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Why Johnny Can’t (Sight) Read
The big news this week is that a $24 billion budget shortfall in the state of California may lead to a $680 million cutback in public-school funding for the 2009–10 school year. As California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told the state legislature on June 2, the state is “dead broke.” As a result, local school boards already are planning larger class sizes, staffing reductions, and fewer sports, arts, and music programs. The budget axe also may result in the elimination of Cal Grants for college-bound students as well as cuts in classes. California is not alone in this mess. Other states around the nation have indicated that their own budget problems could lead to similar measures. Once again string programs are caught in the crossfire.
[READ THE BLOG]
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In This Issue of Strings. . .
Jimi Hendrix is definitely not the first name that comes to mind when thinking of exemplary bowing skills, though the rocker was known to fiddle with a fiddle on occasion, but his exuberant sounds can help students develop limber, fluid bowing.
[READ MORE]
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This Week’s Gear Review
DPA has launched a new product that offers solutions to nagging problems when it comes to amplifying a violin. The DPA 4099 Violin Clip Microphone is unlike other miniature mics—it can be moved or transferred to another instrument easily, but is still stable and creates a strikingly clear and natural sound.
[READ MORE] |
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Violinist Wins Eurovision
The nation of Norway is the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest, thanks to the writing, singing, and fiddling talents of Alexander Rybak. Rybak, a 23-year-old violinist, is concertmaster of Norway’s largest youth symphony orchestra, winner of the Andres Jahre Culture Prize, and a designated performer in the closing gala concert of next year’s Menuhin Competition. At Eurovision—an international talent contest—he represented his country with a performance of “Fairytale,” an original song. Watch his Eurovision-winning performance here. |
Festival Launches 75th Season
The 75th annual Grant Park Music Festival will begin June 10 in Chicago with a performance of works by Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, and Francis Scott Key by the Grant Park Orchestra with conductor Carlos Kalmar. Other festival highlights include British violinist James Ehnes performing Elgar’s Enigma Variations, a musical retrospective of various works from the Great Depression, and the world premiere of Michael Torke’s Plans for orchestra and chorus. All of the 30 festival concerts are free and open to the public. For details, visit grantparkmusicfestival.com.
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Music Festivals Fall Silent
Due to the sluggish economy, Festival Network, which hosted 17 music festivals around the world last year, has cancelled summer jazz festivals in New York, Miami, and Chicago. “I think if we weren’t faced with this economy, we would have been just fine,” says Chris Shields, the entrepreneur behind Festival Network. Others blame Shields and his overly ambitious festival plans for the company’s economic woes. Either way, the cancellations have deprived many musicians of their most lucrative summer gigs. This year will mark the first time in 37 years that there will be no major summer jazz festival held in New York. |
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Competition Deadline Change
Because of the recent influenza scare in Mexico, the Carlos Prieto International Cello Competition, which will take place in Morelia, Mexico, this August, is making some changes. In order to let potential applicants with worries about swine flu wait to see what happens in the next few weeks, the deadline for application documents has been changed from June 10 to July 1. Acceptance letters will be mailed by July 6. For more information about the competition, visit carlosprieto.com.
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Find out about coming events, including festivals, premieres, competitions, and conferences.
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