Friday Fun ! Honda robot conducts Detroit Symphony

By DEE-ANN DURBIN, AP Auto Writer Wed May 14

DETROIT - The lights dimmed, the sold-out hall grew hushed and out walkedthe conductor - shiny, white and 4 feet, 3 inches tall.ASIMO, a robot designed by Honda Motor Co., met its latest challenge Tuesdayevening: Conducting the Detroit Symphony in a performance of "The ImpossibleDream" from "Man of La Mancha." more

Bloggapedia - cool new site !

Bloggapedia is a "human-edited,' searchable, and subject-browsable blog directory that is a "one stop shopping for all things blog." The goal of Bloggapedia is to assist bloggers in getting their content-specific blogs read and seen. Stop by the site and register your blog!

Vivaldi Werkverzeichnis - new in the reference collection !

REF ML 134.V7 R98 2007

Peter Ryom’s Vivaldi Work Catalogue isthe result of decades of research and critical source studies conducted by the author. For the first time ever, it contains all the works of Antonio Vivaldi with musical incipits and all essential information on the origin, transmission, publication and reception of the works. It also consistently maintains the numbering of the “Kleine Ausgabe” (Short Edition) of 1974; the works since discovered were given the new numbers RV 751 to RV 809.

Vivaldi’s works are organized differently in the two main sections of the catalogue. The instrumental works are subdivided according to settings and follow one another within the various sub-chapters according to key. The vocal works are arranged according to genre, and within each genre alphabetically according to titles or text incipits. An exception here are the oratorios and Psalms which are organized chronologically; the Psalms are listed according to their Vulgate numbering. In the Appendix there are bibliographical overviews, a concordance with other Vivaldi catalogues (Pincherle, Fanna)and detailed registers which help make Vivaldi’s vast oeuvreaccessible from every perspective.

Gramophone to launch revolutionary website

Gramophone, the world’s most influential classical music magazine, is to create an exciting new website that promises to transform the classical music industry. The magazine, started in 1923, today announces its commitment to a bold two stage plan.

By September every word ever printed in Gramophone will be available for free as a fully searchable online archive – that’s hundreds and thousands of reviews, articles and interviews, by far the biggest archive of its kind. This will provide an invaluable guide through the classical music jungle, suggesting recommended recordings, giving information on works, composers and performers and featuring pieces written by some of the greatest names in music history – from Stravinsky to Simon Rattle. more

Musical Scores from UIUC's Music Library Digitized

Nearly 100 musical scores from UIUC's Music Library were digitized recently at the Open Content Alliance/Internet Archive scanning center. Represented in this new online collection are Victor Herbert, John Philip Sousa, Jerome Kern, and Gilbert & Sullivan.

The Open Content Alliance (OCA) represents the collaborative efforts of a group of cultural, technology, nonprofit, and governmental organizations from around the world that will help build a permanent archive of multilingual digitized text and multimedia content. The OCA was conceived by the Internet Archive and Yahoo! in early 2005 as a way to offer broad, public access to a rich panorama of world culture.

How to Acquire Music for Films

Did you know that if you are using a pre-recorded song or another pre-recorded piece of music in your film, there are two rights you need to clear; that is to say, you need to get two different licenses to use the music? learn more

A first for Saudis: Mozart performed for both genders

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - It's probably as revolutionary and groundbreaking as Mozart gets these days. A German-based quartet staged Saudi Arabia's first-ever performance of European classical music in a public venue before a mixed gender audience.
The concert, held at a government-run cultural center, broke many taboos in a country where public music is banned and the sexes are segregated even in lines at fast food outlets.
The Friday night performance could be yet another indication that this strict Muslim kingdom is looking to open up to the rest of the world. more

Musician's Atlas 2008

Musician's Atlas -- new in the Reference Collection (Con Ref ML18.M82 2008)
This indispensable directory for music business professionals has been completely updated for 2008, with more than 15,000 U.S. and international contacts in more than 28 categories. These include club talent buyers, college and festival bookers, commercial and college radio programmers, promoters and publicists, film and TV music supervisors, distributors, marketing services, and other essential contacts. Highlights of this 10th edition include more than 800 new performance opportunities, song contests, CD compilation contacts, and e-commerce services.

A title returns

Psychology of Music is available once again in Periodicals.