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Norman Lebrecht: RT @rschlosserpr: Powerful example of orchestras' role in community healing from @nlebrecht:http://t.co/5ggRjcjX

Breakthrough: Orchestras take lead in ex-Yugoslav peace bid

Last night, for the first time in 30 years of Serb-Croat conflict, the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra played in Belgrade, capital of Serbia. Later this week, the Belgrade Philharmonic will play in Zagreb and Ljubljana, capital of Slovenia. The Slovene Philh armonic has already done the tour.

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Norman Lebrecht: This finalist is son and grandson of past prize winners: http://t.co/4rvdqWSC

This finalist is son and grandson of past prize winners

All true-blooded Belgians are backing their fellow-citizen Mark Bouchkov in the finals this week of the Reine Elisabeth violin competition.

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Norman Lebrecht: Fischer-Dieskau: 'You have to be tough': http://t.co/5eofG2Gz

Fischer-Dieskau: ‘You have to be tough’

When wetalked in 2007, I was keen to hear the great singers reminiscences of the woman who gave him his first break.Elsa Schiller Jewish, lesbian, concentration camp survivor was head of music at the newly opened American radio station in Berlin, RIAS. I n the bitter winter of 1947. she summoned him to an audition in the requisitioned Siemens villa, whose war-criminal owner hung around to greet artists as if they were still his personal guests

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Norman Lebrecht: Cellist in Chinese train incident apologises and is penalised: http://t.co/RmWQl5pa

Cellist in Chinese train incident apologises and is penalised

Oleg Vedernikov, principal cellist of the Beijing Symphony Orchestra who was filmed in anargument with a Chinese womanon a train, has been suspended from his post pending an investigation.He has issued an apology on video in an attempt to quell the anger a roused by his apparent disrespect for a Chinese passenger

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Norman Lebrecht: Chelsea despair - Bayern have got a winner http://t.co/NHFYBR1N

Just in: Bayern book Jonas Kaufmann for Champions League final

Jonas Kaufmann has been engaged tosing the pre-match anthemsthis Saturday. He will be accompanied by classi-rock violinist David Garrett.

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Norman Lebrecht: Foreign cellist gets in video trouble on a Chinese train: http://t.co/hh7dzl6u

Foreign cellist gets in video trouble on a Chinese train

It shows a European cellist apparently behaving abusively towards a female Chinese passenger. The cellist has been named by blogging sites as Oleg Vedernikov, principal cellist of the Beijing Symphony Orchestra. Neither he nor the orchestra has responded.

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Norman Lebrecht: French Interior Minister is married to distinguished violinist: http://t.co/ONm5kJBb

French Interior Minister is married to distinguished violinist

Let others concern themselves with political pedigrees. We are delighted to share the information that the new interior minister in the Hollande government, Manuel Valls, has another life ashusband to the excellent violinist, Anne Gravoin.

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Norman Lebrecht: Maurice Sendak receives a memorial at Aldeburgh: http://t.co/foMshzvr

Maurice Sendak receives a memorial at Aldeburgh

The great childrens writer would have the rare chance to see both of his operas performed at next months festival in Benjamin Brittens town. Later in the year, they will be revived in Los Angeles. Sendak, sadly,died last week. But the show goes on. Heres a press release.

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Norman Lebrecht: The new French prime minister is called Dick in Arabic: http://t.co/njZzkWb0

The new French prime minister is called Dick in Arabic

This is too sweet for words. It is reported that some Arab radio stations are having trouble pronouncing Jean-Marc Ayrault because the surname sounds like a word for male genitals in certain dialects.Read here.

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Norman Lebrecht: Exclusive: Bach's hometown ensemble is saved: http://t.co/bXGR9DbA

Exclusive: Bach’s hometown ensemble is saved

Were hearing from the concertmaster in Eisenach that two million Euros have miraculously been found to save the theatre from instant closure. As musicians arrived at 4pm for a crisis meeting with the town council, says Seth Taylor, we entered the building and saw this surreal document.