News and music to start your week!

The Chicago Tribune spoke with Missy Mazzoli, pictured above, who is wrapping up her third year as Composer In Residence at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.  She speaks with the Chicago Tribune about what it was like to be a composer in residence during a pandemic, and her work to “move the needle” in terms of equality in the concert hall.

We at WPA are elated about the new Federal Holiday of Juneteenth, which the US celebrated on Saturday.  We also hope that this is the first step towards in the process towards true racial justice that is so desperately needed.  Several organizations have collected playlists for Black Music Listening month and Juneteenth including Garret McQueen at Your Classical, and NPR and pianist Lara Downes (here and here, with a beautiful photo essay).

We shared information last week about Marin Alsop’s retirement from The Baltimore Symphony.  She was interviewed by The Baltimore Sun about her tenure and the new documentary.  She also spoke with NPR about the end of the era; read more here or listen in below.  The documentary “The Conductor” streamed as part of the Tribecca Film Festival.

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In their second installment, the Women Composers Festival of Hartford’s Women Composer HerStory series presents Sofia Gubaidulina’s Offertorium as performed by Janet Jacobson.  Follow this link or watch below:

What did we miss?  What are you reading?  Drop up a line and let us know! [email protected]