orchestra
courtesy of Il Primo Uomo

For its entire 46-year life, the Choral Arts Society of Washington has had one artistic director: Norman Scribner. This morning, the Choral Arts Society will name Cornell University’s Scott Tucker to the position. Tucker has been with Cornell since 1995, where he has had a distinguished career leading both the Men’s Glee Club and the Women’s Chorus, as well as the University Chorus, and was named the P.E. Browning Director of Choral Music.

While at Cornell, Tucker was involved in the commissioning of 30 different pieces by modern composers, including Libby Larsen, Ernani Aguiar, and Carol Barnett, amongst others. Tucker is also no stranger to fundraising, and given the current state of the non-profit economy in Washington, this is likely a welcome development for the Choral Arts Society.  The organization is one of the largest choral groups in the United States, and has a budget exceeding $1 million.

In a statement released by the Choral Arts Society, Scribner says of Tucker, “Scott’s gifts are manifold, embracing an intense natural musicality, a consummate technique, a fabulous ear, and a vast reservoir of knowledge and experience in virtually all periods and styles, together with a clear vision for the future of music in our own time.”

Scribner retires in August, and Tucker will take up the baton beginning in the Fall, for the 68th season of the group.

The Evens
courtesy of yostinator

Do you want to play as part of the Fort Reno concert series this summer?  It’s your lucky day. Get your demo together and submit it to Fort Reno’s Amanda MacKaye, and that does mean physical media, so get your record on, garage bands of DC and get ready to play DC’s most awesome free stage.

Update (8:30am, 30 November 2011) Black Cat Bill is alive. Ryan Little from the City Paper was able to track down Bill in the Deanwood Rehabilitation and Wellness Center, and confirm he’s still with us. Sorry, Bill. We’re glad you’re alright.

Photo, with permission, by Erin Williams

Dave Stroup reported on Twitter last night that Black Cat Bill, unofficial doorman for the Black Cat on 14th street, has passed away. Bill was an institution on 14th street for years and years, panhandling in front of the rock club, his signature call of “Black Cat, Black Cat, how bout a little change for the homeless,” is familiar to anyone who ever caught a show at the Cat.

In 2009, Bill sat down for dinner with Erin Williams, who documented it for her blog, Journal of Rock Photographer, and the piece is too good to spoil with even a pull quote.

Peace, Bill. 14th won’t be the same without you.

There’s word brewing that there might be a benefit for homeless charities at the Cat in coming days, but no details are yet available.

‘Occupy McPhearson Square’
courtesy of ‘MrStinkhead’

While hundreds were arrested in New York and Philadelphia today, and other cities also saw arrests, DC was a bright spot for the Occupy movement, with a significant march from McPherson Square to the Key Bridge through Georgetown. MPD escorted the protestors through the streets without incident, and ensured that the marchers stayed on the sidewalk as they arrived at the bridge.

DCist’s Martin Austermuhle was in attendance, as was local political pundit Chuck Thies, each have their take on the effectiveness of the group as a whole, and the protest, but one group earned high marks for their work today, and that was MPD, who escorted the protest without incident.

‘Darrell Issa – Caricature’
courtesy of ‘DonkeyHotey’

The news broke yesterday that Congressman Darrel Issa (R-CA) was interested in granting the District greater autonomy to spend their own budgeted funds as soon as they’re allocated, instead of spending a month or two in limbo while Congress votes to approve or disapprove the funding, so long as the District does not spend that money on abortion for residents. Is it worth it to trade a small measure of autonomy for a larger one?

It’s certainly hard not to consider increased autonomy a boon to the District, when with it comes the ability to better control its spending, without having to wait on Congress to say yes. It would also bring the Hyde Amendment to DC as policy, despite that local revenues were being used for the abortions that were later stripped out of the budget when the President used DC as a bartering chip this summer.

On one hand, this would give the city more permanent control, but placing restrictions on what should be rights has never been an attractive option for local politicians.

‘TAKEOVR’
courtesy of ‘jasonepowell’

This past Friday evening, four pedestrian protestors were struck in the street near the convention center by a driver trying to leave the area that had been surrounded by the protest.  Three of them were issued citations for blocking the roadway, one of which was served at the hospital.

Yesterday, a hastily called press conference was delayed when Chief Greene was late to arrive, and under-informed concerning the situation.

Today at 12:15pm at the Convention Center Skywalk (between 7th and 9th on Mount Vernon Place) the Occupy DC protestors will hold a press conference concerning the incident and will demand a full investigation into the incident. I would bet good money on a march to depart from McPherson Square around 11:30 or so, on foot to the Convention Center.  If you’re intending to drive through the area at that time, 1) DO NOT hit the protestors with your car. Your hurry isn’t that important, or you’d have a motorcade, 2) Plan on roving road closures in the area.

Overall, MPD has largely kept a respectful distance from the protests, not behaving as, say the Oakland PD (who’ve sent protestors to the hospital), or the NYPD (who are reported to have directed misbehaving vagrants to Zuccotti Park), but Friday’s incident was certainly a case where they don’t seem to have given the protestors a degree of respect they deserved. The MPD owe an explanation in full to the city for what happened, and why the driver was allowed to leave the scene uncited. You can’t just run into people, even if they’re in the street you need to cross.

‘fire truck’
courtesy of ‘volcanojw’

The twitter account of the Firefighters Union, @IAFF36, is reporting this morning that there is a high-pressure gas leak at 2121 Massachusetts Avenue this morning in the Dupont Circle neighborhood, with hazmat trucks in response.  The buildings in the surrounding area have been evacuated as a precaution.

The area near the address includes at least three embassies (India, Estonia, and Mali) and is near the Phillips Collection art museum. 2121 Massachusetts Avenue is home to the Cosmos Club, a private social club.

Traffic is shutdown in the area, so if you’re heading to Dupont by car today, consider adding some time to your schedule.