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Lebron James likes classical music!

New research says Beethoven most likely did not die from lead poisoning.

Five years ago, experts tested samples of Beethoven’s hair and found it had unusually high levels of lead.  Speculation, of course, was that Beethoven had died from lead poisoning.  But new research done on Beethoven’s skull has sent scientists back to the drawing board in search of his cause of death [Read More...]

Yamaha has recalled 20,000 pianos due to a problem with the pedal sticking, causing pianists to play faster than they normally would, resulting in a dangerous number of accidentals. The sticky pedal also makes it harder for jazz pianists to come to a full stop at the end of a piece making it extremely risky for audiences.

The Heintzman crystal piano was used in the 2008 Beijing Olympics

Many classical musicians are grateful to the 2008 Beijing summer Olympics for giving classical piano music a lift; for presenting a great pianist playing a greatly unique piano.   The “Heintzman Crystal Piano,” played for millions of worldwide viewers by classical pianist and super-star Lang-Lang, was prominently showcased during the opening ceremonies.  The piano was created and built by Beijing’s Heintzman Piano Company. It was recently purchased for $3.22 million (USD) by a private bidder, making it the most expensive piano in history.

Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci’s plans for a harpsichord-viola machine have finally bee realized, 490 years after the genius’s death.  According to a New York Times article, “The instrument, called a clavi-viola in Italian or harpsichord-viola in English, has emerged from myth into Times Square. A realized version went on display Thursday at the exhibition “Leonardo da Vinci’s Workshop,” which is running at the Discovery Times Square Exposition. The exhibition opened last month but the clavi-viola arrived late.”

The National Endowment for the Arts has released its findings from a study that examined the income of American professional  musicians.  The study, which concluded in 2005, found that the median income for musicians was $22,600.  The following findings are directly quoted from the NEA:

Professional musicians are among the older artist groups, with a median age of 45 in the 2003-2005 time period. Twenty-nine percent are under age 35, and 27 percent are minority. Only 36 percent are women, the lowest female proportion besides architects, announcers, and producers.

Forty-six percent of musicians have bachelor’s degrees or higher and
10 percent are enrolled in school.

Slightly more than 40 percent of musicians work for private
not-for-profit organizations, the largest proportion of any artist
occupation. Another 44 percent are self-employed, with only 13
percent in for-profit companies. Thirty percent of musicians work full
time all year. The median income for all musicians is $22,600.
Like other groups, musicians are more numerous in the more
populous states of California and New York. However, the highest
proportions of musicians are in Tennessee and Hawaii.