Pimpinone - a time consuming project

What a bad blogger I am!

Blogging means that you need to write interesting stories and opinions almost every day. What a bad blogger I am.

But not without reasons. At MonteVerdi.TV we decided to start producing our own live video streams again. After quite succesful Internet streams with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and two recitals in the Master Pianists Series beginning this year in collaboration with AVRO we could add two wonderful new productions.

Two great Dutch ensembles, two great projects in this month: first the Combattimento Consort Amsterdam with their mini-opera Pimpinone and later this month Haydn's masterwork Die Schoefpung with the Netherlands Chamber Choir.

After recording Pimpinone on May 5th and 6th in Jamie Oliver's FIFTEEN, after a week of post-production, we are finally broadcasting this Opera in the Kitchen tonight.

Enjoy.

Thoughts on 'YouTube goes classical'

What will the YouTube Symphony Orchestra bring us?

Many thoughts on this stunning YouTube initiative are running around my brain.

1. What is the real reason for YouTube to focus on Classical Music for one of their events of the year
2. Is the innovative way of auditioning applicable for symphony orchestra's
3. What else is new in this event?
4. Will YouTube find a revolutionary way in filming and streaming the live concert?

First of all, I love the project. Some nice blogs to come I hope.

And the winner is: Concertgebouw Orchestra

No surprise in top orchestra poll

Last week’s poll was a tricky one. Remember the discussions in Berlin and Vienna following to the Gramophone Magazine election of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra as the world's number 1.

My double check is, I think, far from representative, but if you look at the results it shows at least that the Gramophone top four is similar to my poll results. Also interesting to see is the huge difference between the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (58%) and all other orchestra's. Let's do the poll again next year and see what happens then.

Note: I have used Gramophone's top 10 as starting point. For the full Gramophone press release go to MonteVerdi.tv’s microwebsite on the RCO.

Results:

Congratulations Bernard Haitink

80 years old maestro still live and kicking!

Today Bernard Haitink turns 80. Although the Dutch maestro hates birthdays he was more than willing to conduct a tribute series (Beethoven and Bruckner) with his beloved Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. The Netherlands honor their greatest of all musicians with a series of concerts, 5 consecutive concert nights on Dutch television, free downloads offered by Radio 4 and much more. And not to forget. Last week you, the readers of this blog, chose Haitink as their favorite conductor.

For sure, Bernard Haitink will be exhausted when he returns to the Chicago Symphony in April!

Second Life still interesting for Classical Music?

I thought Second Life was almost dead

Just read a remarkable article in thestar.com: Second Life makes classical music fans feel at home. Three years ago I plugged in on Second Life with the idea that this medium would really mean something for the future of Classical Music. I created my avatar (hell of a job) and searched for opportunities for MonteVerdi.tv How interesting it was to see how Deutsche Grammophon positioned star pianist Lang Lang on Second Life. The promotion for his debut on Second Life is still impressive to watch.



Millions of fans were active on Second Life in that period. But I lost interest and with me many others I believe: too complicated! But if I read the Star article well, Second Life is far from dead and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic is still attracting many visitors in their virtual Music Palace.

So my question would be: is there a second life for Classical Music on Second Life? Please let me know your thoughts.

And the winners are: Haitink and Gergiev

First blog poll clearly points out two favorite conductors

1. Bernard Haitink/Valery Gergiev
3. Claudio Abbado/Gustavo Dudamel
5. Mariss Jansons How nice to see that so many people voted on my first poll. Very interesting to see who you chose as your favorite conductor. No surprises to be honest. With both 21% of the total votes the great old master Bernard Haitink and my own favorite Russian maestro Valery Gergiev took the first position. With 13% Claudio Abbado and Gustavo Dudamel are at position 3/4 followed by Mariss Jansons on 5.

This week’s poll: Orchestras!

A tricky one. You may remember the painful reactions that came from Berlin, Vienna and Chicago when Gramophone Magazine published their poll (international music critics) last December with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra on ONE. As an Amsterdam based music lover I was of course very pleased and not really surprised by this news. And also nice for me was that almost 100.000 fans visited the special website we at MontVerdi.tv created for this orchestra.

But I have to admit that the result of the poll is arbitrary. Choose another magazine from a different country and the results might be different. Although, I believe that Amsterdam, Berlin and Vienna will always fight for the first three positions.

I am curious to see what comes out of this music lovers poll: make your choice and I will publish the results next week.

Classical Hope in Venezuela: Yes, they did!

Dudamel, Abreu & the Musical Fruits of El Sistema!

Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel , Esa Pekka Salonen’s talented successor at the Los Angeles Philharmonic, is a growing star. But to tell you the truth, I hardly realized just how much of a star he is, and didn’t know how he came to be surrounded by an inspired orchestra of young, extremely gifted Venezuela musicians. Before reading on, why not check out Dudamel conducting the Teresa Carreño Youth Orchestra. Click here and be amazed.

Young kids (under 20?), a high school orchestra, playing Shostakovich’ 10th Symphony like this? It’s simply beyond belief! Wonderful! After the Shostakovich performance Dudamel expressed the desire: ‘to have orchestras like this in all the countries of the world.’

So revolution and hope in Classical Music from Caracas, Venezuela. But why Venezuela? What on earth has happened here? I’m sure we’ve all heard of Dudamel’s sensational results with his Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela. Just a couple of weeks ago we (MonteVerdi.tv that is) broadcast a stunning concert by this orchestra on Dutch TV. Amazing. But there are many great youth orchestras like this was my second thought. But here you hear an adolescent orchestra playing like little devils.

Thanks to a colleague (cheers Casper Vogel!) who sent me some news, I suddenly understand that there is a charismatic hero behind these Venezuelan success stories: José Antonio Abreu. Back in 1975 Abreu founded ‘El Sistema’: a youth orchestra system that has transformed the lives of thousands of kids in Venezuela. 

Thanks to the prestigious TED Prize Abreu has just won, we now have the opportunity to learn about the story of the ‘El Sistema’. In a fascinating interview with Abreu we find out the background of El Sistema, his own goals, and much more. Abreu believes that “music has to be recognized as an…agent of social development in the highest sense, because it transmits the highest values – solidarity, harmony, mutual compassion.” Truly, an inspiration. Click for his remarkable story/interview here.

The Recorder is Alive & Kicking

Erik Bosgraaf wins the Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award 2009

The recorder has never been my favorite instrument. Not that I never listened to recorder concerts: I have reviewed Utrecht's 'Early Music Festival’ for years and heard many impressive concerts. But my ears just never perked up when I heard the recorder. Needless to say, I have no recorder cds.

This changed dramatically when I recently heard a short recital in the fairy-tale-like Bethanien Monestry in the heart of Amsterdam by Erik Bosgraaf.

I almost forgot about it this concert until I read the news this morning that Erik is one of the two winners of the Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award 2009. Quite an achievement, with this tough professional jury and many other talented candidates.

Nice for Erik to win this prestigious young musician award and to add £ 20.000 to his bank account - even though, being a great talent, he is born for success anyway.

As a true musician of the 21st Century Erik Bosgraaf understands that music is much more than only a good concert. He understands that the contemporary music fan is looking for special events: music to watch, music to experience, music for fun. And for this a recorder is – I must admit - a perfect instrument. Bosgraaf plays the full range of recorders from a tiny sopranino to a massive tree trunk. He runs from one corner of the venue to the other, grabs his instruments on his way, jumps towards his fellow musicians or accompanists, playing his heart out when reading his 2 meters wide score hang on the wall of an Amsterdam church.

Have a look at his site to see the unbelievable list of performances: from solo with the Dallas Symphony to performances at the Barcelona Early Music Festival to the charming Castle concerts in the middle-of-nowhere Ammerzoden in Holland (Night watch program).

For a preview on the masterly playing of Erik Bosgraafs see my YouTube artist of the week below my blog page and the one I selected here (no theatre performance but just excellent playing on Dutch Television):


I wonder why am I writing this post about the recorder? Do I suddenly like the recorder? Actually, it’s the incredible myth of a great musician that does not allow you to step away from his playing: what a great talent.

NB: quote from the jury report: “Hailed as one of the most gifted and versatile recorder players of his generation, Erik Bosgraaf has a colourful past in a rock band and as an oboe player. He believes that good music is irrespective of style and feels equally at home in early and contemporary music…. His début recording, a 3-CD box with music by Dutch composer Jacob van Eyck, was No 1 in the Dutch classical music charts in 2007.”

Trombone Band of Brothers

Rotterdam's Amazing Trombone Class

My good old colleague Ben van Dijk (renowned bass trombone player) told his Facebook friends: “our Rotterdam CODARTS Conservatory trombone-class is the winner of this year’s ITA Emory Remington Competition.” That's two first prizes in two appearances!

This Conservatory Class produces some the best trombone players in the world. During my orchestra years managing three Top Dutch orchestras I got to know many of these master trombonists. But what I didn't realise was that they all had the same background, all studied at the same school. It's only when I did some work for the conservatory that the secrets of these players came into view.

The simple reason for this unrivalled quality is that the class is a ‘band of brothers’. The six teachers (all considered among the ‘best in the world’) seem to work even harder on the group process than on individual progress. The students learn most from their ‘brothers’, and are incredible inspiration to each other.

Their regime is not typical of brass players who are often more fond of a few good beers and late night gigs than an early start. Every morning, they gather at 9 for their daily warm-up. Every week they spend 2 hours in a trombone-ensemble led by one of the masters. Every week they attend a 4 hours class playing solo pieces together with piano. Every month these classical players have a jazz masterclass and the tenor players have an option to have lessons from the famous bass trombone teacher Ben van Dijk.

It’s all about doing it together.

If you are lucky enough to pass the auditions it’s almost impossible not to become a top trombone player.

The masters of this CODARTS class are Jörgen van Rijen (1st trombone Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra), Pierre Volders (1st trombone Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra), Remko de Jager (2nd trombone Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra), Ben van Dijk (bass trombone Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra), and the two virtuoso jazz trombonists Bart van Lier and Ilja Reijngoud.

Have a look at their website

Amsterdam St. Matthew cancellation - bad sign

Ton Koopman's misery maybe first signal of EU classical music recession

"It's a disaster, the worst that has ever happened to all the musicians involved and also to many music lovers." Some days after the cancelled European tour of the St. Matthew Passion, this desperate scream of the great Baroque conductor Ton Koopman is more than telling about the danger European music life is facing. What’s happening?












While the US is now stoic about cancellations and cuts in classical music, Europe seemed pretty safe until now because of the subsidy system: but things are changing.

The first signs are there with a dozen of the best ensembles in heavy weather. In the Netherlands we have subsidy cuts for Ton Koopmans famous Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, the contemporary music specialists of ASKO/Schönberg Ensemble, the renowned Netherlands Chamber Choir and my old band Orkest de Volharding (I was their manager until 1993).

The latest news comes from Belgium. I received the following statement on LinkedIn: "Last week, the famous baroque orchestra La Petite Bande got a letter from the government in Belgium with the warning that the Committee that advises the Minister of Arts had given them a negative advice about the new round of subventions" (for 2010-2012). Can you imagine it???? This Committee clearly has NO idea about music, or culture in general. This orchestra is a top-class ensemble, as you know, and one of the most renewing groups in the baroque world (this was one of the critic points..."not renewing enough"...such stupidity!!! Did they ever hear of a Viola da Spalla, for example?! So, as you can feel, I was really upset about it. I think Belgium should be proud even to have this orchestra in its residence. But, like in Holland, governmental 'advice' committees have very strange standards nowadays and seem not to have any background in culture."

I have been googling around for more news on subsidy cuts in Europe but could not find any. Did you?

Serious matters, don’t you think? First signs or the beginning of a structural change?

The big difference with the US situation is that the cuts have nothing to do with the financial crisis. They are the result of shifting opinions about what should be subsidized. I hate the fact that such specialist, great innovators are now under threat. But I also realize that if the subsidy budgets are always used for the established ensembles, there will never be room for the newcomers, for the young musicians with fresh ideas.

In this sense Europe could learn something from the US and the other way around. Europe could add a commercial drive to the artistic one. The save EU haven of subsidy will change anyhow, so let cherish our high artistic standards and at the same time work harder on marketing, on sales, on education and getting new audiences in, especially via the Social Media platforms. And of course in America they could be a bit more careful with their cultural heritage. Changes OK, but please do not let the arts down at the moment that we all need tons of entertainment to stay alive.