January:After 13 years, Up Dharma Down officially renamed themselves as UDD.
2 January: The annual Kaapse Klopse minstrel festival takes place in Cape Town.
5 January: Royal Danish Opera announces that its artistic director, Sven Müller, will leave his position in 2017, three years ahead of schedule. Müller is believed to have resigned because of financial cuts.
6 January: Dropkick Murphys released their first album in four years, "11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory.
9 January: Little Big Town performed the National Anthem at the third annual College Football Playoff National Championship at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
11 January:
It is announced that Lan Shui will stand down as music director of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra in January 2019.
Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Germany, is opened with a concert by the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra, the NDR Chor and conductor Thomas Hengelbrock.
12 January: The City of London Corporation announces a pledge of £2.5M to a feasibility study, previously halted in November 2016, for a proposed new London concert hall.
17 January: UK Music announced that Jo Dipple is to stand down as its CEO in June 2017.
18 January: Scottish Opera announces the winners of its 'Opera Sparks 2018' competition:
Henry McPherson – Maud
Lewis Murphy and Laura Attridge – untitled work
Matthew Whiteside and Helene Grøn – Little Black Lies
22 January: The Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, and the China Philharmonic Orchestra all announce the cancellation of scheduled concert appearances with Korean soprano Sumi Jo, without formal explanation. It is suggested by some that political tensions between the South Korean and Chinese governments have caused the cancellation of concerts by Sumi Jo and other Korean performers.
25 January:
The London Festival of Baroque Music announces that Lindsay Kemp is to stand down as artistic director, and Lucy Bending is to stand down as festival manager, in May 2017, at the conclusion of the 2017 festival.
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center announces its award of the 2017 Elise L. Stoeger Prize, for contributions to chamber music composition, to Huw Watkins.
27 January:
Bell Biv DeVoe released their first album in sixteen years, Three Stripes.
Lauren Alaina released her first album in a little over five years, Road Less Traveled.
Lucie Jones is selected to represent the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017, with the song "Never Give Up on You", co-written by Denmark's 2013 Eurovision winner Emmelie de Forest.
5 February: Luke Bryan performed the National Anthem, and Lady Gaga performed during halftime at Super Bowl LI at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. Lady Gaga's halftime set garnered 117.5 million television viewers, becoming the second most-watched Super Bowl halftime show in history.
6 February: Jipsta released his third studio album, Ban2oozle, marking his return to the industry since recovering from the injuries sustained during a hate crime attack in March 2014.
12 February: The 59th Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Adele won the most awards of the night with five wins including Album of the Year for 25. This is the second time she has won Album of the Year, and is the second female to win the award more than once. Chance the Rapper becomes the first ever unsigned artist to win a Grammy. The awards he won are Best New Artist, Best Rap Performance, and Best Rap Album.
Album of the Year – 25, Adele
Song of the Year – 'Hello', Adele
Best Pop Solo Performance – 'Hello', Adele
Best Pop Vocal Album – 25, Adele
Best Rock Performance – Blackstar, David Bowie
Best Rock Song – 'Blackstar', David Bowie
Best Alternative Music Album – Blackstar, David Bowie
Best Recording Package – Blackstar
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical – Blackstar
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album (tie)
Shakespeare Songs, Ian Bostridge and Sir Antonio Pappano
Schumann & Berg, Dorothea Röschmann and Dame Mitsuko Uchida
13 February: The European Union Baroque Orchestra (EUBO), currently with its administrative base in Hordley, announces its intention to relocate to AMUZ (Augustinus Muziekzentrum), Antwerp, in 2018, in the wake of the Brexit referendum. In parallel, the EUBO announces its plan to discontinue the EUBO Mobile Baroque Academy (EMBA) project at the end of March 2017.
17 February: Alison Krauss released her first solo studio album in seventeen and a half years, Windy City.
24-25 February: "Ultra South Africa" festival is held in Cape Town and Johannesburg, headlined by Dash Berlin, David Guetta and KSHMR.
25 February:
At the 47th edition of the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix, "Where I Am", performed by Anja Nissen, is selected as Denmark's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest.
• The first Semi-final of the Söngvakeppnin, Eurovishen Song contest of Iceland.
28 February: The St Paul's Cathedral Choir announces the appointment of Carris Jones to its roster, the first female chorister in the choir's recorded history, effective 1 September 2017, as alto vicar choral.
1 March: Birmingham Conservatoire and Birmingham School of Acting announce that the two institutions are to merge, effective September 2017.
2 March:
The Academy of Ancient Music announces the appointment of Alexander Van Ingen as its new chief executive.
The BBC announces the appointment of Neil Ferris as the new chorus director of the BBC Symphony Chorus, effective May 2017. In parallel, Grace Rossiter is to join the chorus as deputy chorus director.
4 March: The second Semi-final of the Söngvakeppnin, Eurovishen Song contest of Iceland.
5 March: The iHeartRadio Music Awards took place at The Forum in Inglewood, California.
8 March: New Music Scotland presented the inaugural Scottish Awards for New Music:
Achievement in New Music: Allie Robertson
Award for Community / Education Project: Drake Music Scotland – 'Wagner's School of Cool'
Large Scale Work: Helen Grime – Two Eardley Pictures: Catterline in Winter and Snow
New Music Performer(s) of the Year: Red Note Ensemble
Recorded New Work: Robert Irvine, Songs and Lullabies (Delphian Records)
Small/medium Scale Work: David Fennessy – Panopticon
10 March:
The Shins released their first album in five years, Heartworms.
Josh Turner released his first album in five years, Deep South.
11 March:
Noven Belleza, a farmer from Visayas, was crowned as champion in Tawag ng Tanghalan.
The final of the 2017 Söngvakeppnin competition takes place in Iceland, Svala Björgvinsdóttir is selected as Iceland's representative in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017
13 March: The 30th anniversary of the death of Nigerian organist and composer Fela Sowande is marked by an article by Godwin Sadoh.
28 March: Under its new conductor Fabio Luisi, the Danish National Symphony Orchestra begins a tour of the United States.
31 March: The live final of X Factor (Denmark) is won by Morten Nørgaard.
2 April: The 52nd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards took place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
5 April: The Southbank Centre announces the appointment of Elaine Bedell as its next chief executive, the first woman to hold the post, effective May 2017.
9 April: Awra Briguela was declared the first winner of Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids.
10 April: Du Yun is awarded the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Music for her composition, "Angel's Bone".
13 April: The Aldrei fór ég suður festival start in Ísafjörður (March 13 – 16).
18 April: Opera North announces the resignation of Aleksandar Marković as its music director, with his contract formally to terminate in July 2017, but where he is not to appear with the company for the remainder of the 2016–2017 season.
21 April: Incubus released their first album in six years, 8.
2 May: The Leeds International Piano Competition announces that Murray Perahia is to be its new patron, effective 1 June 2017.
5 May:
Blondie released their first album in six years, Pollinator.
At the Drive-In released In•ter a•li•a, their first studio album in 17 years.
9 May:
The BBC announces the appointment of Sofi Jeannin as the next chief conductor of the BBC Singers, the first woman to be named to the post, effective July 2018.
Royal Philharmonic Society Awards
Audiences and Engagement: East Neuk Festival, in collaboration with 14–18 NOW – Memorial Ground (David Lang)
Creative Communication: Beethoven for a Later Age: The Journey of a String Quartet by Edward Dusinberre (Faber)
Ensemble: Manchester Camerata
Instrumentalist: James Ehnes
Large-Scale Composition: Philip Venables – 4.48 Psychosis
Learning and Participation: South-West Open Youth Orchestra
Opera and Music Theatre: Opera North – Ring Cycle
Singer: Karita Mattila
Young Artists: Joseph Middleton
12 May: Danzig released their first album in seven years, Black Laden Crown.
13 May:
Final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 takes place in Kiev, Ukraine. It is won for the first time by Portugal, represented by Salvador Sobral with the song "Amar pelos dois".
The UK finishes 15th in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 with 111 points.
In the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2017, Denmark finish in 20th place.
18 May: Chris Cornell, frontman for Soundgarden and Audioslave, died in Detroit after performing a concert with Soundgarden. It was found that he had hanged himself in his Detroit hotel room, at the age of 52. Fans and media outlets took notice of Cornell's choice of date and method and their direct parallels with the suicide of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis exactly 37 years prior; Joy Division's music was popular among the members of Soundgarden.
21 May: The Billboard Music Awards took place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
22 May: At a concert by American Pop Star Ariana Grande at the Manchester Arena, 22 people are killed in a suicide bomber attack.
23 May: Chris Blue won the twelfth season of The Voice. Lauren Duski was named runner-up.
25 May: The Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) announces the appointment of Thomas Søndergård as its next principal conductor, effective with the 2018–2019 season. In parallel, Peter Oundjian is to conclude his music directorship of the RSNO at the close of the 2017–2018 season.
31 May: The 19th Distortion festival started in Copenhagen (May 31 - June 4).
4 June: At the Old Trafford Cricket Ground, the One Love Manchester benefit concert takes place, to benefit the victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing. The performers included Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, Coldplay, Justin Bieber, Robbie Williams, Chris Martin, Liam Gallagher, and Marcus Mumford.
7 June:
Glyndebourne Opera announces the appointment of Nicholas Jenkins as its new chorus master, effective 4 September 2017.
The CMT Music Awards took place at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
9 June
Katy Perry released her fifth studio album, Witness.
Glen Campbell released his final studio album and first in four years, Adios.
10 June: Jhon Clyd Talili emerged as the grand champion of Tawag ng Tanghalan Kids that spanned for three months.
12 June:
Queen's Birthday Honours:
Sir Mark Elder and Sir Paul McCartney are each made a Companion of Honour.
Sarah Connolly is made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
George Benjamin is made a Knight Bachelor.
Chi-chi Nwanoku and Roderick Williams are each made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
Gerald Finley is made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
Billboard Philippines started compiling three official music charts: Philippine Hot 100, Philippine Top 20 and Catalog Chart.
16 June: The Secret Solstice festival started in Reykjavík (June 16 – 18).
17 June: The 8th NorthSide Festival opened in Aarhus (June 17 - 19).
19 June: The BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition results are announced:
Main Prize – Catriona Morison (the first-ever British winner of the Main Prize in the history of the competition)
Song Prize – Catriona Morison and Ariunbaatar Ganbaatar (joint prize winners)
Audience Prize – Louise Alder
22 June:
The Royal College of Music Philharmonic Orchestra presents a benefit concert for residents left homeless after the Grenfell Tower fire.
The 8th Copenhell festival started in Copenhagen (June 22 - 24).
24 June:
The 3rd Tinderbox Festival started in Odense (June 24 - 27).
The 47th Roskilde Festival opened (June 24 - July 1).
26 June: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra announces that Charles Dutoit is to stand down as its principal conductor, and to take the title of Honorary Conductor for Life, in 2019.
27 June: Arts Council England (ACE) reports its national portfolio funding decisions for the scheduled period of 2018–2022, which include the following music-related items:
Re-admission of English National Opera to portfolio funding, at ₤12.4M per year
First-time funding for the British Paraorchestra
3% diminished funding for the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and the Southbank Centre, per ACE's specific request
28 June: The 33rd Nibe Festival started in Nordjylland (June 28 - July 1).
30 June:
Magic 89.9, 99.5 Play FM, Wave 89.1, 103.5 K-Lite and Jam 88.3 joined forces for a unified OPM concert series entitled One Sound, with its first event were held at the Eastwood Central Plaza.
Jay-Z released his first album in four years, 4:44.
TLC released their first album in fifteen years, TLC.
5 July:
The grave of George Wilberforce Kakoma, composer of the Ugandan National anthem, is reported to have been vandalised and the composer's body stolen.
The 18th Folk music festival of Siglufjordur start in Siglufjordur (July 5 – 9).
7 July:
Haim released their first album in four years, Something to Tell You.
The 38th Copenhagen Jazz Festival start in Copenhagen (July 7 – 16).
13 July: G! Festival opened in Göta, Eysturoy, Faroe Islands (July 13 - 15).
14 July: The 29th Aarhus Jazz Festival started (July 14 - 22).
20 July: Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington was found dead at his Los Angeles home from hanging himself. He was 41.
30 July:
At The Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, Xian Zhang conducts the annual Prom which includes the Symphony No. 9 of Beethoven, the first woman conductor ever to do so.
Jona Soquite of Davao City won as the first The Voice Teens grand champion.
1 August: MTVph was launched on all cable/satellite providers in the Philippines. It is co-owned by Viacom International Media Networks Asia and Solar Entertainment Corporation.
2 August:
The Strøm Fesatival started in Copenhagen (August 2 - 5).
Björk announces her then-unnamed new album Utopia on social media. In an interview with Dazed and Confused magazine, she states that It’s about that search (for utopia) – and about being in love. Spending time with a person you enjoy is when the dream becomes real.
4 August:
Randy Newman released his first studio new album in nine years, Dark Matter.
Dan Wilson released his first solo album in ten years, Re-Covered.
8 August: Legendary country music singer, songwriter Glen Campbell died after suffering from Alzheimer's disease for six years.
9 August:
The Reverend David Ingall of the St Sepulchre-without-Newgate Church in London (known as the National Musicians' Church) announces that the church is to close its hiring programme and acceptance of new bookings effective 2018.
Music Theatre Wales announces the appointment of Richard Baker as its consultant music director, with immediate effect.
11 August: Kesha released her first album in five years, Rainbow.
15 August: The Royal Philharmonic Society announces Charles Dutoit as the recipient of the 103rd RPS Gold Medal. The RPS presented Dutoit with the medal at 17 August 2017 performance by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at The Proms, at the Royal Albert Hall.
25 August: Taylor Swift released her hit single Look What You Made Me Do. The music video gained 43.2 million views in 24 hours, which broke the 24-hour Vevo record previously held by Adele.
27 August: The MTV Video Music Awards took place at The Forum in Inglewood, California.
5 September: Mauritanian singer and politician Malouma Mint El Meidah is placed under house arrest by the government, following an investigation into "economic crimes".
6 September: The Copenhagen World Music Festival started (September 6 - 10).
8 September:
Eurovision winner Salvador Sobral gives a farewell concert, prior to being admitted to hospital in the hope of receiving a heart transplant.
Living Colour released their first album in eight years, Shade.
Jack Johnson released his first album in four years, All the Light Above It Too.
Erin McCarley released her first album in five years, YUYĪ.
Troy Gentry of the country music duo Montgomery Gentry was killed in a helicopter crash hours before a concert in New Jersey. He was 50 years old.
21 September: English National Opera announces that Cressida Pollock is to stand down as its chief executive in June 2018.
22 September:
Fergie released her first album in eleven years, Double Dutchess.
The Killers released their first album in five years, Wonderful Wonderful.
30 September: Tan Dun is awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Biennale.
2 October: Tom Petty died of cardiac arrest at his home in Malibu at the age of 66.
6 October: L.A. Guns released their first album in five years, The Missing Piece.
11 October: The European Union Youth Orchestra announces its intention to relocate its administrative functions to Ferrara and Rome, Italy, in the wake of the Brexit referendum.
13 October:
Jessie James Decker released her first studio album in nine years, Southern Girl City Lights.
P!nk released her first album in five years, Beautiful Trauma.
15 October: ASAP launched an acoustic singing group named ASAP Jambayan, composed of Iñigo Pascual, Zia Quizon, Moira Dela Torre, Migz Haleco, Kaye Cal and Isabela Vinzon.
1 November: The Iceland Airwaves festival start in Reykjavík (November 1 – 5).
8 November: The 51st CMA Awards took place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. This marked the tenth year in a row that Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood have co-hosted the show.
10 November: Taylor Swift released her sixth studio album reputation. It went on to sell 1,238,000 units in the US, and 2,000,000 worldwide in its first week of release.
17 November: Tim McGraw & Faith Hill released their first collaborative album, The Rest of Our Life. The album is Hill's first studio release in twelve years.
19 November: The American Music Awards took place at the Microsoft Theater.
23 November: The BBC Concert Orchestra announces the appointment of Bramwell Tovey as its next principal conductor, effective January 2018, with an initial contract of 5 years. In parallel, Keith Lockhart is to stand down from the principal conductorship of the BBC Concert Orchestra, and to take the title of chief guest conductor.
24 November: Björk will release her ninth album Utopia.
28 November: The Association of British Orchestras (ABO) announces the election of Gavin Reid as its new chair.
1 December:
Danielle Bradbury released her first album in four years, I Don't Believe We've Met.
Morbid Angel released their first album in six years, Kingdoms Disdained.
Glassjaw released Material Control, their first album in 15 years.
4 December: Glyndebourne Opera announces that Sebastian F. Schwarz is to conclude his tenure as its general director in 2018.
5 December: The Royal Philharmonic Society announces that Rosemary Johnson is to stand down as its executive director in the summer of 2018.
8 December:
Story of the Year released his first album in seven years, Wolves.
Walker Hayes released his first album in seven years, Boom.
15 December:
The Cheltenham Music Festival announces the appointment of Alison Balsom as its next artistic director, effective in 2018, the first woman to hold the post.
Sinfonia Cymru announces the appointment of Peter Bellingham as its next chief executive. In parallel, Sophie Lewis is to stand down as the ensemble's chief executive at the end of January 2018.
19 December: Chloe Kohanski won the thirteenth season of The Voice. Addison Agen was named runner-up.
21 December: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra announces the cancellation of concert appearances by principal conductor and artistic director Charles Dutoit, pending the resolution of allegations of sexual assault against him.
29 December:New Year's Honours 2018:
Barry Gibb and Ringo Starr are each made a Knight Bachelor.
Jonathan Freeman-Attwood is made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
Sarah Alexander, Marc Almond, and are each made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
Richard Cowie, Anthony Marwood, Bazil Meade, David Temple Nigel Tully, and Cleveland Watkiss are each made a Member of the Order of the British Empire.
31 December: 68th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen
Please address any comments concerning this page to The Music Maestro
Mark Chard BSc, PLY
Page created: 6th February 2018
Last edited: 6th February 2018
