Since the 1990s, there have been more and more women in metal bands. There are also all-female groups. According to the researcher, female fronted metal bands, groups with a female lead singer, are also on the rise. What is striking in this context is that women often sing very high or "growl" very low - this is what the low screaming in death metal is called.

For her dissertation, the scene expert interviewed fans from the Styrian capital and Voitsberg. The researcher also analyzed some of the fans' favourite videos.

The surprising result of the interviews: Gender aspects were hardly mentioned by the fans surveyed. Apparently, they see the music itself as genderless, says the researcher. In general, it can be seen that the metal scene is growing and that there are now many different sub-styles.

For example, medieval metal with bagpipes as an instrument and other folkloristic elements is currently booming, explains Sackl-Sharif. Symphonic metal with operatic vocals is also quite popular. Metalcore, on the other hand, is politically engaged and propagates vegan nutrition, among other things.

More info: www.uni-graz.at

Beethoven's "Fantasia", the original version of The Flying Dutchman, Alfred Wälchli, the double bass clarinet and Peter Cornelius as a music theorist - these are the themes of the five projects that will be presented on Sat/Sun October 12/13 and 19/20, 2013. Symposium participants are invited to discuss the results. Concerts on individual topics are also on the program.

The project "Beethoven's 'Fantasy'" deals with the very lively culture of improvisation and pianistic "fantasizing" around 1800. Theoretical sources as well as practical examples will be discussed, and three concerts will feature very different styles of (partially) improvised music. Students can familiarize themselves with various improvisation methods in a workshop.
Richard Wagner's opera The Flying Dutchman for historically informed interpretation practice is the aim of another project. A practical reconstruction of the performance conditions at the time is planned for November of this year. The symposium will provide a theoretical framework for this.
Based on the fragmentary and singular literary work of the writer and composer Alfred Wächli this project is dedicated to new possibilities for the analysis, edition and creation of multi-perspective literature.
Using state-of-the-art methods, the previously anything but perfect corpus of the Double bass clarinet acoustically optimized and equipped with an electromechanical flap control. A functional model of the improved instrument, including its history, can now be presented.
On the basis of sources from the estate of Peter Cornelius (1824-1874), material on music theory of the mid-19th century is presented and placed in the aesthetic context of the time. In addition to Cornelius, this provides insights into the music of Liszt, Wagner, Bruckner and R. Strauss.

Program overview 
Further information: Research focus on interpretation
 

The conference will take a comparative look at recent and current developments in folk music in the Alpine regions of German-speaking Switzerland, Bavaria and Austria.

The approaches and practices of innovative trends that have developed over the past twenty years will be discussed. Similarities and differences in the musical-aesthetic and performative are examined.

Folk music university courses should also be seen in relation to these trends. Examples from Austria, Switzerland, Finland and Ireland are intended to show what role an academic education wants to, can and should play in this structure.

The conference will take place on Thursday, August 15 and Friday, August 16, 2013, at the Hotel "Zum Schwarzen Löwen" in Altdorf. Participation is free of charge.

More info: www.hslu.ch/neue-volksmusik

Writing about (new) music, whether journalistic or academic, is one of the few musical disciplines for which there is no training. In all media, musical discourse suffers from a lack of young writers. The continuing education program in Basel builds on the successful writing workshops held in Basel (2011) and Darmstadt (2010, 2012). The targeted promotion of young authors, who can now acquire a recognized, certified certificate of achievement for the first time, has proved particularly successful: The Certificate of Advanced Studies in Music Journalism is therefore already accessible to BA graduates.

The course will be led by music journalists Björn Gottstein (Stuttgart) and Thomas Meyer (Zurich), with guest lecturers from the fields of print, radio and new media (including Corinne Holtz, Claus Spahn, Susanne Kübler/Tages-Anzeiger, Cécile Olshausen/Radio SRF2 Kultur, Michael Kunkel/dissonance). The course is linked to performance projects at the Hochschule für Musik Basel with Péter Eötvös and Peter Maxwell Davies, among others. The first results of the course will be published in the Basellandschaftliche Zeitung (bz Basel).

Applications with a letter of motivation, text samples and/or letters of recommendation must be submitted by September 15, 2013.

Detailed information on the CAS Music Journalism can be found at here.
 

Virgin Classics' productions are now to be marketed under the "Erato" label. This will revitalize a brand that was a key player in France in the 1960s.

The EMI Classics works will in future run under the "Warner Classics" label. Warner took over Emi Classics and Virgin months ago.

Industry observers are puzzling over what the strategy behind the move might be. Replacing an old, somewhat dusty label with an even older, even more dusty one seems surprising to say the least.

European combos (three or more musicians) and big bands of all styles of jazz are eligible. Participation is limited to a maximum age of 30 years (born in 1984 and younger).

The prize is endowed with 10,000 euros, divided into a cash prize of 5000 euros and a promotional prize of 5000 euros, tailored to the band's needs. This can be the production and distribution of a CD, a promotional package or a coaching package.

The jury consists of Joe Viera (Artistic Director of the International Jazz Week Burghausen), Roland Spiegel (Bayerischer Rundfunk), Ralf Dombrowski (publicist and photographer), Reinhard Köchl (publicist).

More info: www.b-jazz.com/jazzpreisjazz-award-2014.html

Classical:next is the international specialist forum for all areas of the classical music industry. The networking event comprises a trade fair and a conference, as well as showcase concerts and video presentations. Based on the positive feedback, Director Jennifer Dautermann wants to stick to the concept of an open platform when designing the conference and concert program: "We involve the international classical music community as much as possible, because our trade visitors themselves know best what they need, which artists they should get to know and which trends are promising."
Industry professionals worldwide are invited to propose artists and ensembles with exceptional profiles and innovative approaches, pioneering projects and hot topics as well as expert panels for the conference contributions. An independent and international jury of experts will provide a neutral assessment of the proposals. Submissions are possible online in three categories until September 13, 2013:

1. live showcase concerts
"Live Showcases" are short live performances by soloists and ensembles. The focus is on unusual approaches and novel performance cultures as well as sound languages that play with multimedia tools, actively involve the audience in the concert or stand out from the usual "staging" of classical music programs in a variety of ways.

According to the organizers, the Auditorium Stravinski, the main venue, was sold out on eleven evenings. Among others, the old masters Prince, Sting and Leonard Cohen have filled the hall.

This year's festival budget amounted to 25 million francs. Compared to the previous year, it was CHF 3 million higher.

A section of road in Montreux is named after Claude Nobs, the late festival founder - the entrance road from Montreux to the Royal Plaza is now called "Avenue Claude Nobs".

The next Montreux Jazz Festival will take place between July 4 and 19, 2014.

Highlights included a performance by Volbeat on Thursday, the Toten Hosen in front of 20,000 spectators on Friday evening and Hurts on Saturday.

The Fantastischen Vier, Emelie Sandé and Zaz closed the festival on Sunday. But newcomers such as Reptile Youth, Goose and Netsky were also on the bill. Steff La Cheffe and Müslüm each attracted 7,000 spectators to the Waldbühne.

There were teething problems at the beginning of the festival with a newly introduced cashless payment system. Whether it will continue to be used will be decided in the autumn, according to statements by the organizers in local media. 

The next Gurtenfestival will take place from July 17 to 20, 2014.
 

Born in 1957, Wehrli was active as a guitarist in various jazz rock formations from 1974 onwards. His first compositional works also date from this time.

From 1978 to 1981, Wehrli studied guitar with Walter Feybli at the Zurich Music Academy, followed by composition studies with Hans Ulrich Lehmann in Zurich and Helmut Lachenmann in Stuttgart. From 1986 to 1991 he was active in the Koprod studio and production group in Zurich.

The farewell ceremony will take place on Tuesday, July 23, at 4 p.m. in the Predigerkirche in Zurich.

Graf from the company PFL Management is responsible for the programming of the Musiques colorées of the Scène Ella Fitzgerald. Graf has experience as a tour administrator and festival coordinator. He regularly works with Radio Télévision Suisse, the Festival Diagonales Jazz and groups such as Mama Rosin and the Imperial Tiger Orchestra.

Ernie Odoom and Nelson Schaer take over responsibility for the concerts in the courtyard of Geneva City Hall. The promoters, who are well-known in French-speaking Switzerland, organize the AMR (Association pour l'encouragement de la musique improvisée) concerts and are associated with the Geneva Fête de la Musique and the Chat Noir in Carouge.
 

A selection of candidates will now undergo an expert check, from which six candidates will ultimately qualify for the live show on February 1, 2014.

From September 30 to October 28, 2013, 8 a.m., all performers who want to represent Switzerland at the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest can submit their songs composed especially for this event on the internet platform srf.ch/eurovision publish.

After registration closes, the public will vote for their favorite songs. At the same time, a jury of experts gives its verdict (50 percent rating). A total of nine candidates will be selected for SRF and RTR.

In a second phase, the nine best performers from the internet platform, six candidates from RTS and three candidates from RSI will present their song live to a panel of experts. The experts will evaluate the live competence, vocal quality and stage presence. Of these 18 candidates, the team of experts will send three to SRF and RTR, two to RTS and one to RSI.

The six qualified performers will present their song as well as a cover version of another song in the national live show on February 1, 2014. This show will be broadcast live from the Bodensee-Arena in Kreuzlingen. The TV audience and a jury of experts will each decide 50 percent who will represent Switzerland at the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest in Denmark.

The change in Swisscom's sponsorship strategy will take effect from 2014. After around ten years of sponsoring music, the company wants to turn its attention to other cultural and sporting events, Swissinfo quotes Swisscom spokesperson Christian Neuhaus as saying.

Swisscom is examining alternatives in cultural sponsorship. Music festivals have lost their appeal because they no longer allow them to stand out as sponsors, Neuhaus continues. There are too many festivals for that.

Following the loss of traditional sponsors from the alcohol, tobacco and communications industries, festival organizers now have to look for new financial partners. If this is not successful, tickets are likely to become more expensive.

The position of Foundation President will be newly created at the beginning of 2014 "in order to emphasize and further develop the leading international role of the Bach Archive", as the Bach Archive writes in its official press release.

Peter Wollny will succeed Christoph Wolff in the position of director. Wolff has been Director of the Bach Archive since 2001 and will leave office at the end of 2013 for personal reasons. The official election of the new Bach Archive management is scheduled for October 2013.

Wollny, who completed his doctorate under Wolff at Harvard University in 1993 and habilitated at the University of Leipzig in 2009, is regarded as one of the leading Bach researchers.

As managing director of the Bach Archive's now three-member board, Dettloff Schwerdtfeger will continue to support the work of the president and the director on an equal footing. As part of the expansion of the board, Schwerdtfeger will take on the role of Managing Director of the Leipzig Bach Festival.

The Managing Director will chair the meetings of the Artistic Directorate, which will continue to be made up of the Thomaskantor Georg Christoph Biller, the new Director of the Bach Archive Peter Wollny and Elmar Weingarten.

Chiara Enderle, who completed a Bachelor's degree in cello with Thomas Grossenbacher at the ZHdK (Zurich University of the Arts) and is now a student in Berlin with Jens Peter Maintz, beat the finalists Benedict Klöckner (Germany), Joris van den Berg (Netherlands) and Jonathan Dorman (Great Britain) in London.

The Pierre Fournier Award was established in 1988 by cellist Ralph Kirshbaum. Previous winners include Gemma Rosefield, Richard Harwood and Gregor Horsch as well as Mikhail Nemtsov in 2011. A total of 30 participants have been admitted to the competition.

Chiara Enderle was born in 1992 as the daughter of ZHdK music lecturers Matthias and Wendy Enderle. She has performed as a chamber musician with the Carmina Quartet in Switzerland, the USA and Japan. She has already won prizes in various competitions.