Well Happy New Year to everyone.  I'm back from holiday and happy to report that Glass' Ninth Symphony has been premiered and according to my google translation was a great success – and apparently we can look forward to a quick release of the new work on CD:  To any German speakers among my readers, translations of these reviews would be appreciated, the Salzburger Nachtnichten in particular.

"These were the most spontaneous standing ovation I have ever experienced! "Said LIVA director Wolfgang Winkler was pleased with the cheers of the New Year's concert with the Bruckner Orchestra and conductor Dennis Russell Davies on 1 January at the Bruckner House, culminating in the premiere of Philip Glass's "Ninth" was. "I have promised to Dennis Russell Davies, not to speak about the 10th before the 9th was premiered – now I can, yes. So: The 10th Symphony is already written! In Linz a recording was made: a CD of his "Ninth", played by the Bruckner Orchestra. "This is the fastest of the Bruckner Orchestra CD ever!" Promises its chief conductor Dennis Russell Davies."

In other news, Brooklyn Rider closed out the year with being picked by LPR as the best of 2011 and the Spoleto Festival USA announced its season including the first staged performances of Glass' opera Kepler in the US.