The Well-Tempered Ear

Classical music news: What is the best choir in the world? How can classical music survive? Obama picks violinist for arts council. String quartets thrive in some cities. Hard modern music gets more hearings.

A reminder: Live radio broadcasts on Saturday of the Metropolitan Opera productions begin today nationwide and on Wisconsin Public Radio (WERN 88.7 FM in the Madison area. The curtain rises at 11:30 CST on Verdi’s “Don Carlo.”

By Jacob Stockinger

It’s Saturday, so that means it is times for another round-up of news clips:

ITEM: International critics name The Monteverdi Choir (below with conductor John Eliot Gardiner) as the Best Vocal Ensemble in the World:

http://www.classicalmusic.org.uk/2010/12/monteverdi-choir-named-worlds-best-vocal-ensemble.html

ITEM: Classical music needs to take more risks — go into coffeehouses (below) and bars — if it is to survive:

http://www.newsok.com/classical-music-taking-risks-to-lure-new-faces/article/feed/223545?custom_click=pod_headli

ITEM: Difficult classical music, including the music of Pierre Boulez (below and bottom)  is starting to draw crowds in certain places:

http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/culture/2010/12/922287/difficult-music-starting-draw-crowds-new-york

ITEM: President Obama picks a classical violinist Aaron Dworkin (below) and MacArthur fellow from Detroit for the National Council on the Arts.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/arts-post/2010/12/president_nominates_dworkin_to.html

ITEM: Why are strong quartets – usually though of as esoteric – thriving in some cities?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/10/arts/music/10bckronos.html?_r=1

ITEM: Twenty composers, including Anna Meredith (below), have been selected for the Cultural Olympiad composers, to be held in conjunction with the 2012 Olympic Games, have been chosen for the UK:

http://www.gramophone.co.uk/classical-music-news/20-cultural-olympiad-composers-named

ITEM: “Heart of a Soldier” to be an opera by Christopher Theofanadis (below) and premiere in San Francisco (San Francisco Opera House:

http://musicalescapades.com/blog/operas/san-francisco-opera-to-present-heart-of-a-soldier-world-premiere-september-10-2011.htm