Schmidt completed his doctorate at the FU Berlin in 1970 under Rudolf Stephan and subsequently worked on the Arnold Schönberg Complete Edition. He also obtained an organ diploma from the École normale de musique in Paris. After his habilitation and a professorship in Amsterdam, he held the Chair of Music History at the Technical University of Berlin from 1991 until his retirement as the successor to Carl Dahlhaus. From 1992 he was project manager of the Leipzig edition of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy's works at the Saxon Academy of Sciences and from 1997 project manager of the Hanns Eisler Complete Edition.

Since 2018, the Heinrich Schütz Music Festival has awarded the prize to personalities, ensembles, facilities and institutions that "distinguish themselves through excellent artistic and scientific achievements and merits in the interpretation, lively communication and widespread dissemination of the oeuvre of Heinrich Schütz and the music of his time, as well as through an outstanding commitment to its sustainable preservation and promotion".

According to the city's press release, this marks the start of the next important phase on the way to modern theater operations and the new Lucerne Theater. Furthermore, the existing building is to be made operationally safe for the coming years with a loan of CHF 5 million.

The winning project "everywhere" by Zurich architects Ilg Santer envisages the expansion of the existing theater building with an extension on the west side. It was revised and optimized following criticism in recent months. In a new statement issued at the end of September 2024, the two Federal Commissions for the Protection of Nature and Cultural Heritage and for the Preservation of Historical Monuments acknowledged that the revision takes into account important points of the conservation objectives formulated in the 2019 report and that the project as a whole is compatible with the framework conditions.

After a temporary break from the stage Sophie Hunger will make its comeback from March 20 to 23, 2025. For one weekend, she will be designing Elbphilharmonie its own festivalShe sings her songs, which range between indie rock and poetic pop, together with an orchestra, and reads from her recently announced debut novel Waltz for nobodywhich will be released in spring 2025 - and will bring many musical friends to Hamburg.

Dino Brandão can also be heard in the Small Hall on the opening evening. He began his musical career as a street musician, celebrated success with the band Frank Power and released his first solo album "Self Inclusion" in spring 2024. After giving a celebrated trio concert with Sophie Hunger and Faber in the Grand Hall of the Elbphilharmonie in 2021, he is now returning with his new songs.

Julian Sartorius turns the Elbphilharmonie building into an instrument. Using sticks and mallets, the former drummer for Sophie Hunger elicits a wide variety of sounds from walls and objects during his "soundwalks"

According to a press release from the university, particular attention is paid to the career paths of conductors, which are closely linked to programming decisions. However, organizational variables such as repertoire, finances, personnel and institutional context factors such as intensity of competition and per capita income are also included in the study.

The data will not only be scientifically evaluated, but also made publicly accessible. The project thus offers "a sustainable research basis for further studies on the history of German orchestras and music", the university continues. The study will later be extended to other (European) countries.

The research project under the direction of Thomas Heinze and Mark Lutter (both from the University of Wuppertal) and in cooperation with Barbara Wiermann (Saxon State and Regional Library Dresden) is being funded by the German Research Foundation with around 800,000 euros over three years.

More info: https://www.uni-wuppertal.de/de/news/detail/forschungsprojekt/

Daniel Hug (Zurich University of the Arts, ZHdK) and Sascha Ketelhut (University of Bern) have received the award for their publication "Sonic Shuttle Run: Leveraging Sound Design to Improve Affective Response and Performance in Maximal Exercise Tests". Hug is a sound design lecturer and works at the Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology (ICST) at ZHdK, Sascha Ketelhut at the Institute of Sport Science at the University of Bern.

The "Sonic Shuttle Run" project investigates the use of detailed, independent sounds to increase athletic performance, motivation and maximum effort in sport. In a pilot study with 21 test subjects, different sound design variants and their effects on effort, emotional valence, flow and listening experience were examined. The results suggest that well-designed, evocative sounds can be beneficial in maximal effort tests, suggesting possible directions for further research into sound design strategies for sport.

More info: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3678299.3678315

He is leaving at his own request for family reasons and due to the double burden of leading two professional orchestras, writes Konzert und Theater St. Gallen. He also holds the same position as in St. Gallen with the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra in Vilnius. Modestas Pitrenas has been Chief Conductor since 2018 . As Artistic Director Concert, he has also been involved in the management since the 2023/24 season and contributed to the operational development of the largest cultural institution in Eastern Switzerland.

Concert and St. Gallen will announce further information on the succession plan at a later date. The succession plan will be "planned in cooperation between the Board of Directors, the management and the orchestra and implemented as quickly as possible".

According to information from the Liechtestein Symphony Orchestra, Moritz Huemer was born in Feldkirch (Austria) in 1999 and grew up in Liechtenstein. He received his first cello lessons at the age of five from Josef Hofer at the Liechtenstein Music School. From 2015 to 2018, he was a junior student in Rafael Rosenfeld's class at the Basel Music Academy and at the same time attended grammar school in Feldkirch, where he graduated in 2018.

After four years studying with Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt at the Franz Liszt School of Music in Weimar, he completed his bachelor's degree there in 2022. Since fall 2022, he has been studying with Jens Peter Maintz at the Berlin University of the Arts. Moritz Huemer has taken part in various masterclasses, including with David Geringas and Thomas Grossenbacher. He is also a scholarship holder of the International Music Academy in Liechtenstein and regularly takes part in the intensive weeks there.

The precarious financial situation of many cultural professionals in Switzerland has been known for some time and has been reminded once again due to the pandemic, writes Suisseculture. Due to the atypical forms of work common in the cultural sector, social security is insufficiently guaranteed.

Suisseculture Sociale, an umbrella organization of professional cultural workers, which provided emergency aid for cultural workers on behalf of the federal government during the Covid pandemic, is taking this as an opportunity to publish a report entitled Artists Take Action to launch an initiative. This includes a guide designed to provide cultural professionals with an introduction to social insurance, forms of business and employment law, as well as a national awareness campaign on social media.

The initiative is backed by the umbrella organizations Suisseculture and Suisseculture Sociale as well as the professional associations A*dS - Authors of Switzerland, ARF/FDS - Swiss Association of Film Directors and Screenwriters, Danse Suisse, GSFA - Groupement Suisse du Film d'Animation, SMV - Swiss Musicians' Association, SONART - Swiss Musicians, SSFV - Swiss Syndicate for Film and Video, t. - Theaterschaffen Schweiz and Visarte - Swiss Visual Arts Association.

Original article:
https://www.suisseculture.ch/?article=suisseculture_sociale_lanciert_initiative_artists_take_action

In Switzerland, cultural professionals earned a median of CHF 69,600 in 2023, compared to CHF 45,700 for part-time workers. There is a big difference between the genders: a female cultural professional working full-time earned 78,000 francs, while her male colleague earned 98,000 francs. These are some of the new results of the Federal Statistical Office's (FSO) statistics on the cultural industries, with detailed data on wages for the first time.

The gender pay gap is pronounced among cultural professionals. In 2023, men earned 85,000 francs in the cultural sector, women 56,700 francs. However, this difference is comparable to the economy as a whole (men: CHF 84,500, women: CHF 58,400). These figures depend heavily on the level of employment: as in the economy as a whole, women in the cultural sector work part-time significantly more often (65% of them) than men (36%).

Original article:
https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/aktuell/neue-veroeffentlichungen.assetdetail.32669775.html

This decision is the result of in-depth consultations in the course of the ongoing restructuring and digitalization, writes The restructuring process has shown that, in addition to the measures already implemented, it is also necessary to fill the position of Managing Director.

Poto Wegener has played a key role in shaping Swissperform over the past 13 years and has set the course for the company, Swissperform continues. The search for a suitable successor has already begun. In the meantime, Michael Egli, Head of Legal Services and member of the Executive Board, will continue to manage the business on an interim basis to ensure a smooth transition.

Swissperform is the collecting society for ancillary copyrights (related rights) in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein and also exploits secondary use rights: The company represents the holders of ancillary copyrights
(rights holders) vis-à-vis the users (e.g. music use by broadcasting companies).

Art and culture are coming under increasing pressure: funding is being called into question, structures in music education are being dismantled and media visibility is being reduced. Cultural policy issues hardly play a role in elections either. In a final declaration, the councils therefore make a strong plea for the value of art and culture to be given greater recognition at all levels of society.

A key element of this is music education in and outside of school. Against the backdrop of migration movements, the challenges of globalization, integration, inclusion, economic and social change and new technologies such as artificial intelligence, strengthening music education is becoming increasingly urgent.

The music councils call for art and culture to be viewed not only from a financial perspective, but also to recognize their value for a democratic, open and diverse society. The promotion of art, culture and cultural education is not a subsidy, but rather an investment in the future of our society.

Original article:
https://www.musikrat.de/media/aktuelles/meldung/der-wert-von-kunst-und-kultur-musik-als-lebensnerv

Iron Curtain is an exhibition series that has been transforming the Iron Curtain of the Opera House into an exhibition space for contemporary art since 1998. The large pictures are fixed to the firewall with magnets. An international jury consisting of Daniel Birnbaum, Bice Curiger and Hans-Ulrich Obrist is responsible for selecting the artists. The work "Bauchhöhle überfliegt Staumauer" by Pipilotti Rist can be seen by the audience before and after the performances and during the intermissions until the end of June 2025.

Pipilotti Rist's work includes spatial video art, multimedia installations, objects, sculptures, computer art and photomontages. Her works have been shown in solo exhibitions around the world, including at the Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles (MOCA), the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich, the Museum of Modern Art in New York (2008), the Center Georges Pompidou in Paris and the Venice Biennale. In 2024, she will receive the Sikkens Prize - the award ceremony will take place in October 2024. A major exhibition at the Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA) in Beijing is planned for summer 2025.

Michael Sanderling took up his position as Chief Conductor of the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra (LSO) in 2021/22 with a five-year contract. After three seasons, the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra extended his contract early for a further three years, thus securing his artistic planning for the 2026/27 and 2028/29 seasons.

The Lucerne Symphony Orchestra is the resident orchestra at the KKL Lucerne. According to the LSO's press release, Sanderling deepened the focus on the late Romantic repertoire. In recent years, the orchestra has recorded a Brahms cycle for Warner Classics and has toured South America and Asia as well as making guest appearances at the Konzerthaus and Musikverein in Vienna, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg and at festivals throughout Europe.

The Valaisia Brass Band prevailed against nine competitors and secured first place, followed by the Bürgermusik Luzern brass band and the Brass Band Fribourg. The winning band received a voucher worth 5000 francs for instruments from the manufacturer Buffet Crampon, Paris. In addition, the special prize of 1000 francs from Obrasso-Verlag was awarded for the best self-chosen piece and the special prize of 500 francs, donated by Musik Beat Zurkinden, for the best solo euphonium played in the test piece.

The 34th Besson Swiss Open Contest marked the start of the World Band Festival Lucerne. Other orchestras, ensembles and soloists will be performing in Lucerne until September 29, including the Black Dyke Band, one of the oldest and best-known English brass bands, Mnozil Brass, LaBrassBanda and the Christoph Walter Orchestra.