Group Black’s Post

"The world has lost a true maestro. Zakir Hussain’s extraordinary talent, unmatched artistry, and contribution to music will live on forever. His rhythms will continue to inspire us. Rest in peace, Maestro. #ZakirHussain #RIP #LegendaryArtist #TablaMaestro #IndianClassicalMusic #MusicalIcon #LegacyOfRhythm #CulturalPioneer #RudraGrouo #RudraResearchAndAnalytics"

Check out this awesome feature on Música Tequila in Times of the Islands! Learn all about how we’re blending music, tradition, and tequila into something unforgettable. Link to article https://lnkd.in/eTyxGK_X

VAN and nachtkritik.de both reported about the Reduction of the Cultural Budgets in Berlin | The List of Budget Reduction per Organization VAN reporters Hartmut Welscher and Merle Krafeld write: "For 2025, Berlin's cultural budget will 121 million euros less than expected. According to the budget consolidation list, grants to Berlin's classical music institutions such as the Opera Foundation (minus 15 million euros), the Konzerthaus (minus 1.8 million euros), the Berlin Philharmonic (minus 2 million euros) or the Rundfunk Orchester und Chöre gGmbH (minus 750,000), but also to independent ensembles such as the Lautten Compagney Berlin, will shrink by around 10 percent. The Komische Oper is hit particularly hard: the renovation of the main building on Behrenstraße is to be halted for the time being. The 10 million euros planned for 2025 will be canceled entirely. Back in the summer, the opera's directors, Susanne Moser and Philip Bröking, had already warned of a construction freeze and the resulting cost explosion." https://lnkd.in/epSm6bza https://lnkd.in/ec2wmHbK

#Pasic2024 Indianapolis Panel 11am Salón 201 Afro-Colombian Marimba de Chonta Music from the South Pacific Region: Roots, Reach and Evolution The traditional music of the Pacific region of Colombia is vast and diverse, and it encompasses both secular and sacred traditions. For its importance, UNESCO inscribed it on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010. At the heart of many of the styles lies the marimba de chonta – an instrument known by many as the piano of the jungle. This year’s panel will focus on the Marimba de Chonta musical traditions from the South Pacific region of Colombia. The discussions will center around topics like the importance of these musical traditions in Colombia and abroad, the challenges this music is facing, how its roots, mallet techniques, patterns, harmonies, tuning, and traditions have evolved through the years, and to discuss ways in which it would be possible to introduce this music to more classrooms or audiences, while preserving its integrity.

Visiting a part of the world with a vastly different political system and culture was eye-opening. Besides singing, one of the most striking experiences was browsing Chinese web browsers and news sites and noticing the state propaganda around the city. The way current events were presented, often with a much more positive spin, was interesting. While I strongly oppose mass surveillance, I was surprised to see an unexpected benefit: the freedom cyclists had to leave their expensive bikes unattended without fear of theft. Although I believe this advantage doesn't outweigh the significant human rights concerns, it did offer me a glimpse into another perspective. Finally, seeing the Great Wall of China, which dates back to the 7th century BC, offered some timeless lessons. The sheer size and endurance of the wall showed me just how far civilizations will go to protect themselves, both physically and psychologically. The wall wasn’t just a physical barrier; it was also a psychological one, sending a message of strength and deterrence to potential invaders. It drove home what I had seen throughout Beijing - that sometimes the perception of power can be just as important as actual power. The wall also made me think about the downside of isolation. While it provided security, it also symbolised a desire to keep out external influences, which, over time, led to stagnation and, eventually, the wall falling into disrepair. This had a negative impact on the Chinese economy at several points in history, even contributing to the collapse of some empires. So, while barriers can protect, they can also limit growth and exchange—something that feels like a perfect analogy for my first year at Kings.

Natasha Baldwin has been appointed president of #Global Classics, #Jazz and Screen at Universal Music Group (UMG), overseeing the #international strategy for UMG's classical and jazz #labels, including #Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Blue Note Entertainment Group, and #Verve. Baldwin, who is also EVP of UMPG's Classics and Screen, will continue her work in #publishing while expanding her focus to #artist rosters and global strategy. Dr. #ClemensTrautmann, president of Deutsche Grammophon, will take on an additional role as president of #BusinessStrategy for Global Classics. Trautmann’s new role focuses on #innovation and expanding #opportunities for UMG’s classical labels and artists. (Credit : Alisa Connan and Laurence Chaperon)

Friday Arts … the world is still not improving, so let’s keep talking about other things that are more fun! Springboard Opera had its first night out last weekend. And what a night it was. The first ever Springboard Opera Gala in fabulous Brisbane. And in the spirit of doing it differently, it was opera, but not opera. Some, but not all, of the Springboard Opera young (and talented) human beans were introduced to Brisbane in a fabulous star-studded night of music, theatre and general cool-ness. If you missed out, you’ll have to wait for the next Springboard Thing. And because no man is an island – thanks for the words, John Donne – we are not so much creating an arts organisation as a 21st century Arts Ecosystem that thrives on innovation. Ecosystems imply lots of interconnectedness. Between all the parts. Side-to-Side and Front-to-Back. So the innovation needs to flow Side-to-Side and Front-to-Back. And to make this work, all those parts matter equally. One of the things that was said at the Gala was “Singing optional”. That is because we need skills and INNOVATION everywhere. And with that – a bit of fractured Dr Suess, this time – Oh, the places We’ll go! If you are up for a bit of Amazeballs stuff… Come down and see us at https://lnkd.in/gXgNVTGg – it is going to be WILD! Singing Optional. #Future #TransformationalLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #Directors #Technology #Performingarts #YourNetworkForLife Leslie Martin Luisa Tarnawski Gheorja Haidley

EXACTLY, MR. GELB, BRAVO!N Huge accomplishment, average ticket buyer age 44...big shift, and perhaps like EUROPE, we can shift that even more........Like so many cultural institutions, AGE does matter....when you want to maintain the longevity of the experiences to have in the world. I think this is also so relevant to many iconic brands in many industries....MAKE IT NEW, WITHOUT LOSING CORE AUDIENCE...make it relevant again... #gottahaveheARTS #petergelb #metropolitanopera "After 18 years running the Met, and a lifetime of experience in classical music and opera, I think it’s clear that the solution to sustaining opera is through artistic reinvention, both with new operas by living composers and reimagined productions of classics that can resonate with audiences of today. Costs for fully produced operas have always been notoriously high — the average cost of a new production at the Met is $2.5 million — so works that don’t resonate broadly, either musically or thematically, were never a priority. The largest opera companies in London, Milan, Paris and Vienna have been more cautious, presenting fewer new works. But secondary companies in Europe, such as Vienna’s Volksoper, which recently presented the world premiere of “Alma,” an opera about the life and loves of Alma Mahler, are taking more creative risks. I arrived at the Met in 2006 with plans to re-energize its audience engagement through new productions of the classics and new operas, but I had to take it relatively slowly or risk shocking our longstanding subscribers and patrons. It wasn’t until we were shut down during the pandemic that I seized the moment for some wholesale change. Now and in the coming seasons, the Met, taking inspiration from the heyday of Puccini, is presenting more new and recent work than it has for a century — operas with rich melodic scores and contemporary story lines. And I’m proud to say that the average age of our single-ticket buyers, which was in the mid-60s when I began, is now 44." https://lnkd.in/e-XRK74z

🙏 The kind words incredibly move me from Paul Sommers of the Newark Star-Ledger! "After witnessing the moving performances of Altman vocal works, both pieces were of operatic quality. Here, Altman showed his ability to compose an operatic scene, for it can hardly have been easy for him to have set these texts to music. His music elevates their meaning. Anguish and anger and Plath`s diary entries acquire a life, a vividness beyond the confines of the author's beloved words on the page." Altman`s music tends to be angular and dissonant. When he uses non-tonal language, it does not have the sound or texture of classic dodecaphonic serialism. He is quite comfortable crossing from the non-tonal to the very tonal when it suits his purposes. #Grateful #CustomerFeedback #Review #NewarkStarLedger

Holiday reading! In our summer newsletter you can find out what we have been up to lately, what is next to come, and how you can participate ICH safeguarding journey! In the newsletter there are also great tips for summer music events in the Interreg Aurora region, links to our past webinars and an interview on motivation to share intangible cultural heritage. And much more! Read here: https://lnkd.in/dzUmqxQP #ichnorth #intangibleculturalheritage #musicalheritage #summerreading