Local and Industry News
Miami City Ballet and the Miami Dade Public Schools have launched Ballet Bus. Ballet Bus is a year-round scholarship program providing fully subsidized tuition at Miami City Ballet School and transportation to the Ballet School from the public schools for 30 children ages 7-10.William Klinger, 85, has passed away. Klinger, a clarinetist, was professor of clarinet at the University of Miami, principal clarinettist of the Miami Symphony, and former Vice President of AFM Local 655. Klinger retired in 1994, moving to Las Vegas, where he became Vice President of AFM Local 369. He is survived by his wife Maxine, children Deborah, David, and Judith, stepson Robert, and several grandchildren.
The University of Florida School of Music is bringing their Brazilian Music Institute to Fort Lauderdale. The Institute, a training ground for Brazilian musicians and students, was held this past May at Broward College's Bailey Hall. The University received a 3-year grant from the Knight Foundation to bring the Institute to south Florida.
IHeartRadio Fiesta Latina will be moving from Los Angeles to Miami this year. The Concert will be broadcast on Telemundo, streamed on Yahoo Live, and broadcast on iHeartMedia's Spanish-language radio stations.
Broadway is on the verge of a second consecutive season of record sales. Broadway attendance rose by 8 percent from last season, and sales exceeded $1.33 billion. It is expected that attendance will top 13 million for the first time.
recording
A U.S District Judge has granted a motion for class certification in the lawsuit against SiriusXM over performance of pre-1972 recordings. The lawsuit was originally brought against SiriusXM by Flo and Eddie of the Turtles, but the lawsuit will now cover anyone who owns a recording made prior to 1972. Federal laws cover royalty payments for recordings made since 1972, but a loophole has resulted in royalties not being paid for recordings made prior to 1972.
The American Federation of Musicians is suing Columbia Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal City Studios, Walt Disney Pictures, and Warner Bros. for violation of its agreements. The AFM claims that the agreements prohibit use of sound tracks from being used for any purpose other than in the film for which they were recorded, and cites several examples of songs being recorded in one film being used in another.
Apple is facing an antitrust probe. The FTC is is investigating whether Apple used its position as the largest seller of music downloads to pressure labels to the disadvantage of Apple's competitors. Apple is preparing to launch a new version of the Beats Music streaming service.
Warner Music has announced that it receives more revenue from streaming services than from downloads. Streaming revenue rose 33 percent and overtook download revenues for the first time during the first quarter of 2015. Overall revenues for the label grew 4 percent over last year, to a record $19 million profit.
symphonic
The Orlando Philharmonic has chosen Eric Jacobsen as its new music director. Jacobsen, a cellist in the string quartet Brooklyn Rider, has toured with Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble and is co-founder of the New-York based The Knights.
The Orlando Ballet will use live orchestra for the entire 2015-16 season. After years of performing to recorded music, the Ballet will be performing with the Orlando Philharmonic and the Central Florida Community Arts Symphony next season. This will be the first time in 20 years that the Ballet has performed an entire season with live orchestra.
The Palm Beach Pops has announced that it will be suspending its concert series. The Pops will instead continue to offer its in-school education program. The Pops cancelled its concert season after founder and conductor Bob Lappin passed away in 2013, but briefly returned to the stage this past season under the direction of Lee Musiker.
Palm Beach Opera has hired David Stern as chief conductor. Stern, the son of Isaac Stern, is founder and director of Opera Fuoco, music director of the Crested Butte Music Festival and the Shanghai Baroque Festival, and former music director of Israel Opera. He will conduct one mainstage opera at PBO each season.
The Houston Symphony has received a $5 million donation from Margaret Alkek Williams, the largest single contribution the Symphony has received since 2006. The funds will be used to endow the executive director and CEO chair and to support a sustainability fund and general operations.
The Cincinnati Symphony has reached agreement on a new contract with musicians. The new 4-year agreement will add 14 additional full-time musicians over the next four years, bringing the complement to 90.
The Minnesota Orchestra has signed new agreements with music director Osmo Vanska and the musicians. Vanska's contract will extend through August 2019. The musicians' contract will increase wages by 8.1 percent over three years and the actual number of musicians employed will increase to 87 by next season, with a goal of increasing to 94 musicians by 2020.
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