Music

It’s “This Week in Classical Music,” an update on what’s happening in the classical music world — I’m Randy Kinkel.

The British Library’s latest addition to its collection of high-resolution “Virtual Books” is sure to have many music fans singing “Hallelujah”. Now online, images of the draft score of Handel’s “Messiah”, comprising 280 pages written in the summer of 1741. Fans can take in every ink splotch and cross-out Handel made; there’s also audio content about the "Messiah" and the manuscript itself, as well as the music. See the score at: http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/virtualbooks/viewrecadd/index.html#

Riccardo Muti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra are tapping cellist Yo-Yo Ma as a creative consultant for the organization. The three-year appointment, starting in January, will focus on strengthening ties with Chicago communities and especially its programs for children. Ma will be leading chamber music residencies that will include other artists to develop more innovative programming while also fostering the growth of younger musicians. In a statement, Ma said, “I am impressed and inspired by his passion, intellect and vitality. Along with his first love, music, Maestro Muti cares deeply about so many important issues of our day — our planet, our children and those less fortunate." Much of the cellist's work will be through the CSO's Institute for Learning Access and Training that reaches out to children as young as three up to college-age students.

The First 2010 MIDEM Classical Music Awards winners have been named. The awards ceremony will be held late in January during the record industry’s annual trade fair in Cannes. The awards have been voted on by an international jury composed of magazines, websites and artist management organizations; a few of the early winners have been released -- label of the year goes to the French outfit Naïve; a lifetime achievement award goes to soprano Mirella Freni; and Canadian pianist Angela Hewitt is instrumentalist of the year. The rest of the winners will be announced on or near the date of the ceremony, January 26th.

For more on these and other items and events, visit our website, kbaq.org; be listening each week at this time for another update; and join me at noon every weekday for “The Mozart Buffet,” an hour of music by Mozart and his contemporaries. I’m Randy Kinkel, for 89.5 KBAQ Phoenix, a service of Rio Salado College and Arizona State University.