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Post by julesd68 on May 11, 2022 21:42:22 GMT
If Bongbong Marcos becomes President of the Philippines, maybe the LSO can play a symphony at his inauguration to eulogise the wonderful achievements of Ferdinand and Imelda ...
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Post by julesd68 on May 19, 2022 15:49:26 GMT
This leaked letter provides a very timely expression of frustration in the ABRSM IT infrastructure and software by examiners. slippedisc.com/2022/05/examiners-declare-no-confidence-in-abrsm-systems/When booking for my son’s examination the other week it took me roughly **EIGHT HOURS** waiting in a queue, after which it’s still a horrible experience finishing the booking. Simply not good enough in this day and age. |
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Post by Slinger on May 19, 2022 16:32:35 GMT
This leaked letter provides a very timely expression of frustration in the ABRSM IT infrastructure and software by examiners. slippedisc.com/2022/05/examiners-declare-no-confidence-in-abrsm-systems/When booking for my son’s examination the other week it took me roughly **EIGHT HOURS** waiting in a queue, after which it’s still a horrible experience finishing the booking. Simply not good enough in this day and age. I'd love to know precisely what they mean by "... the inability to test at scale," because, generally speaking, there should be no reason that decent software cannot be tested with a " dummy" load, and if they genuinely have not been able to, for whatever reason, test under real world conditions then the software should not have been released into the wild until it had been tested. It certaiunly should not have been accepted by the ABRSM in an untested state. That, of course, brings us into the whole thing of "why was it accepted in the first place?" Did the software developer "pull a fast one?" and "Didn't the ABRSM have anyone who knew the right questions to ask before the software was accepted?" e.g what atate is their IT department in, and what level od competence does it have? My first guess would be that they've thrown the budget at a sub-par solution, they've recived shoddy software in return, and they've probably got no money left to fix it. Obviously that IS just a guess without knowing any of the players, but with the ABRSM being registered as a charity I assume that their accounting has to be precise, with less leeway than a non-charitable organisation, for instance. Either way, it's the end user that suffers as per normal, but the ABRSM IT department shouyld be proactive, and generating solutions, not excuses. MartinT I'd love to get your input as my professional IT days are long gone. |
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Post by MartinT on May 19, 2022 16:58:52 GMT
Computer-based exams are a complete dog's dinner and the fault lies squarely with the exam boards, who don't seem to know what they want or how to properly scale resources.
Last year the Cambridge entrance exams were a total fiasco because their system could not handle the load of thousands of students all taking the exams at the exact same moment. This year we have issues with language exam files only being released an hour before the exam, because they presumably no longer trust schools. In spite of all the exam breaches being down to the exam boards themselves. Have these people ever worked in a school or college? Do they not understand that preparing a computer suite properly leads to success? Similarly, upload portals for exams scripts inexplicably become unavailable or close early, meaning student results have to be posted via encrypted USB but they fail to specify what encryption standard to use or how to give them the password!
They try to blame IT (as does the government) but it's the arrogant shit-for-brains who run the exam boards who consistently fail to enumerate exactly what it is they want to achieve.
EDIT: honestly, it makes me mad. Even our exams officers despair that nothing seems to be planned properly. Simple things like making it clear whether computers may have grammar and spell checkers or calculators or internet access. It's too convoluted and leads to confusion and, again, a lack of preparation.
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Post by julesd68 on May 20, 2022 17:48:12 GMT
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Post by mocarver on May 20, 2022 20:18:31 GMT
Thx. Glad to know of that site. |
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Post by MartinT on May 20, 2022 20:41:59 GMT
I quite fancy that Shostakovich 5th.
I'll no doubt check out that Goldberg Variations, too. I'm a sucker for a good performance of this.
Oh, and the St Matthew Passion, too.
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Post by julesd68 on May 20, 2022 20:54:58 GMT
I thought I kept up with new releases fairly well but there's a load of albums I have missed there ...
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Post by julesd68 on May 23, 2022 14:41:35 GMT
Not the first time I have read about this but interesting progress - "New research co-authored by a Texas A&M University scientist has confirmed that renowned violin maker Antonio Stradivari and others treated their instruments with chemicals that produced their unique sound, and several of these chemicals have been identified for the first time." Read on - www.thebrighterside.news/post/the-secret-of-the-stradivari-violin-finally-revealed |
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Post by MartinT on May 23, 2022 18:27:29 GMT
That's fascinating. I always thought it was the varnish. What a great secret kept all these years.
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Post by julesd68 on May 26, 2022 19:28:48 GMT
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Post by MartinT on May 27, 2022 6:46:14 GMT
Yes you should check out the Goldberg - unusual for this site to give 10+10 for performance and sound quality. I'm listening to it now at work (needs must) and I like it so far. |
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Post by julesd68 on Jun 2, 2022 16:36:04 GMT
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Post by julesd68 on Jun 10, 2022 13:12:19 GMT
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Post by julesd68 on Jun 14, 2022 10:56:52 GMT
Voting is open for the Gramophone Orchestra of the Year 2022. www.gramophone.co.uk/awards/gramophone-classical-music-awards-2022The nominees are - Bayerisches Staatsorchester (Germany), Budapest Festival Orchestra (Hungary), Czech Philharmonic (Czech Republic), The Hallé (UK), Les Siècles (France), Mahler Chamber Orchestra (Europe), Oslo Philharmonic (Norway), Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (USA), Sinfonia of London (UK), Vienna Philharmonic (Austria) As well as vote, you can listen to each of the orchestras at the above link. Yes, no Berlin Phil. Apparently it is based on submitted recordings, and they didn’t submit one. Maybe coz they is so good, innit.  |
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Post by MartinT on Jun 14, 2022 11:03:45 GMT
The new conductor of thethe Concertgebouw in Amsterdam was announced today - the 26 year old Finn, Klaus Mäkelä. Good for him, what a great orchestra to acquire the baton for. In the footsteps of the outstanding Bernard Haitink. |
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Post by MartinT on Jun 14, 2022 11:07:26 GMT
Bayerisches Staatsorchester (Germany), Budapest Festival Orchestra (Hungary), Czech Philharmonic (Czech Republic), The Hallé (UK), Les Siècles (France), Mahler Chamber Orchestra (Europe), Oslo Philharmonic (Norway), Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (USA), Sinfonia of London (UK), Vienna Philharmonic (Austria) Strictly based on recordings I know, I would go for the Oslo as their Tchaikovsky cycle of old was simply brilliant.  |
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Post by julesd68 on Jun 14, 2022 11:14:14 GMT
I am afraid your vote is invalid Martin, as the award is purely based on 2022 recordings.  |
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Post by MartinT on Jun 14, 2022 11:30:52 GMT
Yes, I know! |
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Post by julesd68 on Jun 24, 2022 15:56:24 GMT
I read that the Salzburg Festival are investing $350 million enlarging their concert halls.
Very nice.
I do wonder if we will ever see a proper world-class new auditorium in London?
The Barbican is currently tinkering with £50m to £150m for 'refurbishment'.
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