Local and Industry News
A study from the VU University of Amsterdam (Netherlands) shows that music lessons improve a child's academic achievement, as well as their ability to plan, organize, and complete tasks.
The two-year long study followed 147 six-year-old Dutch schoolchildren. The half of the group that received one or two hours a week of music lessons performed better on wide-ranging cognitive tasks including verbal IQ, planning, and inhibition.
A violist at the Royal Opera House has won a landmark ruling over ruined hearing. In 2012, Chris Goldscheider was subjected to noise levels exceeding 130 decibels as he sat in front of the brass section during a rehearsal a Wagner's Die Walkure. He claims to have irreversible hearing damage, including tinnitus, hyperacusis, and dizziness, as a result of the noise levels. A judge has ruled against the Royal opera House, the first time a British judge has ruled that statutory health and safety requirements cannot be exempted because of artistic needs.
A study by UK music venue O2 and Goldsmith University lecturer has found that going to concerts is good for your health. The study found that attending a concert for 20 minutes can increase a person's feeling of well-being by 21 percent, and increase their feelings of self-worth and togetherness by 25 percent. High levels of well-being have been found to lead to longer lifespans.
A study by the Ohio University College of Health Sciences and Professions found a high rate of concussions among theater personnel. 67 percent of theater personnel surveyed reported at least one job-related head injury, and 39 percent reported more than five head injuries. Theater personnel are building and moving sets and equipment, often in the dark, providing many opportunities for injuries.
A study by the Chicago Loop Alliance found that arts in Chicago's Loop District have a $2.25 billion economic impact, second only to the Broadway/Times Square area. The arts in the Loop sell more tickets each year than all of the cities' combined sports teams (7.4 million) and the area draws 28.4 million visitors a year.
Florida Repertory Theatre in Fort Myers has fired its artistic director over allegations of bullying. Artistic director Robert Cacioppo founded the company with his wife in 1998. After complaints were filed by Actors Equity Association, the board of directors conducted two investigations and interviewed 21 employees. The board concluded that Cacioppo bullied and demeaned employees and suffered from anger management issues.
recording
Univision has laid off more than 150 employees as it attempts to reduce $200 million in expenses. Univision owes billions in debt from its leveraged buyout years ago, and it recently failed in its bid to launch an Initial Public Offering of shares. Demographic changes and President Trump's position on immigration have not helped the company.
In the past ten years, households that subscribe to paid streaming video services such as Neflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime have risen 450 percent. In 2017, 55 percent of households subscribed to a service, and many indicate that they have done so to access original content, watch shows on their own schedule, and to watch content without commercials.
For the first time in 7 years, CDs and vinyl are outselling digital downloads. Revenue from digital downloads fell 25 percent to $1.3 billion in 2017. Revenue from physical sales also fell, but only by 4 percent, to $1.5 billion. Despite these declines, industry revenue rose to $8.7 billion on a surge in revenue from paid subscription services such as Spotify and Apple Music. Subscription service revenue rose by more than 50 percent to $5.7 billion.
Telemundo has opened its new $250 million, 3-story, 476,000 square foot facility in west Miami-Dade. NW 117 Place will be renamed "Telemundo Way" in honor of the opening. While some 800 employees have already moved in to the facility, the 13 recording studios and soundstages are still under construction. Nearly half a million square feet of retail space is expected to break ground next to the facility later this year in recognition of the amount of people the new facility will bring to the area.
symphonic
The San Antonio Symphony has begun to turn itself around since nearly shutting its doors earlier this year. The Symphony has raised nearly $6 million and expects to be able to fully fund musician salaries and all other expenses through August of 2018.
The Atlanta Symphony has reached agreement on a three-year extension of its contract. Wages will rise from 2.7 to 3 percent each year, the maximum number of nine-service weeks and consecutive nine-service weeks will be reduced, and musicians will gain additional relief services.
The Seattle Symphony has agreed to a four-year extension of its agreement. Wages will rise by 3.9 percent, 2.5 percent, 2.4 percent, and 2.6 percent in the fours years until base salaries reach $109,745 in 2022.
A study by a Williams College economist indicates that the Boston Symphony adds $261 million to the Massachusetts economy. Adjusted for inflation, the amount is a 40 percent increase from the impact found in a similar survey done in 2008.
The Sphinx Organization, the New World Symphony, and the League of American Orchestras have joined forces to promote diversity in orchestras by helping African-American and Hispanic musicians win orchestra auditions. The National Alliance for Audition Support, funded by a four-year, $1.8 million grant from the Mellon Foundation, will pair musicians with mentors, train them for auditions, and give them stipends to travel to auditions. The program will begin in June when 18 string players will travel to the New World Symphony to receive a three-day intensive course in preparing for auditions.
Write reply
Comments must be approved before being published.
