It is a truth universally if quietly acknowledged that a singer in possession of work will be paid less than the orchestral instrumentalists with whom they perform. So goes the consensus among the working singers of America’s classical music industry, and for good reason: job postings for opera singers often list compensation rates which break […]
Tag: Music the Profession
Posted inBreaking
A Question of Endorsement
On May 26, Art Not Arms posted an open letter to Kings Place, the London classical music venue and conference center, that called for the cancellation of the upcoming Defence in Space Conference in October. This conference is sponsored by arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin. The open letter noted that Lockheed Martin is involved in the […]
Posted inInterview
Seeking Leverage
The UK-based Musicians’ Union has 36,000 members, and covers musicians across a huge variety of genres, vocations and working patterns. Its orchestral section—about 10% of the membership—represents the best organized part of the union. (Salaried orchestras like the Hallé or the Liverpool Philharmonic—with playing roles and organizational structures that have rarely changed in decades—are extremely […]
Posted inInterview
A Fast-Rising Star Reveals His Humble Origins
Tall, thin as a rake, with wispy hair and piercing blue eyes, Kurt Dirigent looks more like an imaginary character than the artistic director of the ground-breaking ensemble Lorem Ipsum. He orders a flat white at the Soho branch of London-based independent coffee shop Gail’s, with the pained look of a man who has seen […]
Posted inOpinion
Classical Music in the Enshittocene
I guess the moment it hit me was when Classic FM’s Alexander Armstrong was revealed to be getting into “NFTs tickets.” Whether or not these NFTs are just glorified QR codes—Curved Music, the company behind his new shows, didn’t respond by the time of publication—mere mention of those initials was enough to zap me back […]
Posted inBreaking
Tales from Wales
The junior department of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama closed for the end of term on Saturday. It looks like it will not re-open. 340 children will be affected across the Young Music and Young Drama programs, as well as five salaried staff and a further 112 hourly staff on zero-hours contracts […]
Posted inEssay
It Could Be Me
The curtain opens on Mozart’s “La clemenza di Tito.” On stage is a raging Vitellia: wannabe empress, scorned daughter, forgotten royalty. “He could have at least chosen a rival worthy of me,” she spits, of reigning emperor Tito. “Instead, he prefers a barbarian and an exile to me, a queen!” Vitellia’s father was the emperor […]
Posted inReport
Why Corruption Plagues Chinese Conservatories
In April, Xue Wei, a former professor of violin at the Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM) in Beijing, posted on Weibo, a popular Chinese social media channel, to accuse Tong Weidong, the current dean of the orchestral instrument department at the same conservatory, of sexual abuse toward students and corruption in the entrance examination process. […]
Posted inReport
Inhabiting the Curve
Cate Blanchett isn’t the only conductor in Todd Field’s “Tár” (2022). There is her predecessor at the Berlin Philharmonic, Andris, and the Gilbert Kaplan cipher Eliot (Mark Strong). There are also two assistant conductors: the aspirant Francesca Lentini (Noémie Merlant), who hopes to take the assistant position at the Berlin Phil, and the hapless Sebastian […]
Posted inReport
Can the Northern Ballet Sinfonia Survive?
When an organization restricts comments on its social media channels, it’s a sure-fire sign that something is not right. So it proved when the Northern Ballet closed comments on their season announcement in early February. An update on the company website confirmed that, rather than using the Northern Ballet Sinfonia, the company was to perform […]