British orchestra swaps concert hall for finishing post, performs at live horse race

October 2nd, 2009 LONDON - Queen of Pop Madonna has revealed that her insurance policy stipulates that she will not ride a horse while on tour. She says that the clause was added taking into account the fact that she had suffered minor injuries and bruising to her lower back in April this year, after she was thrown off a horse in the Hamptons, New York.

October 1st, 2009 LA Phil's new maestro: 'Classical music is cool'LOS ANGELES — Gustavo Dudamel held his first rehearsal as the Los Angeles Philharmonic's new maestro, wearing trendy black sneakers and a persistent smile that showed the sheer fun he's having directing one of the world's premiere orchestras. As the 28-year-old conductor arrived at the gleaming Walt Disney Concert Hall Wednesday with his ballerina wife, Eloisa Maturen, he greeted onlookers with a fist bump and hugged musicians.

October 1st, 2009 LA Phil's new conductor: 'Classical music is cool'LOS ANGELES — Gustavo Dudamel held his first rehearsal with the Los Angeles Philharmonic wearing trendy black sneakers and a persistent smile that showed the sheer fun he's having directing one of the world's premiere orchestras. As the 28-year-old conductor arrived at the gleaming Walt Disney Concert Hall Wednesday with his ballerina wife, Eloisa Maturen, he greeted onlookers with a fist bump and hugged musicians.

September 22nd, 2009 Boston orchestra to honor retiring harpistBOSTON — Opening night for the Boston Symphony Orchestra will feature a tribute to retiring harpist Ann Hobson Pilot, the orchestra's first and only African-American woman. Hobson Pilot retired this summer after 40 years with the orchestra.

September 17th, 2009 NY Philharmonic begins new era with Alan GilbertNEW YORK — With the crack of a whip and a blast of fresh air, a new era has begun for the nation's oldest orchestra. Before a nationally televised audience Wednesday night, Alan Gilbert became the New York Philharmonic's 25th music director, opening on a bold note — the world premiere of Magnus Lindberg's "EXPO." It's the first time a new work had been scheduled for a Philharmonic gala opener since 1962, when Leonard Bernstein led Copland's "Connotations" to celebrate the orchestra's move to Lincoln Center.

September 10th, 2009 JERUSALEM - Spanish balladeer Julio Iglesias recently gave his first performance in Israel since 1998. The show was the first of the two concerts at the Nokia Arena in Tel Aviv and the 65-year-old was dressed in his trademark sleek black suit, vest and tie.

September 10th, 2009 Natalie Cole performs 1st post-surgery concertLOS ANGELES — Natalie Cole has returned to the concert stage for first time since a successful kidney transplant. The 59-year-old singer performed Wednesday night at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.

September 1st, 2009 LONDON - Jordan has reportedly shelled out 150,000 pounds on a new dressage horse that she has named Cross Dresser. The former glamour girl, a.k.a Katie Price, was said to have acquired the world-class ride from a Dutch stables.

September 1st, 2009 Keith Urban, Vince Gill host all-star concertNASHVILLE, Tenn. — Keith Urban and Vince Gill will co-host an all-star concert to raise money for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, with guests including Brad Paisley, Taylor Swift and Faith Hill.

July 24th, 2009 'Star Wars in Concert' tour launchingLOS ANGELES — A worldwide "Star Wars" concert tour will hyperdrive across the planet. "Star Wars in Concert" will feature a symphony orchestra and choir performing composer John Williams' music from the six "Star Wars" films.

July 22nd, 2009 Rock hall celebrates anniversary with concertNEW YORK — The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has lined up many of its members for a blowout concert celebrating its 25th anniversary. Bruce Springsteen, U2, Stevie Wonder, Metallica and Aretha Franklin are among the performers.

July 10th, 2009 NY Philharmonic to visit Cuba, maybe tour in fallNEW YORK — The New York Philharmonic is headed to Cuba to explore the communist nation after being invited to perform there in the fall. Orchestra president Zarin Mehta says he's part of a delegation traveling to Havana on Friday.

June 5th, 2009 NY clarinetist sets standard for Guinness recordNEW YORK — An unusual new category has been added to the Guinness World Records: longest career as a clarinetist. The standard was set by Stanley Drucker, principal clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic, who is retiring at 80 after playing more than 10,000 concerts with the orchestra in his 62-year career.

June 4th, 2009 Itzhak Perlman performs with Venezuela's DudamelCARACAS, Venezuela — Violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman is performing with Venezuela's top young musicians and says he is impressed by their spirit and intensity. Perlman said Wednesday that he was moved by the experience of playing with Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel and his Simon Bolivar Youth Symphony Orchestra during their first of two concerts in Caracas this week.

May 3rd, 2009 Mangione plays for NY air crash victims' familiesBUFFALO, N.Y. — Jazz musician Chuck Mangione has performed in upstate New York at a concert rescheduled after two of his band members died in a plane crash there in February.