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by CRYSTAL CHAN, REBECCA ANNE CLARK,
LORENA JIMÉNEZ ALONSO, PHILIPPE MICHAUD
Universal and Sony
Divide Up EMI
EMI, Britain’s only major music label, was dismantled
this November in a buyout that saw
its recorded music division sold to Universal
Music for $1.9 billion. Meanwhile, a group of
investors led by Sony obtained EMI’s music
publishing catalogue for $2.2 billion. Now that
Universal, already an industry heavyweight,
controls names like Radiohead, the Beatles,
and Katy Perry, the company will likely have
to dump some of its assets to satisfy antitrust
regulations. Independent labels are concerned
about the possible negative repercussions of
the acquisition and how Universal’s increased
market influence will affect them. RC
NÉZET-SÉGUIN AWARDED
THE PRIX DENISE-PELLETIER
The Prix Denise-Pelletier was recently
presented by Minister Sam Hamad to
Yannick Nézet-Seguin, principal conductor
and artistic director of the Metro -
politan Orchestra. This award is the most
important conferred by the government
of Quebec on a performing artist. This
prestigious prize has been awarded in
the past to outstanding artists including
Felix Leclerc (1977), Gilles Vigneault
(1983), Joseph Rouleau (1990) and
Robert Lepage (2003).
PM/LT
PHOTO Marco Borggreve
ALICE-HERZ-SOMMER
& RAPHAEL SOMMER
Menuhin Competition Inundated
with Entries
The Yehudi Menuhin International Competition
for Young Violinists has received a record
number of entries for 2012. Just 42 candidates
will be selected from a pool of over 230 applicants.
Founded in England in 1983, the
Menuhin Competition has especially gained
popularity in the US, Canada, Australia, and
China following the success of previous winners
such as Ray Chen, Chad Hoopes, and
Kerson Leong. This year’s event (April 6 to 15,
2012) will be held in Beijing and will feature
master classes and performances by the
celebrity jury.
RC
New Ideas in Opera:
iPhones and Wikileaks
The Royal Opera House will enter the world
of gaming with the launch of an iPhone and
iPad game. During a time of many funding
cuts, they hope this will generate extra income
and widen audiences. “The Show
Must Go On” game offers players the opportunity
to stage manage their own
opera or ballet. Meanwhile, Opera Australia
has started to work on an opera
composed by Jonathan Dreyfus and
based on Wikileaks and the life of its
founder, Julian Assange. Eddie Perfect,
who played Assange in initial
workshops, told the Australian Broadcasting
Company: “It’s got everything
that a dramatic musical work needs. It’s
got heroes and villains. In fact, it’s got
a hero and villain combined in one.”
LJA
Czech Pianist and Oldest
Holocaust Survivor Turns 108
Alice Herz-Sommer, a pianist and music
teacher, turned 108 on November 26, 2011.
This makes her the oldest known Holocaust
survivor. She was interned at the Theresienstadt
concentration camp, which is known for
having been the forced home of several artists
and musicians. She survives her son, Raphael
Sommer, who became a respected cellist and
composer. A video collection of some of her
interviews is viewable at www.webofstories.com/
play/17993?o=L She discusses, among other
things, the concerts she was forced to perform
at the camp.
CC
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DECEMBER 2011 / JANUARY 2012