Harvey Phillips, 1929-2010
Via Richard Schneider comes word of the passing of Harvey Phillips — tuba virtuoso, pedagogue, and personnel manager for the Symphony of the Air, Leopold Stokowski, and Igor Stravinsky, among many others. Phillips, whose professional career began when he played with the virtuoso Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Band as a teenager, was also a prolific freelance recording artist with ad hoc ensembles and pickup orchestras. Indiana University, where Phillips held the tiitle of Distinguished Professor Emeritus, has set up a blog page for tributes and reminiscences by students and colleagues.
UPDATE: Daniel Wakin’s obituary has just been posted to NYTimes.com.
More Shakeup at the NYPhil
The New York Times‘ Daniel Wakin reports that Thomas Stacy, the New York Philharmonic’s acclaimed English horn player, is retiring effective immediately.
Such a Bargain: Anne Akiko Meyers Outbids World for “Molitor” Strad
ClassicalMusic.org.uk has the details. Meyers laid out $3.6 million for the “Molitor” Stradivarius, which has quite the pedigree of previous ownership — Napoleon, the Curtis Institute (who loaned it to, among others, Henri Temianka), and Elmar Oliveira. Meyers’s first US appearance with the Molitor will be in Pasadena.
World Premiere, Free Admission — What’s Not to Like?
Barnes & Noble isn’t a venue one expects a world-class violinist (in this case, Rachel Barton Pine) to premiere a work, but that was exactly what happened last night.
Continue reading World Premiere, Free Admission — What’s Not to Like?
NYPhil Gets Morales Boost?
The NY Times reports that the New York Philharmonic has offered its principal clarinet seat, vacant since the retirement of Stanley Drucker, to Philadelphia Orchestra principal Ricardo Morales. Much as I would love to see him with the Philharmonic, his defection would prove another blow to the financially-buffeted Philadelphians.
Bali High
My favorite radio producer for the arts, the indefatigable Gail Wein, writes:
Just a quick note to let you know that my feature on Balinese gamelan will air this Sunday (tomorrow!) on Weekend All Things Considered. WATC is broadcast on public radio stations around the country, and airs most places from 5-6 pm. The feature will be archived on npr.org, so you’ll be able to hear it anytime.
Find your local PBS outlet here.
American Composers Orchestra @ Zankel Hall
Ensemble ACJW @ Weill Recital Hall
You can catch my full review of last evening’s very enjoyable recital at Classical Source. ACJW is a chamber ensemble of postgraduate musicians drawn from the program known as The Academy, and is doing for this repertoire what the Verbier Festival does for orchestral music — prtesenting impressive programs with distinctive young talent. If you’re anywhere near Skidmore College or New York City, you should give them a listen.
Joan Sutherland, 1926-2010
The sad news of Joan Sutherland’s passing just crossed the wire. [UPDATE: Tony Tommasini’s full obituary is now live at NYTimes.com.]