Local and Industry News
The Palm Beach County Cultural Council is recommending $4 million in grants, down slightly from last year's $4.1 million. Recipients would include Miami City Ballet ($198,622), Palm Beach Opera ($180,016), Sunfest ($215,536), the Kravis Center ($220,852), the Boca Raton Philharmonic Symphonia ($33,752), and the Palm Beach Symphony ($32,603).
James M. Nederlander Sr., has passed away at the age of 94. Nederlander began buying Broadway theaters in the 1960's and the Nederlander Organization is second only to the Shubert Organization in holdings, with nine theaters on Broadway, as well as theaters in Chicago, Tucson, Detroit, L.A., San Diego, and London.
London West End staff represented by BECTU have filed numerous complaints against the Ambassador Theater Group. Staff claim that they have been paid less than the agreed Society of London Theatre rates. The parties are now in mandatory conciliation talks.
The Seattle Public Library has instituted a program called PlayBack, which allows patrons to download local music for free. The program currently features music from fifty Seattle artists, who receive a $200 honorarium if their music is selected for the program.
recording
Barry Gibb hosted a live-streamed performance in celebration of the upcoming release of his In the Now album, his first album since 1984. The concert, which took place at Hit Factory Criteria, was streamed live in 360 degree virtual reality on YouTube.
Filmmakers spent a record $2 billion in Georgia this past fiscal year, making Georgia the number three location for film production, behind California and New York. The state estimates that the film production had an overall impact of $7 billion in the state last year.
Univision has agreed to buy Gawker Media for $135 million. Gawker is currently in bankruptcy proceedings, and the sale is subject to approval of the bankruptcy court judge.
symphonic
The David T. Beals III Trust has donated $2.7 million to the Kansas City Symphony. The grant will be used to endow the assistant conductor position.
The Kansas City Symphony had record attendance last season. The Symphony sold $2.9 million in subscriptions and nearly $2,1 million in single tickets, and on average attendance was at nearly 95 percent of capacity.
The Grant Park Orchestra has ratified a new, three-year agreement. The agreement calls for wage increases of 5.7 percent in the first year, and 2.5 percent in each of the remaining years. The agreement also reduces concert time from 2.5 hours to 2.25 and institutes relief rotation for all string and woodwind players.
The Fort Worth Symphony has agreed to another contract extension while they continue to negotiate. Contract talks began more than a year ago and the contract had previously been extended to July 31 while the parties continued to negotiate.
The Atlanta Symphony has ended the fiscal year with a budget surplus for the second year in a row. Additionally, the Symphony has raised over $20 million of its $25 million goal for its Musicians' Endowment Fund, and it is expected to reach the goal this year.
The San Antonio Symphony has launched a pilot High School Residency Program with support of a grant from Bexar County. The Symphony will partner with the orchestra program at John Marshall High School and the band program at Thomas Jefferson High School. Symphony musicians will regularly visit the two schools to provide sectionals, master classes, coaching, and group lessons.
Write reply
Comments must be approved before being published.
