Category: Uncategorized

Happy 100 William Schuman

Last year, I marked William Schuman’s birthday on this blog, and today I’m doing it again (because birthdays come once a year).

It’s Schuman’s 100th, and Bill McLaughlin is paying tribute all week on his radio show Exploring Music (which you can hear on WQXR here in New York City).
On the Exploring Music blog, you can hear McLaughlin talk about Schuman’s Symphony No. 3. It’s a great piece, but Circus Overture brings back fond memories. Back when my son was two years old, I used to bounce him around on our bed while listening to this piece. Can’t do that now.  

But How Much Will He Make?

As Marcia Adair points out in her Los Angeles Times article today, the appointment of Yannick Nezet-Seguin as the next Philadelphia Orchestra music director may have been a bit of a surprise to some, not necessarily because of his youth–a lot of American orchestras are choosing young leaders–but more because he’s only appeared a couple of times with the group.

Adair looks back on Nezet-Seguin’s career to point out that he has never been one to move gradually in his career, and the orchestra clearly sees his lack of experience with them as no kind of roadblock to success. Both sides are gushing over each other.

Peter Dobrin of the Philadelphia Inquirer, quoted in the article, sees Nezet-Seguin’s hiring, and the hiring of young conductors in general, as the result of a dearth of experienced, world-class, 50-somethings on the podium.

Young conductors are no doubt cheaper, and the Philadelphia Orchestra can’t afford to throw a lot of money around right now. We won’t get to find out for a while how much they’re paying Nezet-Seguin: the orchestra won’t say. Is this even legal?

For those of you who understand French, here’s a video of Jennifer Love-Hewitt talking about Nezet-Seguin. I haven’t watched it yet, but maybe you’ll like it.

Our Trip to PEI

We just got back from a two-day, one-night trip with Mom and Dad to Prince Edward Island: bridge over, ferry back. We had the perfect beach weather for our stay at Cavendish.


Alex and Caitlin met a sprightly young fella who’s living in Memphis by way of Cleveland. When I asked him if he was Canadian, he replied, “I don’t know what that is, but I’m not.”

More videos on my YouTube channel. 

We stayed a the Stanley Bridge Country Resort, which gets a bad rap by some reviewers on Tripadvisor.ca for being a little ragged. It’s true that it could use better TVs–and covers on the duvets–but it was clean, the staff was helpful, and the restaurant served good food efficiently. All six of us were content.

Today, we made our way to Charlottetown. We toured Province House, where the PEI legislature holds its sessions in a room that can charitably described as intimate. Province House, a national historic site, also hosted a conference in 1864 where the so-called Fathers of Confederation set in motion the creation of the Dominion of Canada.

Vanessa and I now have Charlottetown on our list of places we would like to live. There are well-stocked used bookstores, good restaurants, and a couple of colleges; it’s also very easy to get around on foot. It’s just a fun place to be.

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in the Red Again

The Pittsburgh Symphony is budgeting a deficit of almost $900,000 for the coming fiscal year. And it looks as if that budget gap could be greater if they don’t get all of the $1.25 million that they’re requesting from a county agency that redistributes the proceeds of a 1% sales tax to arts and culture organizations.

This will be the third year in a row that they orchestra posted a deficit.

The orchestra just finished up performances at a festival in Quebec.

Trinity Wall Street’s New Music Director

Trinity Wall Street, comprising the Trinity Church and St. Paul’s Chapel in downtown Manhattan, announced that composer, organist, and all-around good guy Julian Wachner will be their Director of Music and the Arts, starting September 7.

Naxos released a volume of his choral music earlier this year. You can hear samples, and an interview with Wachner, on the company’s website.

Also, visit julianwachner.com. 

Can the Louisville Orchestra Turn It Around?

Through its premieres and First Edition recordings, the Louisville Orchestra has probably done more for new music than any other group in the US since WWII.

There’s also a new documentary out about its legendary, probably-will-never-see-again commissioning project. Here’s the trailer:

Charlotte Symphony Summer Haul Less This Year

The $100,000-plus that the Charlotte Symphony took in last year at their summer concerts helped keep them afloat this season. According to the WFAE website, audience members were a little less generous this year, although they still collectively chipped in $75,832.

As orchestra executive director mentions, one of the reasons for the reduced total is that many people might assume that the Charlotte Symphony has solved its money problems. It hasn’t; it’s only bought itself some time.