-23 academic year, joining the current Nick DiBerardino, director of composition studies, and Richard Danielpour. Newcomers include Steven Mackey and Jonathan … » Read

If the sense of ambiguity that pervades Shakespeare’s Hamlet is what makes it so compelling a drama, it is also what makes it so challenging to an interpreter, be it a teller, a listener, a director, or a composer. Many of the last group … » Read