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Cynic. Living in Cumbria. Girly swot. Feminist. Dog person. Socialist. Retired English Teacher/Lecturer. She/her.
Header: Snow covered mountain(Skiddaw) against a light blue sky.
Avatar: Me, looking cynically at world.
@JugglingWithEggs
Do you remember Blair's face when she got a standing ovation during his conference speech?
Mo did amazing things.
#BBCMusic
#RadioThree
I listen to R3 most days, either as background or foreground. I also use streaming. I like the curation, the archive, the feeling of connection to the world, live performance, the Proms.
The current attacks on musicians erode the potential for exciting performances by skilled in-house bands and force buy ins, often from more staid institutions. R3 would lose its identity and would probably be sold off.
The bonfire of the vanities did not end well for Florence.
@DrLindseyFitzharris
Is this an early example of "my face without makeup?"
#BBCSingers
Better news this morning. However, this may be a ploy so that the Proms go ahead and so embarrassment is avoided.
The 20% cut to orchestras remains a threat, and I can't see even how this would save money; either they would have to restrict the repertoire or hire in musicians. This is never a fiscally sound tactic, certainly not worth ruining lives for. The only motive I can see us cruelty.
Solidarity with the Musicians ' Union. La lutta continua!
#Classical Music
A pattern is developing. The defunding of the BBC Singers, ENO, Glyndebourne , the Britten Sinfonia and cuts in English BBC orchestras are of a piece.
These are groups moving from the old comfortable repertoire towards programming women, young diverse composers, and Black and Ethnic musicians across space and time. They are therefore a threat, challenging comfortable assumptions and offering hope to the excluded.
This must be resisted on all fronts.
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark.
Axing 20% of salaried BBC orchestral players in England is crass and cruel. I bet any money saved will be spent on the administrative changes. Furthermore it restricts the available repertoire in size and scope if standards are maintained - rehearsal being expensive and new or unfamiliar pieces need rehearsal.
I wonder how much new music and older, unusual pieces will be played?
Or will there be a reversion to the (white, male) corpus?

#BBCSingers

Even in their own terms, this is illogical. Outreach, !levelling up, accessibility, are all met by the Choir. The musical excellence is unquestionable.
What is going on? Why?

#emptyshelves

Honestly, if you were serving at Vindolanda (Roman Fort, South of Hadrian's Wall), North East UK, you could order olives and fish sauce and they would be delivered in the second century CE. Today, tomatoes are rationed.
All the advantage of transport and infrastructure since wiped out by reclaiming our borders.
I despair.