According to the German Stage Association, the original plan was to include the corresponding tax regulation in the 2013 Annual Tax Act. However, the Bundestag failed to pass this law in mid-January.

The new proposals now do not provide for VAT exemption for self-employed directors and choreographers. The Bühnenverein calls on the Federal Government to stick to its original plan for tax exemption and to implement it without delay.

He also calls for self-employed stage and costume designers to be included in the VAT exemption, as they would otherwise be the only artists working on a theater production who would have to pay VAT.

The Frontiers of Knowledge Award has been presented by the Spanish financial group BBVA since 2008 in eight categories, including biomedical scientists, economists and management specialists.

The jury for the Contemporary Music category includes composer Cristobal Halffter, Winrich Hopp, artistic director of Musikfest Berlin, and composer and conductor Johannes Kalitzke.

Previous winners of the prize are Salvatore Sciarrino (2011), Helmut Lachenmann (2010) and Cristobal Halffter (2009).

In the MAS Music education in specific contexts pedagogical didactic knowledge, artistic expression and subject-specific teaching methods for teaching music at music schools with pupils of different ages can be expanded and deepened. Music teachers sharpen their professional profile. They learn to design innovative, versatile and variable music lessons that take into account the individual requirements of the learners, initiate creative processes, constantly question themselves and continuously renew themselves.

The continuing education program at Bern University of the Arts enables musicians with two masters in performance or teachers with extensive professional experience without an adequate degree to acquire an extra-occupational post-qualification. Current developments and trends in instrumental pedagogy are followed and transferred by the participants into their teaching activities, allowing them to remain flexible in their professional identity.
Detailed information can be found at:

www.hkb.bfh.ch

The award is presented by the German Federal Jazz Orchestra and goes to composers under the age of 30 who compose or arrange works for jazz orchestra.

Six compositions were chosen from a total of 56 entries, three in the big band category and three in the big band with vocal ensemble category. A total of 3000 euros in prize money was distributed.

The complete list of winners can be viewed at:
http://projekte.musikrat.de/index.php?id=871
 

The 58-year-old Jean-Frédéric Jauslin will represent Switzerland at UNESCO and in the OIF (Organization of the Francophonie). His post as Director of the FOC, which he has headed since April 1, 2005, will be advertised and will probably be filled until August 2013.

Jauslin will continue to head the office until this date. According to NZZ it is not the FDFA but Berset's Department of Home Affairs that will pay for the ambassador's post.

According to the NZZ, this indicates that "a special solution for the BAK director" has been found in order to open up new perspectives for the office following "tensions both within the BAK and between the head of office and the responsible head of department, Culture Minister Alain Berset".

According to the NZZ, Jauslin himself denies that there were any conflicts with Berset. The mood at the BAK is good, even if "cuts in the personnel budget have not made life any easier recently".

Hans Ulrich Glarner currently works as Head of the Culture Department of the Canton of Aargau. He is a member of the management of the Department of Education, Culture and Sport. In 2002, he realigned the promotion and dissemination of culture in Aargau. He expanded the Aarau Museum from two to six locations. He also led the revision of the canton's cultural legislation.

Glarner was previously director of the Stapferhaus Lenzburg, managing director of Aktion Begegnung 91 and cultural editor of the Aargauer Tagblatt. He has taught fundraising, cultural policy and cultural mediation at the PH Nordwestschweiz and the University of Basel.
 

Sebastian Küchler-Blessing, who was born in Fribourg in 1987 and has already won prestigious prizes, studied at the music academies in Trossingen and Karlsruhe and is currently studying at the Freiburg University of Music.

According to a press release from the LSO, equal weighting was given to originality in interpretation, instrumental excellence and a strong artistic personality when selecting the prizewinner.

The Arthur Waser Prize is endowed with prize money of CHF 25,000. The winner also receives a performance with the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra at the KKL Lucerne. The concert will be recorded live and released on CD.

The Arthur Waser Foundation was established in 1999 as a non-profit charitable foundation as part of Arthur Waser's succession plan. It supports social projects in the third world, particularly Africa, as well as art and cultural projects in Central Switzerland. The foundation and the LSO have worked closely together for many years. In 2008, Arthur Waser became involved with the LSO as one of the foundation's founders. In 2011, a joint concept for lunch concerts at the KKL Lucerne was developed.

The Jazz CLub Chur has had its annual deficit guarantee, which has remained largely unchanged since the mid-1990s, practically halved from CHF 18,000 to just over CHF 9,000 without any prior notice or justification, writes Club President Andrea Engi.

He is now "quite stunned" with a program that is too large and whose financing is in no way secured. He had to cancel plans for a major concert with an international concert agency, which had not yet been fully completed, without being able to offer a replacement. He has suspended further planning.

According to a report by the Southeastern Switzerland the decision is a consequence of the reorganization of the cantonal awarding practice, which has been in force since January 1, 2013. This means that applications from smaller event organizers no longer fall under the jurisdiction of the cantonal cultural promotion commission, but are dealt with directly by the Office for Culture.

Government councillor Martin Jäger does not see the reorganization as "an abrupt turnaround in cultural policy", writes the newspaper.

What does aggressive mean in relation to hard rock, punk, hip-hop, industrial, dubstep and other genres? As often as the attribute appears in the discourse, it often remains unclear on the basis of which musical, intermedial, socio-cultural or other criteria it is assigned, writes the HMTMH.

At the same time, it can be observed how the discourse is characterized by the stereotypical dualism "aggressive man - peaceful woman". In reality, however, both genders have aggressive potential in principle and therefore have access to corresponding sounds.

In addition to Anna-Katharina Höpflinger, speakers at the conference in Hanover will include Susanne Binas-Preisendörfer (University of Oldenburg), Michael Herschelmann (Oldenburg Child Protection Center), musicologist Marion Gerards (Hamburg University of Applied Sciences) and music historian Nina Noeske (University of Salzburg).

The event will take place on February 16, 2013. It is open to the public and free of charge. Please register in good time.

Program flyer: www.fmg.hmtm-hannover.de

The event was opened by the PMS Kreuzlingen chamber choir and short speeches by the Mayor of Kreuzlingen, Andreas Netzle, and the principals of the participating schools on the Kreuzlingen campus. The major event will attract around 3000 to 5000 visitors to the campus grounds in Kreuzlingen. The IMTA gives Thurgau schools an exclusive opportunity to present their creative work internationally.

"Inspirare", the motto of the IMTA in Kreuzlingen, is intended to promote creative ideas, according to Christine Forster, Head of the Performances Department. With her team of experts, she offers teachers support in the implementation of their projects and performances.

All schools from the canton of Thurgau are invited to register with performances. The performances will take place on Wednesday, May 14, 2014, in Kreuzlingen.

The IMTA has been held at a different location around Lake Constance every year since 1957. The first event took place in Kressbronn on June 1, 1957. Since then, a different school board in the region has hosted the event every year. The aim is to promote and deepen musical work in the schools. Exchanges and encounters are intended to promote cross-border understanding.

More info: http://beta.imta-bodensee.com

At this year's competition, which took place in Bern from February 4 to 7, 2013, two first prizes (together with a Prix Collard) of CHF 10,000 each were awarded. They went to Rafał Żółkoś (flute) and Andri Dragan (piano). The flautist Tatiana Pimenova received a second prize (8,000 Swiss francs). Angel Soria Diaz (saxophone) and Milan Siljanov (voice) each received two third prizes (6,000 francs).

Sponsorship prizes of 4000 francs each were awarded to: Ior Andreev (piano), Joaquin Saez Belmonte (saxophone), Elena Graf (violin), Vladimir Guryanov (piano), Nicolas Indermühle (tuba), Yair Klartag (composition), Filipa Nunes (clarinet), Vito Alessio Pianelli (violoncello), Araksya Sargsyan (piano), David Silva (clarinet) and Pedro Pablo Camara Toldos (saxophone).

A total prize money of 84,000 Swiss francs will be awarded. The 2014 auditions will take place in Bern from February 3 to 6, 2014. The registration deadline is October 31, 2013.

More info: www.asm-stv.ch/de/prix-etudes-asm-khs

The Arosa Culture Association is holding its Arosa Music Course Weeks for the 27th time in summer 2013. Compared to previous years, the infrastructure has been significantly expanded with the purchase of several grand and upright pianos. With this quality offensive, Arosa Kultur aims to consolidate its position as one of the largest providers of music courses in Europe.

The courses in the Grisons vacation resort of Arosa are aimed at amateur and professional musicians as well as students. Interpretation courses are offered for a wide range of string, wind, keyboard and percussion instruments. Orchestra weeks are once again held for string and wind players. A varied program awaits participants in the various choir and singing weeks. The offer also includes beginners' courses for harmonica and alphorn as well as adventure weeks for dance enthusiasts. The course program has been expanded again compared to the previous year, when over 1200 musicians came to Arosa for the first time.

Most courses take place in July and August. In addition, master classes for various instruments with renowned lecturers are offered in September. With around 1300 participants each year, the Arosa Music Course Weeks are the largest festival of its kind in Europe.

www.arosakultur.ch
 

In a press release sent out by the Department of Education of the Canton of Basel-Stadt, the Basel-Stadt Central Music Conference opposes the new HarmoS timetables, which would mean a significant reduction in music at lower secondary level.

Music and visual arts, write those affected, would be massively devalued by the shift to the compulsory elective area. Preparation for grammar school is no longer guaranteed and Curriculum 21 is far from being fulfilled. The development is contrary to the new federal constitutional article on music education adopted by the electorate.

There will be a panel discussion on the topic on February 27, 2013, at 7:30 pm. Chaired by Christina Caprez, editor at Radio SRF2 Kultur, the discussion at Volkshaus Basel will feature Stephan Schmidt (Director of the Basel Music Academy), Martina Bernasconi (GLP member of the Grand Council), Stéphanie Cron (Cantonal Conference for School Music Basel-Landschaft), Regina Kuratle (Basel-Stadt Education Department) and Benno Graber (Basel-Landschaft Office for Primary Schools).

The ICMA are the successor prizes to the MIDEM Classical Awards and the Cannes Classical Awards. The jury consists exclusively of professional music critics for classical music, currently 17 media representatives from leading magazines, radio stations and internet services from 13 countries. They selected 15 CDs and DVDs from 275 nominated productions. The jury also presented six Special Awards to recognize outstanding musicians and producers.
The pianist Aldo Ciccolini received a lifetime achievement award, while the German violinist Carolin Widmann was named Artist of the Year. The Young Artist of the Year award was presented in the vocal and instrumental categories to the Romanian countertenor Valer Barna-Sabadus and the Italian pianist Alessandro Mazzamuto. The German company Audite was named Label of the Year, and the founder of the Swedish label BIS, Robert von Bahr, and the Orchestra LaVerdi in Milan were honored for special achievements. The prize for the Classical Website of the Year goes to the Philharmonia Orchestra: www.philharmonia.co.uk
 

Award-winning CDs and DVDs 2013 by category: 

EARLY MUSIC
Amarcord - to St. Thomas; Two Gregorian Masses from the St. Thomas Gradual - St. Thomas Church Leipzig, around 1300; Amarcord Ensemble; RKap 10112

BAROQUE INSTRUMENTAL
Johann Sebastian Bach: Sonatas & Partitas BWV 1001-3 (Vol. II); Isabelle Faust, violin; Harmonia Mundi HMC 902124

BAROQUE VOCAL
Polychoral Splendour; Music from the four galleries of the Abbey Church of Muri by Giovanni Gabrieli and Heinrich Schütz; Cappella Murensis (Siri Karoline Thornhill, Stephanie Petitlaurent, Rolf Ehlers, Jürgen Ochs, Mirko Ludwig, Manuel Warwitz, Simon Schnorr, Kees Jan De Koning), Les Cornets Noirs, Johannes Strobl; Audite 92.652 Review

VOCAL RECITAL
Christian Gerhaher - Distant Beloved; Beethoven - Haydn - Schönberg - Berg; Christian Gerhaher, baritone, Gerold Huber, piano; Sony Classical 88691935432

CHORAL WORKS
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy - Sacred Choral Work; Kammerchor Stuttgart, Frieder Bernius; Carus 83020

OPERA
Stanislaw Moniuszko: Verbum nobile; Aleksander Teliga, Aleksandra Buczek, Leszek Skrla, Michal Partyka, Janusz Lewandowski, Chor i Orkiestra Opery na Zamku / Warcislaw Kunc; Dux 783

SOLO INSTRUMENT
Serge Rachmaninov: Piano Sonata No. 1 in D minor, Op. 28, Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 36; Nikolai Lugansky, piano; Naïve AM208

CHAMBER MUSIC
Olivier Messiaen: Quatuor pour la fin du temps
Carolin Widmann, violin, Jörg Widmann, clarinet, Nicolas Altstaedt, cello, Alexander Lonquich, piano; Orfeo C 840121 B

CONCERTOS
Dances to a Black Pipe; Copland - Brahms - Fröst - Piazzolla - Hillborg - Högberg; Martin Fröst, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Richard Tognetti; BIS SACD 1863

SYMPHONIC MUSIC
Albert Roussel: Le festin de l'araignée (The Spider's Banquet), Padmâvatî
Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Stéphane Denève
Naxos 8.572243

CONTEMPORARY MUSIC
Einojuhani Rautavaara: Cello Concerto No. 2 'Towards the Horizon', Modificata, Percussion Concerto 'Incantations'; Truls Mørk, cello, Colin Currie, percussion, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, John Storgårds; Ondine ODE11782

BEST COLLECTION
Anton Bruckner: Symphonies No. 1 - 9; Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Herbert Blomstedt; Querstand VKJK 1230

HISTORICAL RECORDING
Les Ballets Russes; Igor Stravinsky: The Firebird, Petrushka, The Rite of Spring
Moscow Philharmonic, Moscow State Conservatory Symphony Orchestra, Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra, Dmitrij Kitajenko, Pierre Boulez, Vladimir Fedoseyev; Melodiya 1001990

DVD PERFORMANCE
Francesco Cilea: Adriana Lecouvreur; Angela Gheorghiu, Jonas Kaufmann, Olga Borodina, Alessandro Corbelli, David Soar, Iain Paton, Janis Kelly, Sarah Castle, Maurizio Muraro, Bonaventura Bottone, Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Sir Mark Elder (conductor) & David McVicar (stage director); Decca 0743459

DVD DOCUMENTARIES
John Cage - Journeys in Sound. A Film by Allan Miller & Paul Smaczny; Accentus ACC 20246

As the Canton of Zurich writes, "due to construction delays in the completion of the Toni site, the contractually agreed handover dates cannot be met". The construction company Allreal and the Canton of Zurich have therefore agreed, in consultation with the universities, to postpone the move by one year.

The canton's rental agreement comes into force on July 1, 2014. This will allow the universities to start operations in September 2014. ZHdK and ZHAW can continue to use existing premises for the most part until they move into the Toni site.

There is still no definitive solution for the Department of Applied Psychology at the ZHAW and two small locations of the ZHdK. However, solutions should also be found for these in the coming weeks, the canton added.