As medici.tv’s Chief Content Officer I spend a lot of time thinking about classical music—and a lot of time on the internet. Here’s my selection of the top five news items you need to see this week if you want to stay in the know.
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A canceled Munich Phil concert with Lahav Shani in Ghent triggers a wave of responses (The Guardian)
The Flanders Festival Ghent made headlines for cancelling a planned concert from the Munich Philharmonic and Israeli conductor Lahav Shani. The Belgian festival cited concerns over Shani’s stance on Gaza, given that he is also music director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Ensembles, artists, and government officials from across Europe have described the decision as “unimaginable” (artistic director of the Munich Phil), “excessive” (Belgium’s foreign minister), “a dangerous precedent” (Germany’s culture and media commissioner), and “modern facism” (Belgian violinist Marc Bouchkov). The Belgian Prime Minister traveled to Germany this weekend to express his outrage and show solidarity for Shani and the ensemble.
Einstein’s violin up for auction (Classic FM)
A violin played by Albert Einstein for over thirty years has been put up for auction. Einstein is acquired the 1894 instrument—which he nicknamed “Lina”—as a teen in Munich and kept it throughout his early adult years until he fled to the United States to escape Nazi persecution in 1932. Einstein was widely known to be a fine pianist and violinist. He is said to have remarked: “the most joy in my life has come to me from my violin.” The instrument is expected to sell for over £200,000.
Jane Austen’s sheet music collection (New York Times)
As a literature buff, I loved this crossover article from the NYT that explores the contents of Jane Austen’s sheet music collection. Austen was a known music lover and many of her characters spend time at the piano or harp—desirable hobbies for ladies on the Regency marriage market. The links between this more private passion and her celebrated novels is set to get a boost of visibility, thanks to a new digitized collection at the University of Southampton that catalogues her full music collection, as well as the numerous events planned for Austen’s 250th anniversary celebrations this year. What’s on her playlist? The expected popular pieces at the time by composers like Haydn or Pleyel, but also an eclectic set of (often hand copied!) songs that underscore her love of storytelling including emotional Irish folksongs or French revolutionary rallying cries.
California ensembles strike deals after heated negotiations (San Francisco Classical Voice)
The San Francisco Symphony narrowly avoided a strike by reaching a tentative three-year contract agreement with its musicians just before the 2025–2026 season-opening gala. The deal follows tense negotiations over pay, artistic direction, and the institution’s financial health—plus former Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen’s much-mediatized departure over similar internal disagreements. Agreements were also reached at the San Francisco Opera, which secured a two-year contract, and the LA Philharmonic, which ratified a new four-year contract. All agreements emphasize long-term stability, competitive compensation, and organizational unity. The San Francisco Classical Voice breaks down the details here.
7 classical artists who clashed with the law (Ludwig Van)
Not news, but full of fun facts to break out at your next dinner party, I enjoyed this round up from Ludwig Van of seven instances classical artists had run-ins with the law.
