Soundbites
Flying Finn
Dalia Stasevska has been named as the new chief conductor of the Lahti Symphony Orchestra. The Finn, who is also principal guest conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, will begin her new role at the beginning of the 2021-22 season, taking over from Dima Slobodeniouk. She joins an orchestra that has become particularly famous for its expertise in Sibelius and made a series of ground-breaking recordings of his music under Osmo Vänskä in the 1990s.
Helping hands
With normal work on hold for the moment, the Royal Opera House costume department has been putting its skills to use by making Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for NHS staff. ‘It has been wonderful to see the whole ROH community rally round to support frontline carers, medics and ambulance staff,’ says CEO Alex Beard of his team, which has supplied hundreds of outfits.
A big hitter
Evelyn Glennie has been appointed president of Help Musicians. Only the third person to hold the post in the charity’s 99-year history, the percussionist follows in the footsteps of Elgar and Peter Maxwell Davies. Formerly known as the Musicians Benevolent Fund, Help Musicians aims to support performers both during and after their careers.
Second coming
The little-known composer Julius Benedict has been given an unexpected boost after Prince Charles recommended his music on the radio. The Prince of Wales chose to feature Benedict’s Piano Concerto in E flat alongside the likes of Wagner and Bach in a one-off programme for Classic FM, introducing him to many for the first time. Born in Germany, the composer enjoyed fame in Victorian England before fading into obscurity. Perhaps his time has come again?