• There seems to be a bit of a brouhaha surrounding Canada’s new proposed copyright legislation. C-61 doesn’t get its second reading until after the Parliament returns from its summer break. Perhaps that will be enough time for MPs to see the bill as the Very Bad Idea it really is. Miss Mussel continues to live in hope at any rate. [full text here]
• Ramiro Burr, music critic for the San Antonio Express News, has resigned after it was discovered that he employed a ghostwriter for at least 80 columns between 2001 and 2003.
• The Toronto Symphony Orchestra has received a $3.5 million endowment for the Concertmaster chair. With the current concertmaster retiring, it is hoped that the orchestra will now be able to pay the salary required to attract top violinists.
• Also, just in from the TSO, if you join their email club, you get free access to the Naxos Music Library. (h/t Chris Foley)

  Miss Mussel has a subscription for her notes writing gig and it’s been an invaluable resource. There are lots of labels aside from Naxos covering pretty much every piece of music you could thing of, so it’s well worth having access. If you don’t fancy periodic memos from teh TSO, head on over to Naxos and get a 7 day trial subscription. At $225/yr you can’t go wrong.

• Radiohead held a contest to see who could make the best remix of ‘Nude’ from their latest album In Rainbows. James Houston from Glasgow won. “I grouped together a collection of old redundant hardware, and placed them in a situation where they’re trying their best to do something that they’re not exactly designed to do, and not quite getting there.” [h/t S21]

For those are really dying to know, here’s what James used:

Sinclair ZX Spectrum - Guitars (rhythm & lead)
Epson LX-81 Dot Matrix Printer - Drums
HP Scanjet 3c - Bass Guitar
Hard Drive array - Act as a collection of bad speakers - Vocals & FX

• What’s the first thing you need to do when starting your own country? Create a national anthem of course. Yotam Haber has a crash course in anthem writing at the New Music Box. Here’s a hint: don’t copy Italy.
• Prospect has published a list of the top 100 public intellectuals. It appears that qualifying for the list requires more than just being intellectual in public. Denouncing God is helpful as is telling the world what it’s like to get a sanga wax.
• Countless hours and likely billions of dollars have been poured into efforts to close the gender gap. In some fields, like hard science, it doesn’t seem to be working.Perhaps girls just aren’t interested.
• Why are so many musicians excellent cooks?
• It is one thing to love a person’s music - quite another to try and physically resemble that person while watching them perform in concert. Chuck Klosterman on the uber-fans

One serious link today followed by three rather more fun ones. Seems like a good balance for Friday, no?

• Nick Fraser, the man in charge of BBC documentaries, asks “What are the consequences of making or writing something? Does it ever make a difference in the way it was intended?”
• Matthew Guerrieri has another installment of his brilliant cartoons. This time, it’s Strauss and Mahler do the Ten Commandments.
• Phil Ford @ Dial M has a silly heads photo competition going. Miss Mussel is the only person left on the planet without some sort of digital camera at the ready, so her ability to participate is somewhat limited. Here’s a sample of the shenanigans Phil is promoting:
  

  

  

  

  
  
  
• Grandmother Mussel used to sing this on occasion although only ever the first two lines. It was a bit strange to discover this morning that there are actually several verses. Thanks for CBC Radio 2 for the revelation. Santa Claus is still real though, right?
  

Can penguins fly? You bet.

• BBC1 is looking for choirs to have on its new ChoirWars program. The point is to find the Nation’s Favourite Choir presumably as voted on by viewers. There something quite lovable about this idea since it’s not a talent competition but rather one of personality. This is perhaps the first program of this sort that makes no bones about its purpose. The Beeb is so keen to have everyone participate that “if you need any help filming your tapes please contact us and we can come and film it for you.” Bless.
• The Guardian brings news of a fascinating new exhibition at the Wellcome Gallery in London. German photographer Walter Schels took portraits of people before and after they died while his partner Beate Lakotta recorded their stories. A sampling of the some of the images is available here. The images are incredibly compelling and deeply moving.

• Gustavo Dudamel on 60 Minutes 17th Feb 2008 story | video
• Operachic brings news of Lorin Maazel appearing on the Colbert Report Monday night. Unfortunately, the video link seems to be broken.
• Scott @ Musical Perceptions brings us this delightful video collection of ways you can turn your iPhone into a musical instrument.
• The CBC reports that Montrealers want to name a Métro station after Oscar Peterson. Bless.
• Finally, Tim Mangan describes what the life of a classical critic is really like.
  Here’s a quick sample:

  “My editor had told me to go home early. “Take a nap,” he said. “You’ve been working too hard, and we need you to be fresh for the big concert tonight.” When I got back to the ranch, a phone call awaited. “It’s Riccardo Muti,” my secretary, not at all bad looking, told me. “He wants a few tips on improving his Bruckner.” I told her to tell him I was out and would get back to him. Blissful sleep awaited.”

  Miss Mussel suspected as much. It’s nice to know she’s on the road to the good life. (via oboeinsight)