Harpsichords & Hot Sauce Orchestra Journal
@harpsichords.bsky.social
https://www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/
Ditch the stuffy tuxedos and prepare for a backstage brawl of brilliance! This isn't your grandma's orchestra journal. We peel back the curtain to reveal the captivating world behind the classical music industry.
Ditch the stuffy tuxedos and prepare for a backstage brawl of brilliance! This isn't your grandma's orchestra journal. We peel back the curtain to reveal the captivating world behind the classical music industry.
Hi everyone, we finally created a Facebook Page for Courage Over Silence! Please like, follow, share! Thank you for all the support this past year and for caring about this initiative. ❤️
Link to FB Page:
www.facebook.com/courageovers...
Link to FB Page:
www.facebook.com/courageovers...
October 16, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Hi everyone, we finally created a Facebook Page for Courage Over Silence! Please like, follow, share! Thank you for all the support this past year and for caring about this initiative. ❤️
Link to FB Page:
www.facebook.com/courageovers...
Link to FB Page:
www.facebook.com/courageovers...
Thank you to everyone who has made it possible! 💕
August 12, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Thank you to everyone who has made it possible! 💕
Katherine Needleman says:
“If you ever wanted a [Queen of Filth] T-shirt, now’s your time.”
T-shirts here:
www.bonfire.com/anita-kunz-q...
Proceeds Fundraiser for COS (reeds, lessons, compositions and arrangements, blog subscriptions):
katherineneedleman.com/courage-over...
“If you ever wanted a [Queen of Filth] T-shirt, now’s your time.”
T-shirts here:
www.bonfire.com/anita-kunz-q...
Proceeds Fundraiser for COS (reeds, lessons, compositions and arrangements, blog subscriptions):
katherineneedleman.com/courage-over...
August 5, 2025 at 3:38 AM
Katherine Needleman says:
“If you ever wanted a [Queen of Filth] T-shirt, now’s your time.”
T-shirts here:
www.bonfire.com/anita-kunz-q...
Proceeds Fundraiser for COS (reeds, lessons, compositions and arrangements, blog subscriptions):
katherineneedleman.com/courage-over...
“If you ever wanted a [Queen of Filth] T-shirt, now’s your time.”
T-shirts here:
www.bonfire.com/anita-kunz-q...
Proceeds Fundraiser for COS (reeds, lessons, compositions and arrangements, blog subscriptions):
katherineneedleman.com/courage-over...
It’s been just over a year since I left the Seattle Symphony and 7 months since I first published this piece. I’ve updated it with a few reflections and information near the end, but the core of my experience remains unchanged.
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/standin...
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/standin...
Standing Up for Integrity in Classical Music — Why I Left the Seattle Symphony, Spoke Up About Alex Klein, and Supported the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Investigation
"This isn’t just about one individual, it’s about dismantling a culture that allows abuse to persist in classical music institutions. My decision to leave the Seattle Symphony was rooted in my unwaver...
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com
July 29, 2025 at 12:06 PM
It’s been just over a year since I left the Seattle Symphony and 7 months since I first published this piece. I’ve updated it with a few reflections and information near the end, but the core of my experience remains unchanged.
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/standin...
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/standin...
Italy Drew the Line. So Should We.
Link to current/new article (July 21st):
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/gergiev...
Link to first article on Gergiev (June 24th):
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/from-po...
Link to current/new article (July 21st):
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/gergiev...
Link to first article on Gergiev (June 24th):
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/from-po...
Gergiev and Netrebko: Icons of a Weaponized Culture
Italy Drew the Line. So Should We. This week, a concert by Valery Gergiev at the Reggia di Caserta was canceled by the Italian Ministry of Culture. The decision followed a wave of public outrage, prot...
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com
July 22, 2025 at 5:00 AM
Italy Drew the Line. So Should We.
Link to current/new article (July 21st):
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/gergiev...
Link to first article on Gergiev (June 24th):
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/from-po...
Link to current/new article (July 21st):
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/gergiev...
Link to first article on Gergiev (June 24th):
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/from-po...
In light of the news about David Blumberg’s continued online threats towards Thomas Piercy (and other musicians), and the attempted Reddit smear campaign of Rebecca Bryant Novak, we are sharing our guide on cyberbullying.
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/a-guide...
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/a-guide...
A Guide for Classical Musicians Facing Online Threats, Harassment, and Cyberbullying
Whether you're receiving threatening messages, being doxxed, impersonated, or targeted by smear campaigns, it's important to know your rights, what actions you can take, and how to protect yourself. W...
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com
July 5, 2025 at 1:40 PM
In light of the news about David Blumberg’s continued online threats towards Thomas Piercy (and other musicians), and the attempted Reddit smear campaign of Rebecca Bryant Novak, we are sharing our guide on cyberbullying.
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/a-guide...
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/a-guide...
"Ballet was a performance of femininity. So when the abuse happened, it was expected. Or worse, admired. Orchestras, on the other hand, carried the banner of refinement. So when the abuse happened, it was unthinkable. Until it wasn't."
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/an-earl...
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/an-earl...
An Early History of Exploitation in Ballet, Opera, Theatre, and Orchestras
Why did ballet’s sexual exploitation become spectacle in the 19th century while orchestras cloaked theirs in velvet hush? Because the world tolerates violence against women when it comes with music an...
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com
July 4, 2025 at 4:16 PM
"Ballet was a performance of femininity. So when the abuse happened, it was expected. Or worse, admired. Orchestras, on the other hand, carried the banner of refinement. So when the abuse happened, it was unthinkable. Until it wasn't."
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/an-earl...
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/an-earl...
"For too long, Western institutions—particularly in the classical music world—have hidden behind the notion that “art is above politics.” But art is never above politics when it is used as a tool of nationalism, repression, or propaganda."
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/from-po...
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/from-po...
From Podium to Propagandist: Gergiev’s Role in Putin’s Empire
For too long, Western institutions, particularly in the classical music world, have hidden behind the notion that “art is above politics.” But art is never above politics when it is used as a tool of ...
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com
June 26, 2025 at 8:00 PM
"For too long, Western institutions—particularly in the classical music world—have hidden behind the notion that “art is above politics.” But art is never above politics when it is used as a tool of nationalism, repression, or propaganda."
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/from-po...
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/from-po...
Read more at: www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com
June 16, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Read more at: www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com
Most women don’t wake up one day and decide to defend abusers. It’s subtler than that. It starts with what we’re taught to value...
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/when-wo...
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/when-wo...
When Women Uphold Misogyny in Classical Music Culture
Most women don’t wake up one day and decide to defend abusers. It’s subtler than that. It starts with what we’re taught to value: Be nice. Be likable. Don’t cause trouble. Don't be that woman. Be grat...
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com
June 13, 2025 at 12:19 AM
Most women don’t wake up one day and decide to defend abusers. It’s subtler than that. It starts with what we’re taught to value...
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/when-wo...
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/when-wo...
Yasmin Williams, an American composer and artist who has performed at the Kennedy Center in the past, receives a triggered response from Interim Executive Director Richard Grenell after her polite email:
www.linkedin.com/posts/harpsi...
www.linkedin.com/posts/harpsi...
Yasmin Williams, an American composer and artist who has performed at the… | Harpsichords & Hot Sauce
Yasmin Williams, an American composer and artist who has performed at the The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in the past, writes:
"I emailed the interim executive director of the...
www.linkedin.com
April 9, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Yasmin Williams, an American composer and artist who has performed at the Kennedy Center in the past, receives a triggered response from Interim Executive Director Richard Grenell after her polite email:
www.linkedin.com/posts/harpsi...
www.linkedin.com/posts/harpsi...
Margaret Batjer a violin teacher at Colburn School shares another look into what's happening to international students all around the country...this time it impacted her former student who attends The Juilliard School:
www.linkedin.com/posts/harpsi...
www.linkedin.com/posts/harpsi...
Margaret Batjer a violin teacher at Colburn School, and adjunct professor… | Harpsichords & Hot Sauce
Margaret Batjer a violin teacher at Colburn School, and adjunct professor of violin at USC Thornton School of Music shares another look into what's happening to international students all around t...
www.linkedin.com
April 9, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Margaret Batjer a violin teacher at Colburn School shares another look into what's happening to international students all around the country...this time it impacted her former student who attends The Juilliard School:
www.linkedin.com/posts/harpsi...
www.linkedin.com/posts/harpsi...
It was, without question, the most honest review a politician has ever received in a concert hall.
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/trump-s...
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/trump-s...
Trump’s Kennedy Center Coup: A Symphony of Boos, Bureaucracy, and Bafflingly Bad Decisions
What began as a murmur of discontent towards the Vice President swiftly crescendoed into a full-throated wall of Booing.
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com
March 15, 2025 at 12:08 PM
It was, without question, the most honest review a politician has ever received in a concert hall.
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/trump-s...
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/trump-s...
Questions arise about the motivations behind Kalmar's continued association with the Oregon Symphony: Is it rooted in loyalty, or does it stem from a culture of fear and intimidation?
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/loyalty...
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/loyalty...
Loyalty or Fear? Kalmar's Return to The Oregon Symphony Reopens Old Wounds
Questions arise about the motivations behind Kalmar's continued association with the Oregon Symphony: Is it rooted in loyalty or fear?
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com
March 10, 2025 at 5:57 AM
Questions arise about the motivations behind Kalmar's continued association with the Oregon Symphony: Is it rooted in loyalty, or does it stem from a culture of fear and intimidation?
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/loyalty...
www.harpsichord-hotsauce.com/post/loyalty...
A formal petition letter was sent today (as William VerMeulen returned to the stage at Jones Hall) to the Houston Symphony leadership team, AFM Local 65-699 Houston, ICSOM, and multiple Houston Symphony directors:
www.change.org/p/reform-hou...
www.change.org/p/reform-hou...
Petition Letter Sent to Houston Symphony
Dear Petitioners,
First and foremost, thank you for your unwavering support and dedication. Your voices have been powerful, and your willingness to stand up for integrity and safety in our orchestral ...
www.change.org
March 8, 2025 at 7:26 AM
A formal petition letter was sent today (as William VerMeulen returned to the stage at Jones Hall) to the Houston Symphony leadership team, AFM Local 65-699 Houston, ICSOM, and multiple Houston Symphony directors:
www.change.org/p/reform-hou...
www.change.org/p/reform-hou...
gofund.me/385e68a2
Wow!!! We are very moved to see that the defense fund has grown substantially over the last week.
Thank you to everyone who has continually donated!!
What we are most happy to see is the number of donors - so many care about this initiative and it shows!
✨🎵🎉✨
Wow!!! We are very moved to see that the defense fund has grown substantially over the last week.
Thank you to everyone who has continually donated!!
What we are most happy to see is the number of donors - so many care about this initiative and it shows!
✨🎵🎉✨
February 24, 2025 at 2:08 PM
gofund.me/385e68a2
Wow!!! We are very moved to see that the defense fund has grown substantially over the last week.
Thank you to everyone who has continually donated!!
What we are most happy to see is the number of donors - so many care about this initiative and it shows!
✨🎵🎉✨
Wow!!! We are very moved to see that the defense fund has grown substantially over the last week.
Thank you to everyone who has continually donated!!
What we are most happy to see is the number of donors - so many care about this initiative and it shows!
✨🎵🎉✨