Author: Ginger Dolden

“Arts organizations across Florida will get a major boost in funding in the new state budget, which provides more than twice as much money as last year,” writes Jay Handelman in last Wednesday’s (6/8) Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL). “The budget signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis allocates slightly more than $59 million for three major grant categories, up from the $26.7 million last year…. The budget provides no money for the cultural endowments category, which provides operating resources for longer-term sustainability. The bulk of the money, slightly more than $46 million, was awarded in the cultural and museum grants category, which provides programming support … for performances, exhibitions and special presentations. This year’s money will be divided among 556 non-profits. Last year, the state provided $23.2 million divided among 517 organizations, which was up slightly from $20.2 million in 2020. Arts and cultural organizations submit applications through a vetting and ranking program and may receive up to $150,000 each. This year’s budget marks the first time since 2014 that organizations will receive all the money for which they qualify. That also was a gubernatorial election year.” Orchestras listed in the article include the Punta Gorda Symphony, Sarasota Orchestra, and Venice Symphony.

“Valérie Sainte-Agathe, artistic director and conductor of the San Francisco Girls Chorus since 2013, is the new director of the Philharmonia Baroque Chorale,” writes Susan Elliott in Tuesday’s (6/14) Musical America (subscription required). “She arrives at the end of Richard Edgarr’s first season as music director of the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale (PBO) … Sainte-Agathe … succeeds Bruce Lamot, who … retired at the end of 2019-20, after a 25-year tenure. Sainte-Agathe, who has led groups from the Philip Glass Ensemble to TENET Vocal Artists and the New York Philharmonic, holds a bachelor’s degree in choral conducting from Université Paul Valéry in Montpellier; a diplome d’études musicales in piano, chamber music, and theory, from the Montpellier Conservatory; a master’s in management from the University of Montpellier; and a master’s in cultural project management from Paul Valéry University … Apart from her early-music bona-fides, she has a particular interest in new music. Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra has also named its first-ever assistant conductor/conducting fellow, David Belkovski. He previously assisted Gary Wedow for Handel’s Teseo, and has directed Juilliard’s period ensemble, Juilliard415. He joined PBO on its 2021 tour … In other PBO news, [Davóne ] Tines’s residency as creative partner has been extended.”

“Southwest Florida Symphony [has] found a new music director. And they didn’t have to go far to find him,” writes Charles Runnells in Monday’s (6/13) Fort Myers News-Press (FL). “Naples resident Radu Paponiu has spent five years as associate conductor of the Naples Philharmonic and music director of the Naples Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (a job he’ll continue doing). He starts his new job at Southwest Florida Symphony on July 1. Paponiu, 32, was one of four guest conductors who conducted concerts with the orchestra during its 2021-22 season and were being considered for the job. And it was immediately obvious that he’d be a great fit, says symphony executive director Amy Ginsburg…. Paponiu felt that chemistry, too. And he says he was impressed with the orchestra and its skill…. Paponiu is only the sixth music director in the orchestra’s 62-year history. Its previous director, Nir Kabaretti, left the orchestra in 2020 after leading it for six years…. Paponiu says he’s loved Southwest Florida Symphony since the first time he saw the musicians perform about five years ago….‘I love the potential of the orchestra and I love the Southwest Florida audiences,’ ” he says.

“The next season of the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra will start with a visit from a classical music legend and include auditory trips to both Hogwart’s and Jurassic Park,” states an unsigned article in Monday’s (6/13) Herald-Star (Steubenville, OH). “The orchestra has announced the lineup for its 2022-23 season, with the theme of ‘American Stories.’ The season will include a six-concert subscription series at the symphony’s Capitol Theatre home, a pair of ‘SoundBites’ concerts at the Scottish Rite Cathedral and a number of community favorites such as the Celebrate America July 4th Tour, Music Under the Stars and Symphony on Ice. The season begins Sept. 29 with an Opening Night Gala and Concert featuring world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma … The night’s performance will include a special project commissioned by the symphony and Music Director John Devlin for the occasion: a collaboration with Washington, D.C.-based hip-hop artist Christylez Bacon and American composer Evan Meier…. Says Devlin, ‘The resulting piece, ‘Migrations in Rhythm: A Concerto for Beatbox and Rhyme,’ examines the way that the United States has served as a point of musical intersection for different cultures.’ ” The article contains full details of the Wheeling Symphony’s coming season.

The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, Canada has announced details of its 2022-23 season, which will launch on September 25 with a piano recital by John O’Conor featuring Beethoven’s final three piano sonatas, followed by a free September 30 event at Koerner Hall entitled “Commemorate Truth & Reconciliation.” The latter event will honor the lives and knowledge of Indigenous people; performers will include dancer, storyteller, and activist Sarain Fox; Powwow dancer/singer, drummer Nimkii (Nimkii Osawamick); Canadian/Métis mezzo-soprano Rebecca Cuddy in a song cycle by composer Ian Cusson and poet Marylin Dumont (all Métis) accompanied by the New Orford String Quartet and Philip Chiu; and Indigenous Canadian playwright, novelist, and children’s author Tomson Highway debuting his “Cree Country” band with singer Patricia Cano. The season will include performances by solo performers and ensembles as well as the Royal Conservatory Orchestra; selected Koerner Hall performances will continue to be live-streamed at the RoyalConservatory.Live platform.

“After the word ‘cancer,’ [conductor] Robert Franz didn’t hear a thing,” writes Trevor Wilhelm in Friday’s (6/10) Windsor Star (Canada). “As the doctor explained the situation—non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Stage 4—Franz sat stunned and silent… For even casual followers of Windsor Symphony Orchestra, it would have been obvious early this year that something was going on…. He had plummeted from 180 pounds to 150…. ‘That was before chemo,’ [Franz said]…. It started last summer with some tingling in his left hand…. ‘By the end of October the pain was unbearable,’ [said Franz].… The doctors … did a CAT scan. ‘That’s when they found the tumor.… ‘I have a husband and we have three daughters,’ said Franz. ‘I was only 53 at the time..’ … Franz, a U.S. citizen, [took] the helm of the WSO in 2013. He’s also the artistic director of the Boise [Idaho] Baroque Orchestra, recently finished a tenure as associate conductor of the Houston Symphony…. The results of a PET scan came back last week. ‘The oncologists … feel very, very confident that the cancer itself is gone,’ said Franz…. ‘You never know what somebody is going through and sometimes they don’t even know what they’re going through.’ ”

At Tanglewood, the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s summer home, concertgoers “will not need to show proof of vaccination or a negative test result,” writes Clarence Fanto in Friday’s (6/10) Berkshire Eagle (MA). Masking will be “optional for the open-air Koussevitzky Music Shed and throughout the grounds. But masking is highly recommended for the indoor performing spaces on the campus—Ozawa Hall … and the Linde Center for Music and Learning … and Cindy’s Cafe…. Proof of full vaccination and one booster dose is still required for orchestra musicians, BSO staff, the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, and guest artists…. The orchestra’s classical season opens on July 8…. In its [Friday] announcement the BSO also listed additional safety enhancements: Air circulation systems for all public-access indoor spaces on the Tanglewood grounds have been evaluated, with necessary upgrades installed and activated for upgraded ventilation and filtration…. COVID-19 protocols at Tanglewood are based on guidance from the CDC, the state, Tri-Town Health and the BSO’s advisers and medical experts, including 9 Foundations, which supplies health buildings strategies as part of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The BSO … will continue to communicate directly with ticket holders by email with any updated information.”

“He received a standing ovation and stellar marks for his conducting skills, energy and engaging personality after conducting the Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra during its March concert,” writes Brandon Reid in Wednesday’s (6/8) Sheboygan Press (WI). “Last week, the SSO named Ernesto Estigarribia its next music director. Estigarribia brings extensive conducting experience, including serving as associate conductor of the Quad City Symphony, music director of the Quad City Symphony Youth Ensembles and director of orchestral activities at Augustana College. He also has [guest conducted] numerous orchestras in both North America and South America. He has master’s and doctoral music degrees from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor’s degree in music from Pittsburgh State University. The SSO said that during his interviews, Estigarribia [a native of Paraguay] spoke of his interest in programming collaborative performance experiences with other community groups, including in creating authentic connections with Latino populations…. Estigarribia will take the podium for the SSO’s first concert of the 104th season Oct. 8…. As a community-based professional orchestra, most SSO musicians call Sheboygan County home, but the ensemble brings together musicians from all over Wisconsin. The SSO holds multiple regular season performances, a yearly holiday concert and an annual children’s concert for grade school students.”

The Los Angeles Philharmonic’s recent “Power to the People” festival “was a politically provocative concept for a major American symphony orchestra,” writes Mark Swed in Friday’s (6/10) Los Angeles Times. “Discussions of race, inclusion and social justice have become more commonplace in arts institutions everywhere. But [at the festival, activist-scholar Angela] Davis pointed out that the real social justice requires more than a wake-up call and protests; the real work must be ongoing. Consequently, the ‘Power to the People!’… became somewhat less about polemic … and more about the sustaining social value of music…. It was shoehorned into a host of season-ending L.A. Phil activities that included a gala 100th anniversary program at the Hollywood Bowl on June 3 and hosting the annual meeting of League of American Orchestras, all of which kept [Music Director Gustavo] Dudamel and the orchestra exceptionally busy…. The L.A. Phil has bounced back from the pandemic with greater investment than ever toward making the symphony orchestra … an empowering voice of the people. Day after day, there has been a dizzyingly democratic, and often brilliantly realized, stream of new work, reimagined old work and inclusive work unlike that found in any other major arts institution.”