“The merger of record giants Sony Music and BMG has once again been approved by European competition regulators – after a reassessment of the case. The European Commission cleared the deal to join the two firms’ music units in 2004, but a court overturned this. A new inquiry ruled the merger would not ‘create or strengthen a dominant position in the music markets.'”
Tag: 10.02.07
PacSym Musicians Approve Huge Raise
Musicians of the Pacific Symphony have voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new five-year contract. The outcome of the ratification vote wasn’t really in doubt, since the contract will boost the musicians’ pay a whopping 41%.
How A Conductor Can Turn Around An Orchestra
Vasily Petrenko is shockingly young. And in his short time leading the Liverpool Philharmonic he’s dramatically upped the orchestra’s fortunes. “Audience figures are up. The finances are more secure. Recordings and tours are planned. And the orchestra is set to assume a leading role when Liverpool becomes European Capital of Culture next year.”
Broadway, West End, Invade Paris
“Paris’s theatre scene is braced for a revolution as big entertainment groups import Broadway and West End hits. France, which has long defended its cultural identity from identikit global tastes, seems about to embrace the ‘Anglo-Saxon’ toe-tapping style.”
The Male/Female Language Gulf – A Myth?
The idea that men and women metaphorically “speak different languages” is not, of course, new, but the myth of Mars and Venus has given it new currency and legitimacy. What was once just a metaphor has acquired the status of literal, scientific truth. Today, it is widely believed that misunderstanding between men and women is a widespread and serious problem. But is our concern about it justified by the evidence, or is “male-female miscommunication” a myth?
Everybody’s A Critic… So…
“The bloggers and reading groups often claim that they would rather get recommendations from someone they know, someone with similar tastes. One problem with this is that the public are relying on a reviewing system that confirms and assuages their prejudices rather than challenges them. An able and experienced critic, with sufficient authority, could once persuade readers to give unfamiliar work a second chance, to see things they did not see at first glance. In that respect, critics can be the harbingers of the new. Can we rely on the bloggers to bring vital if alienating art to a wide audience?”
UK’s School Libraries Are Dying
“A poor range of books and inconvenient opening hours are putting children off libraries, while some schools are becoming overprotective of the few books they have and refusing to lend them out.”
BBC Buys Lonely Planet Travel Books, Will Put Online
“The founders of Lonely Planet have sold up to BBC Worldwide in a deal that will see the full text of the guidebooks going online. The BBC’s commercial arm plans to launch a Lonely Planet magazine and develop the firm’s existing television programming.”
New Denver Art Museum Doesn’t Meet Attendance Goals
“The Denver Art Museum’s attendance in the first year following the glitzy opening of its $110 million Hamilton Building was either a big success or a major disappointment. It all depends on your point of view.”
The Littlest Einstein (Oh Yes, It Also Teaches Music)
The “Little Einsteins” cartoon purports to introduce kids to classical music. “I suppose some will try to assess ‘Little Einsteins’ by what it can do for classical music. Will it lead to a new generation of concert-goers or redress the pullback of music education in public schools? That’s all beside the point.”