At the symphony, it's play-and-talk time

"Is the Seattle Symphony moving toward a strike? It’s certainly not showing much movement toward a settlement, and as of Jan. 1, the players are operating without a contract. Even though they now could, both sides seem understandably reluctant to move to a lockout or a strike — at least for now. This week, for the first time, some details of the negotiations emerged, though management is still staying mum. The sides appear to have remained far apart for months."

For the full story, please see Crosscut.

Elvis Presley Feted in Memphis on 75th Birthday

"The cold couldn't keep them away from the "King."

Hundreds of Elvis Presley fans braved frigid, snowy weather to celebrate the late rock'n'roll legend's 75th birthday on Friday at his Graceland shrine, part of a marketing machine that generates $50 million a year."

For the full story, please see ABC News.

Search the library catalog for Elvis recordings and videos.

Best of the decade: Classical music

"Digital revolution. It was the catchphrase of the 2000s, and it affected classical music as much as any other medium. Downloads brought the classical recording industry to its knees and rendered the standard format of the $25 CD an endangered species by decade's end. But downloads also led to a wider consumption of classical music."

For the full story, please see the Washington Post.

Opera enthusiast Perry Lorenzo, of Seattle, dies at 51

"'Perry was completely dedicated to opera,' said Speight Jenkins, director of the Seattle Opera, who hired Mr. Lorenzo as education director 17 years ago. 'He was a speaker who could affect and connect with absolutely anyone.' Mr. Lorenzo, 51, died Saturday (Dec. 19) after a seven-month battle with lung cancer."

For the full story, please see the Seattle Times.

Byrd's "My Ladye Nevells Booke"

"'My Ladye Nevells Booke' contains 42 compositions by William Byrd, and was compiled by the scribe John Baldwin in 1591, in an elegant style quite unlike that of contemporary keyboard manuscripts. Handel's original manuscript of Messiah, written in London between 22 August and 12 September 1741, shows all the signs of rapid composition, with short-cuts in notation, ink blots, and hasty cancellations and corrections."

To view the manuscript, please see the British Library.

Mary Curtis-Verna

"Mary Curtis-Verna, beautiful outstanding international star of the Metropolitan Opera and La Scala[to mention only a few!] passed away at her Seattle home December 4, 2009... UW Music Department won Mary for the Head of the Voice Department, a position she retained until her retirement."

For the full story, please see the Seattle Times and Can Belto.

Mozart may help babies grow faster

" Is Wolfgang Mozart good for babies?

A group of Israeli doctors plunged into this long-running debate with a small study that found the soothing sounds of the 18th-century composer may help premature babies grow faster."

For the full story, please see the Seattle Times.