31.12.69

There has been disparagement in Bangladesh of a move by a South Korean company to donate more than 90 digital pianos to command-run primary schools.

One teacher told the BBC that the money could have been exhausted more judiciously.

The donation is part of a scheme to provide 5,000 pianos to children who otherwise would not be qualified to learn a musical instrument.

The first set of pianos was handed over to headmasters from 91 schools at a etiquette in Dhaka on Thursday.

"This will help to enhance [the] cultural activities of our students, many of whom obtain from low-income groups and from rural areas," elder education official AKM Abdul Awal Majumder told the BBC.

But critics say that the cabbage for the pianos has been misspent.

"There are 37,000 government primary schools in our sticks and many of them do not have proper buildings, benches, toilets and chairs," Rashedul Hasan, a Dhaka inebriated school teacher, told the BBC.

Source: BBC News

31.12.69

Noted jazz innovator Herbie Hancock might be considered something of a miracle, but that doesn’t mean he’s taking his upcoming performance of George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Crestfallen” with The Massey Hall Orchestra this Saturday dusk lightly.

In fact, the 71-year-old Chicago home-grown, who will be performing the piece with the Massey Hall Orchestra at the famed venue, says he’s been doing his homework.

“I played ‘Rhapsody In Low-spirited’ here in L.A. about a month ago, and I had to practice diligently for two months,” admits Hancock over the phone from his employment.

“This will be the second performance of ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ that I’m playing by myself. I did carry on the work with (Chinese pianist) Lang Lang — two pianos and orchestra.

“The first without surcease was an excerpt from it in 2008, and then we did a tour in 2009, but the piano parts were divided up, and he played the tougher parts.”

Hancock, whose completion kicks off the annual Jazz @ Massey Hall Series, will depict the work unamplified with the orchestra conducted by Alain Trudel, a throwback to the way Massey Corridor patrons would have heard Gershwin perform it himself when he graced the venue in 1934.

Source: Toronto.com

by Will

, Was officially released last week on Top Shelf . I’m working this album for Beartrap PR and it has been getting awesome paparazzi so far and for gear pretext. It’s already got a fixed neighbourhood on my 2010 year end directory and deserves a bit on Superb New Music for foolproof. If you have ever been a fan of music that gets labeled as “screamo”, good old days or emcee, you have need of to discover these guys. Pianos reply to the prior but think up their own course and give the variety a much needed facelift.

Pianos Become The Teeth “Filial”

Source: Best New Music: Pianos Become The Teeth « sound as language

by michaelwookey

Excepting from Alice, I have been composing for a concert with 30 toy pianos. It is my job to quiet and to be the "chef d'orchestre." We will temporize this on the 12th February. We're doing 3 pieces that I've composed and one comprehend that I've arranged specifically. It's wholly astonishing to discover lots of toy pianos at the same era, even though so far we have only practiced with about 10 or so. I'm not guaranteed how 30 will sensible... extraordinary I wait.

Source: Things In My Mind: ALICE AND TOY PIANOS