Local and Industry News
The Broward Center for the Performing Arts has opened its Porter Riverview Ballroom with a gala concert by Sheryl Crow. The Ballroom is part of the new 15,000-square-foot Huizinga Pavilion, which will also include a dining and drinking destination when the New River Bistro opens in October. The Pavilion is part of a $56 million expansion, which also includes the Rose Miniaci Arts Education Center, which will open in May.The National Theatre's New London production of War Horse will no longer include live musicians. The five musicians who had been performing have been dismissed for artistic and financial reasons. The Theatre intends to only include live music in shows where the musicians are visible to the audience.
The Orlando Ballet may have a new home. The Orlando City Council has agreed to a 99-year lease with the Ballet, for $1 per year, of the Loch Haven Community Center. In exchange for the deal, the Ballet will spend $5.5 million renovating the center and constructing an adjacent facility to house its dance school. The Ballet was forced to vacate its old home in August due to mold contamination.
recording
The AFM has launched the Listen Up Now campaign to protest offshoring of filmscore recording. The AFM is targeting companies such as Lionsgate that receive tax credits from state governments to produce films locally but then record the film scores overseas. Lionsgate received $5 million from Ohio taxpayers for the film "Draft Day," which had its score recorded in Macedonia.
symphonic
The Houston Symphony has signed a new 4-year agreement with its musicians months in advance of the expiration of its current agreement. The new agreement raises wages an average of 2.85 percent per year, from $86,840 to $97,240 in the 2017-18 season. The Symphony has had recordbreaking ticket sales and donations and will be welcoming new music director Andres Orozco-Estrada in the fall.
Former Miami City Ballet conductor Akira Endo has passed away at age 75. Endo, trained as a violinist, was recommended by Leonard Bernstein to be conductor of the American Ballet Theatre, and he served as their conductor for ten years. Endo also held a teaching position at the University of Miami.
The Palm Beach Pops has hired Lee Musiker as music director and announced a 2014-15 season. The Pops canceled its 2013-14 season after the passing of founder and music director Bob Lappin. Musiker, who served as Tony Bennett's musical director for more than ten years, recently conducted the Pops in a sold-out tribute concert to Bob Lappin. The Pops will resume a regular schedule of concerts in the fall, and will be announcing the schedule soon.
The Palm Beach Pops has hired Charlotte Laurent-Ottomane as executive director. Laurent-Ottomane has served for 16 years as executive vice president of telecommunications company Alcatel-Lucent. She has also served as executive director of the Boca Raton nonprofit Veterans' Pathway.
The New York Philharmonic has announced a new summer partnership with the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California. Philharmonic music director Alan Gilbert will conduct the Academy Festival in alternating years starting this summer, and the Philharmonic will perform at the festival in alternating years starting next summer. Gilbert and Philharmonic musicians will also participate in lectures, coachings, and private lessons.
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