Philly's Financial Headaches
Even as Philadelphia Orchestra supporters like the William Penn Foundation continue to open their wallets, there is an undercurrent of turmoil as the orchestra prepares to reorganize in US Bankruptcy Court. Read A Rare Look at the Philadelphia Orchestra's Finances (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Deciphering a Nation's Musical Heritage...One Note at a Time
It's easy to think only of Prince Vlad Tepes (aka Vlad the Impaler) when you think of Transylvania. In pop culture, Bram Stoker's novel Dracula made the Romanian province the butt of more than a few jokes. However, the joke may be on us if Kurt Philippi has anything to say about it. The music consultant and conductor and his wife Ursula, an organist, are poring over thousands of pieces of music from the era of Bach and Corelli, trying to reconstruct the musical treasures that sit in boxes on dusty shelves. Read Romania Brings Back Its Baroque Past (The Guardian)
Free Art
It's fun to find little treasures - whether in an antique store, a garage sale, or a cereal box. There was a time when homes in America were stocked with glasses from Duz detergent or Welch's jelly and towels found in boxes of Breeze, and kids were digging in boxes of cereal or Cracker Jack to get the toy surprise. Those days are back! The June/July issue of Art in America comes with a free art print by Rirkrit Tiravanija, an Argentinian-born artist now living in New York City who is best known for his installation pieces. You can have one of two prints he made for the magazine, just by buying a copy. Read Rirkrit Tiravanija Gives It All Away (Artsjournal.com)