ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME TO PRESENT 'WOMEN WHO ROCK'

THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM, CLEVELAND, OH, WILL OPEN A GROUND-BREAKING AND PROVOCATIVE NEW EXHIBIT THAT WILL ILLUSTRATE THE IMPORTANT ROLES WOMEN HAVE PLAYED IN ROCK AND ROLL, FROM ITS INCEPTION THROUGH TODAY. 'WOMEN WHO ROCK: VISION, PASSION, POWER' WILL HIGHLIGHT THE FLASH POINTS, THE FIRSTS, THE BEST, THE CELEBRATED AND SOMETIMES LESSER-KNOWN WOMEN WHO HAVE MOVED ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC AND AMERICAN CULTURE FORWARD. THE EXHIBIT IS SPONSORED BY PNC AND TIME WARNER CABLE. WOMEN WHO ROCK WILL OPEN TO ON 31.MAY.2011. THE EXHIBITION WILL SPOTLIGHT MORE THAN 60 ARTIFACTS AND FILL TWO ENTIRE FLOORS OF THE MUSEUM. THE EXHIBIT WILL FEATURE ARTIFACTS, VIDEO AND LISTENING STATIONS, AS WELL AS A RECORDING BOOTH WHERE VISITORS CAN FILM A SHORT STORY OR MOMENT OF INSPIRATION RELATED TO WOMEN IN ROCK. THE EXHIBIT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE ROCK AND ROLL ERAS, WEAVING A POWERFUL AND ENGAGING NARRATIVE THAT DEMONSTRATES HOW WOMEN HAVE BEEN THE ENGINES OF CREATION AND CHANGE IN POPULAR MUSIC, FROM THE EARLY YEARS OF THE 20th CENTURY TO THE PRESENT. 'THIS EXHIBIT IS GOING TO ILLUSTRATE THE VITAL ROLE WOMEN PLAYED IN SHAPING THE EVOLUTION OF ROCK AND ROLL', SAID JIM HENKE, VP OF THE EXHIBITIONS AND CURATORIAL AFFAIRS FOR THE MUSEUM. 'VISITORS ARE GOING TO WALK FROM THIS EXHIBIT WITH A DEEPER APPRECIATION OF HOW THESE ARTISTS CONTRIBUTED TO THE ROCK AND ROLL ART FORM AND CHANGED OUR SOCIETY. WOMEN WHO ROCK WILL COMPARE AND CONTRAST ARTIST EXPERIENCES, HIGHLIGHTING THE FEMALE SPIRIT AS THE ENGINE OF CREATION AND CHANGE IN THE MUSIC.'

DANNY ELFMAN & TIM BURTN 25th ANNIVERSARY MUSIC BOX

DECEMBER MARKS 25 YEARS OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN MUSIC COMPOSER DANNY ELFMAN AND FILM DIRECTOR TIM BURTON. THE TWO FIRST WORKED TOGETHER ON BURTON'S MOVIE PEE WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE IN 1985 AND WERE FAST FRIENDS FROM THEN ON, WITH ELFMAN COMPOSING THE MUSIC FOR ALL BUT TWO OF BURTON'S PROJECTS SINCE THEN. AMONG ELFMAN'S MOST FAMOUS WORKS ARE THE SCORES TO BEETLEJUICE, EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, BATMAN, BATMAN RETURNS, THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, SLEEPY HOLLOW AND ALICE IN WONDERLAND. IN CELEBRATION OF THE ICONIC FRIENDSHIP WARNER BROS IS RELEASING A 25th ANNIVERSARY MUSIC BOX THAT CONTAINS MORE THAN 19 HOURS OF MUSIC INCLUDING FAN-REQUESTED EXPANSIONS OF FAMOUS SOUNDTRACKS AND PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED MUSIC. THE PACKAGE ALSO INCLUDES CD ART BY BURTON, A USB FLASH DRIVE WITH MP3s OF ALL THE SONGS, AND A DVD FEATURING AN EXCLUSIVE CONVERSATION BETWEEN BURTON AND ELFMAN. THE MUSIC BOX WILL BE RELEASED THIS DECEMBER IN A LIMITED EDITION OF 100 WITH AN ESTIMATED PRICE OF $499.99

LOUIS VUITTON SPEAKERS BY LEON

MICHIGAN-BASED LEON SPEAKERS, MAKERS OF BESPOKE HIGH-FIDELITY HOME THEATER SPEAKER SYSTEMS, HAVE COME OUT WITH THE ULTIMATE IN AUDIO HAUTE COUTURE; A PAIR OF CUSTOM LOUIS VUITTON SPEAKERS. THE COMPANY PRODUCED THE ONE-OFF CREATIONS USING THE ICONIC VUITTON MONOGRAM CANVAS FOR A FASHIONABLE A FASHIONABLE AUDIOPHILE. LEON CAN CUSTOM MAKE ALL COMPONENTS TO MEET A CLIENT'S WHIMS AND MATCH THE DECOR OF A ROOM OR A FAVORITE COLLECTION, USING INCLUDING EXCLUSIVE WOOD FINISHES, METAL AND LEATHER. THE COMPANY HAS MADE SPEAKERS TO MATCH A CUSTOMER'S COLLECTION OF CUSTOM CARS AND OTHERS TO GO WITH A COLLECTION OF MODERN ART. THE SPEAKERS ARE DESIGNED TO SOUND AS GOOD AS THEY LOOK WITH TOP-END ACOUSTIC ENGINEERING.

PRINCE CHARLES COMMISSIONS MUSIC TO CELEBRATE HIGHGROVE GARDENS

THE PRINCE OF WALES HAS COMMISSIONED A PIECE OF MUSIC TO CELEBRATE HIS BELOVED GARDENS AT HIGHGROVE. HE RECENTLY ASKED THE BRITISH COMPOSER PATRICK HAWES TO WRITE A FOUR-MOVEMENT SUIT FOR HARPS AND STRINGS WHICH ARE INSPIRED BY AND CELEBRATE THE ORNATE GARDENS AT HIS HOME NEAR TETBURY IN GLOUCESTERSHIRE. FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS, THE PRINCE, HAS TAKEN A PASSIONATE INTEREST IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE GARDENS WITHIN THE HIGHGROVE ESTATE. THESE INCLUDE A WILD FLOWER MEADOW, A WALLED KITCHEN GARDEN, A STUMPERY AND AN ISLAMIC CARPET GARDEN, WHICH WON A SIVER MEDAL AT THE CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW IN 2001. THE HIGHGROVE SUITE IS INTENDED TO CELEBRATE THE HORTICULTURAL ACHIEVEMENTS IN MUSIC. THE COMPOSITION HAS DEVELOPED OUT OF PATRICK HAWES ONE-MOVEMENT WORK FOR HARP AND STRINGS ENTITLED 'GODDESS OF THE WOODS', WHICH WAS PREMIERED ON THE PRINCE'S 60th BIRTHDAY IN NOVEMBER 2008 BY THE ROYAL HARPIST, CLAIRE JONES. THREE NEW MOVEMENTS HAVE NOW BEEN ADDED TO COMPLETE THE SUITE, EACH ONE INSPIRED BY AN ASPECT OF THE GARDENS AT HIGHGROVE. THE FULL 25 MINUTE COMPOSITION WILL BE GIVEN A ROYAL PREMIERE BY JONES AND THE PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA WITHIN THE GROUNDS OF HIGHGROVE THIS SUMMER. THE CONCERT WILL BE IN CELEBRATION OF THE PRINCE'S FOUNDATION FOR CHILDREN AND THE ARTS.

PREVIEW SEQUEL TO THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA NEW SONG 'TILL I HEAR YOU SING'

AS THE SEQUEL TO THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER'S NEW MUSICAL LOVE NEVER DIES IS ONE OF THE MOST EAGERLY AWAITED SHOWS IN BRITISH THEATER. FANS WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT MONTH FOR THE MUSICAL TO OPEN, BUT TODAY ARIA IS BRINGING AN EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW OF THE FIRST SINGLE FROM THE SHOW'S STUNNING SOUNDTRACK. THE SINGLE, TILL I HEAR YOU SING, IS AN EPIC BALLAD FILLED WITH LLOYD WEBBER'S TRADEMARK THEMES OF LOVE AND OBSESSION AND FEATURES THE HAUNTING VOICE OF OPERA SINGER RAMIN KARIMLOO, WHO WILL REPRISE THE ROLE OF THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. LOVE NEVER DIES CONTINUES THE STORY OF THE PHANTOM, WHO HAS MOVED FROM THE PARIS OPERA HOUSE TO HAUNT THE FAIRGROUNDS OF CONEY ISLAND. IT IS TEN YEARS SINCE HE DISAPPEARED. LOVE NEVER DIES OPENS AT THE ADELPHI THEATER IN LONDON ON 9.MARCH.

SUSAN BOYLE'S DEBUT ALBUM COVER IS PREVIEWED

IT HAS BECOME ONE OF THE MOST HOTLY ANTICIPATED ALBUM OF THE YEAR. AND AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS OF WAITING, EAGER FANS HAVE BEEN REWARDED FOR THEIR PATIENCE WITH A SNEAK PEEK OF SUSAN BOYLE'S DEBUT ALBUM COVER. THE STUNNING BLACK AND WHITE PORTRAIT FOR 'I DREAMED A DREAM' SHOWS A SMILING SUSAN, HEAD HELD IN HER HANDS AND DRESSED IN A SEQUINED SWEATER. EVEN THOUGH IT DOES NOT GO ON SALE UNTIL 23.NOVEMBER, THE ALBUM'S SUCCESS IS ALREADY BEYOND ALL DOUBT. IT HAS ALREADY TOPPED AMAZON'S BESTSELLERS LIST, WITH TENS OF THOUSANDS OF COPIES SOLD AS PRE-ORDERS. THE SHOT WAS TAKEN FROM SUSAN'S PHOTO-SHOOT FOR THE PRESTIGIOUS MAGAZINE HARPER'S BAZAAR. THE 48 YEAR OLD WAS FEATURED IN AN AMAZING SPREAD INSIDE THE ANNUAL AUTUMN/SEPTEMBER ISSUE ENTITLED 'SUSAN BOYLE: UNSUNG HERO'. A SMILING SUSAN SAID: 'IT REALLY MADE ME FEEL LIKE A HOLLYWOOD ACTRESS. HAD MY HAIR DONE UP.' AND THE UN-AIRBRUSHED PHOTO SHOULD CALM FEARS THAT SUSAN'S CHARM WOULD BE DESTROYED WITH A HOLLYWOOD MAKEOVER. BACK IN APRIL, AMANDA HOLDEN DISMISSED THE IDEA OF SUSAN GETTING A NEW LOOK. 'SHE NEEDS TO STAY EXACTLY AS SHE IS BECAUSE THAT'S THE REASON WE LOVE HER. SHE JUST LOOKS LIKE ANYBODY WHO COULD LIVE ON YOUR STREET. THE MINUTE WE TURN HER IN A GLAMORPUSS IS WHEN EVERYTHING IS SPOILED. FOR NOW WE'LL KEEP HER EXACTLY AS SHE IS BECAUSE THAT'S WHY WE'VE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH HER."

MUSICIAN REUNITED WITH £300,000 VIOLIN LOST IN NYC CAB

IT WAS ONLY AFTER TAKING A SHOWER IN HIS CHINATOWN APARTMENT THAT, HAHN-BIN, THE AMAZING 22 YEAR OLD SOUTH KOREAN-BORN VIOLIN VIRTUOSO, REALIZED HE FORGOT HIS 18th CENTURY VIOLIN MADE BY GIOVANNI FRANCESCO PRESSENDA, VALUED AT £300,000, IN A YELLOW CAB ON HIS WAY BACK FROM A LONG ISLAND CONCERT, WITH FAMED VIOLINIST ITZHAK PERLMAN, ON MONDAY. IT WAS AFTER CALLING THE CITY'S TAXI AUTHORITIES AND THE POLICE THAT THE TAXI DISPATCHER TRACKED DOWN THE TAXI. OVERNIGHT RECORDS REVEALED THAT HAHN-BIN HAD BEEN DROPPED OFF BY DALBIR SINGH, BEFORE THE DRIVER HAD FINISHED HIS SHIFT AND DROVE BACK HOME TO NEW JERSEY, WHERE THE VIOLIN WAS SAFELY WAITING. THE INSTRUMENT COULD BE FOUND ONLY BECAUSE OF GPS TRACKERS FITTED IN ALL YELLOW CABS. "LOSING AN INSTRUMENT IS A GREATEST FER, EVEN MORE THAN MAKING A MISTAKE ON STAGE", HAHN-BIN WAS QUOTED AS SAYING.
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