I am pleased to learn that, after performances in Germany, Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands, South Korea, the United States, and Mexico, my instrumental duo suite Zoological Garden is scheduled in the Chamber Music Hutt Valley concert series in Lower Hutt, New Zealand, for May 2018. Thank you in advance, flautist Karen Batten and violist Sophia Acheson of the Toru Trio, and thank you also, Ingrid Bauer for getting in touch! Never thought that these capricious little miniatures would turn out to be my most successful composition.
A Sensitive Job Interview
I have been invited by my Alma mater to introduce myself in the appointment procedure for a music theory professorship. This is, after my widely noticed withdrawal of last summer, something of a surprise. But needless to say, I will accept the challenge and prepare a cunning little demonstration lesson that will blow their minds. Let’s see how it goes. NB: I’m not revealing sensitive data here, as the names of all applicants to this position were publicly announced on the department’s notice board. Good luck to every of my competitors—may they succeed according to their personal ambitions and standards, regardless of their gender, race, class, or origin.
Concepts of Musical Youth Development
I have been participating in a panel discussion, organised by Wolfgang Lessing at Dresden University of Music. This event was part of a newly founded network dedicated to concepts and structural problems of music education in Germany. It’s been a versatile and very inspiring exchange of thoughts with participants from various kinds of musical institutions in Saxonia and Berlin. My colleague Helge Harding and I presented our ideas for new paradigms of professional musical training. A number of other sensitive issues were brought up as well, including possible changes to university curricula and assessment of achievements in musical performance. Future engagement will require people to link themselves, to concentrate their ideas and to transfer them into a broader public in order to reach politics and administrations.
Medtner’s Night Wind Howls Again
Just to let you know, for the unlikely case that anybody shares my nerdy predilection for exuberant Russian piano music: I will be presenting my paper on Nikolai Medtner‘s E minor Sonata ›Night Wind‹, Op. 25 No. 2, once again as part of the 17th annual conference of the Gesellschaft für Musiktheorie at Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Graz, on November 17, 1.30 pm. Analytical insights will be augmented by in-depth examination of the work’s poetic and hermeneutic contexts. I’d be so lucky to enjoy your company!
Multiple Professorships
One shouldn’t consider it possible that somebody holds two professoral positions at the same time, particularly in a business as tough and competitive as classical music—but yes, two members of the teaching staff at Berlin University of the Arts’ Faculty of Music simultaneously occupy another post in Switzerland. Violinist Nora Chastain is also professor at Zurich University of the Arts, while clarinetist François Benda also teaches at Basel Academy of Music. Apart from challenging the necessity of a second salary at this level, one might question these persons’ ability to manage the teaching load associated with taking care of two instrumental major classes. Maybe they are lucky enough to be gifted with bilocation?