Seattle Symphony Names Concertmaster

http://www.musicalamerica.com/news/newsstory.cfm?archived=0&storyID=26617&categoryID=2

Sea-Tac To Be Gateway to "City of Music"

"Seattle-Tacoma International Airport launches an initiative Saturday, Jan. 28 branding Seattle as a "city of music."

The program features audio broadcasts, video segments, a web-based music player on the airport's free WiFi system and phone apps."

For the full story, please see the Seattle Times.

Rick Steves gives $1M to arts in Edmonds

"Rick Steves, the Edmonds-based travel writer and public broadcasting host, donated $1 million to the Edmonds Center for the Arts on Thursday.

For the full story, please see the Seattle Times.

Seattle Symphony Director Gets Brussels Post

"The opera house of Brussels has appointed the Frenchman Ludovic Morlot as its chief conductor, an assignment being heralded halfway around the world, in Seattle."

For the full story, please see the Seattle Times.

Speight Jenkins Sets Retirement Date

"Speight Jenkins, who has single-handedly turned the Seattle Opera into a force with which to be reckoned, will retire as general director at the end of the season in August 2014. Jenkins will have been at the helm for 30 years."

For the full story, please see Musical America.

Another arts group calls it quits: Bellevue Philharmonic

"After 43 years, including some recent rocky ones, the Bellevue Philharmonic is shutting down."

For the full story, please see the Seattle Times.

Music changed life of Seattle's new arts director

"If not for the trombone, Seattle's new arts czar says, he might not have gone to college."

For the full story, please see the Seattle Times.

Be happy: Bobby McFerrin to perform with local students

"Vocal improviser extraordinaire Bobby McFerrin will perform March 8th at The Paramount Theatre for one evening only. He’s coming at the behest of Giant Magnet (you may remember them better as Seattle International Children’s Festival, though they recently rebranded). The ten-time Grammy winner is still widely known for his wonderful and wonderfully simple hit single, Don’t Worry Be Happy. His concert performances are one-of-a-kind events that can open the world of music to an audience.

For the full story, please see KOMO News.

Paolo and Thomas' Sessions at Cornish

Pacific Northwest Viols presents a masterclass with viola da gamba virtuoso Paolo Pandolfo at Cornish College of the Arts on Monday, March 7 at 6 pm. Three talented players from Seattle and Vancouver will play for Paolo. Auditors: All Students (including UW) and Cornish faculty free, community attendees $15 at the door.
For more information,visit http://www.cornish.edu/music_series_10/event/master_class_with_paolo_pandolfo/

Early Music Guild with Cornish College present a seminar/masterclass by master lutenist and theorbo player Thomas Boysen at Cornish College at noon on March 7. Free and open to the public. For more information, visit
http://www.cornish.edu/music_series_10/event/thomas_boysen/

Musical stash waiting to be found finally uncovered at Fort Lewis

"Construction crews discovered a treasure trove of military music recordings while renovating a fitness center at Madigan Army Hospital this week."

For the full story, please see King 5.

Region's best opera voices compete in Seattle on Sunday

"Hear up-and-coming operatic voices at the Metropolitan Opera National Council regional auditions, to be held at Meany Hall on Sunday."

For the full story, please see the Seattle Times.

UW trombonist, DX Arts, involved in concert at Town Hall

"Stuart Dempster, a trombonist and professor emeritus of the School of Music, teams with keyboardist David Gamper and accordionist Pauline Oliveros for a special appearance at Seattle's Town Hall on Saturday, Jan. 15."

For the full story, please see UW Today.

KWJZ's smooth jazz format meets abrupt end

"Seattle fans of smooth jazz were confused last week when they dialed their favorite radio station, KWJZ 98.9 FM, and heard Dave Matthews and the Kings of Leon. At 3 p.m. Dec. 27, the station changed its format to modern adult contemporary. The station does not yet have new call letters but for now is being called The New Click 98.9 FM."

For the full story, please see the Seattle Times.

SSO's Gerard Schwarz conducts flash 'Hallelujah Chorus' at downtown Seattle Nordstrom

"Seattle's version of a flash mob burst into Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" Saturday afternoon at Nordstrom's flagship store downtown, becoming the latest joyful but not-so-spontaneous vocal performance in a big-city department store."

For the full story, please see the Seattle Times.

Building from the bottom up

"The notes flow like water, each musical idea complementing the one that precedes it. Each performer listens intently to their peers, taking one simple motif and expanding upon it, evolving the composition into something even they hadn’t expected. This is the nature of improvised music: each member contributing a novel musical concept until something cohesive is achieved — all guided by a passion for creativity in music."

For the full story, please see The Daily.

Seattle Symphony Names New Executive Director

"The Seattle Symphony, suffering from a momentary leadership vacuum, has settled on a British orchestra official, Simon Woods, as its next executive director."

For the full story, please see New York Times.

UW to Host CBDNA 2011

The College Band Directors National Association Conference will be meeting at the University of Washington March 23-26 2011. For more information please see the CBDNA Conference website.

Jazz Now! Seattle

For more information, see JazzNow.

Seattle Symphony Plans 18 Premieres

"As tribute to Gerard Schwarz’s final season as music director, Seattle Symphony supporters Agnes Gund and Charles Simonyi have provided funding for 18 new works, all to be performed in the coming season. Given the quantity and the fact that none is titled in the announcement, they are probably short in duration; no specifics about the works are provided."

For the full story, please see Musical America.

Battle Ready: Seattle Opera

"On August 3, 2010, at Seattle Opera's annual meeting, I addressed the state of one of Seattle's leading cultural organizations in the wake of an economic crisis that has put many non-profit organizations out of business and seriously threatens many more. But economics isn't our only enemy. I share excerpts from my speech in honor of all the people who dedicate their lives to mission-driven organizations and continue to envision a future that is as bright as the fight we lend to the cause."

For the full story, please see Redroom.com.