Latest news with #DSO
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Big Sean to join Detroit Symphony in June for an evening of orchestral hip-hop
One of the most unconventional concerts of Big Sean's career will happen June 29, when the rapper joins his hometown Detroit Symphony Orchestra for an evening of music. The Detroit star will lead an Orchestra Hall bill that includes fellow rappers Skilla Baby, Tee Grizzley, Illa J, Nasaan and Queen Naija for a show blending hip-hop and orchestral arrangements, complete with a DSO segment honoring the late J Dilla. The show is presented in part by the Detroit Pistons, where Big Sean serves as the creative director of innovation. Ticket proceeds will benefit the Detroit Pistons Foundation, the Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan and Big Sean's Sean Anderson Foundation. It's the second big hip-hop-meets-symphony show on the books for this summer: Atlanta rapper Jeezy will play the Fox Theatre Sept. 12 with his own orchestral spin on the hits. Tickets for the Big Sean-DSO concert start at $75 and will go on sale at 10 a.m. Thursday through Ticketmaster. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Big Sean to join DSO in June for an evening of orchestral hip-hop
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
OPT visa rules tightened for international students: Inaccurate employment can now result in deportation
Many international students on OPT in the U.S., including thousands from India, are receiving ICE letters warning of SEVIS record termination and possible deportation due to missing employer information. Students must update SEVIS within 10 days of employment changes. With stricter enforcement now in place, even unreported jobs or DSO errors can trigger immigration consequences. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Thousands of international students in the US on post-graduation Optional Practical Training (OPT) are receiving warning letters from the country's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), threatening termination of their SEVIS records and potential deportation over employment reporting issues, according to a report by TOI's Lubna core of the issue lies in the reporting of employment status within the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). OPT regulations grant students a maximum of 90 days of unemployment during their twelve-month program. Another 60 days are available to those undertaking the STEM-OPT program for an additional two years.'The recent ICE letters indicate that an international student's SEVIS record will be terminated if there is no employer information listed on the SEVIS portal. This signifies that the student did not report the OPT job on time or went over the allowed unemployment period, either of which can result in a termination of OPT status and initiation of removal proceedings,' Snehal Batra, managing attorney at NPZ Law Group told TOI.'This is a pretty big change for F-1 students. In the past, SEVIS did not usually terminate SEVIS records automatically for exceeding 90 days of unemployment. But now, with tighter rules, students could accidentally fall out of status for failure to report,' she per immigration attorneys, OPT reporting rules require SEVIS to be updated within ten days of any change, be it a new job, new work site location, or loss of employment.A copy of such a letter, seen by TOI states, 'Because there is no employer information in your SEVIS record, you are accumulating unemployment days and may have exceeded the permissible period of unemployment. If you have been employed during your OPT time, you must correct your SEVIS record. Please contact your Designated School Official (DSO) or utilize the SEVIS Portal to update your information. Failure to take corrective action may result in the initiation of immigration proceedings to remove you from the United States."This letter imposes a strict 15-day deadline on international students to update their SEVIS records from the date of issuance. Failure to comply will lead to the termination of their SEVIS status, potentially resulting in consequences like students represent a large portion of the international student population in the US. According to the Open Doors Report for the 2022–23 academic year, there were 2,70,000 Indian students in the country, including 69,000 enrolled in OPT programs. As a result, many Indian students have been affected by these to 'NAFSA: Association of International Educators', the wordings of the letter are identical to those issued in 2020 under the Trump-Pence administration. However, according to education and immigration experts, this time there appears to be an uptick in the number of letters that are being issued.'Traditionally, it's been the school's DSO that tracks SEVIS compliance, but since ICE administers the SEVP, they have been going in and terminating people who have accumulated more than 90 days of unemployment during their OPT,' Jath Shao, founder of an immigration law firm told TOI.'It is crucial to have employment, paid or unpaid, that is related to the major you graduated from. You must also promptly report your employment or unemployment to your school's DSO. We have seen some cases where DSOs failed to timely update graduates' employment status in SEVIS, but USCIS has reinstated the students' status upon correction of the record,' pointed out gravity of the situation has prompted NAFSA: Association of International Educators, to issue a special advisory. It recommends that DSOs should diligently monitor the 'Accrued unemployment days' alerts. This alert highlights students who have accrued unemployment days and shows their employment status as of the date the list was generated. Designated School Officials (DSOs) are encouraged to proactively reach out to students with a high number of unemployment days and remind them to update their employment details via the SEVIS Portal or directly through their DSO.(With TOI inputs)
Otago Daily Times
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
DSO - Brahms and Mataatua: A Journey in Music
Brahms's monumental Piano Concerto No. 2 was written when his compositional powers were at their peak. From a deceptively benign opening with a lone horn melody, the movements in turn evoke grace and turmoil, leading to an exhilarating climax. Acclaimed Wellington pianist Jian Liu returns to deliver the dazzling technique and musical depth this great work calls for. We celebrate Matariki with The Journey of Mataatua Whare, a newly commissioned work by Dame Gillian Whitehead which commemorates 100 years since the Mataatua Wharenui returned to NZ. The work tells the Wharenui's story: from the carved meeting house's creation in Whakatāne, the loss of Ngāti Awa control over it, its travels and mistreatment, its return to NZ for Dunedin/Ōtepoti's 1925 Great Exhibition and then Tūhura Otago Museum, and its final return to Ngāti Awa in Whakatāne. Three distinguished NZ singers and a selected chorus will join DSO's Principal Guest Conductor James Judd on stage for this very special event. For more information please visit | Brahms and Mataatua a Journey in Music
Otago Daily Times
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
‘Rising Stars' give extraordinary concert
Dunedin Concerto Competition "Rising Stars" Finalists' Concert Friday, May 16 Dunedin Town Hall The extraordinary talent of Otago and Southland's young classical musicians was to the fore in Friday's joyful and impressive Dunedin Concerto Competition "Rising Stars" finalists' concert. Featuring a top-notch showcase by the Dunedin Youth Orchestra (DYO) in the first half, followed by the brilliance of the three teenage concerto competition finalists performing as soloists with a combined DYO and Dunedin Symphony Orchestra (DSO), the concert was a wonderful celebration. Conducted by David Burchell, the DYO showed great composure and spirit in their thoroughly enjoyable performance of popular classics, including Offenbach's Overture to La belle Helene, Bizet's L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2 (arranged by Guiraud), Arnold's Little Suite no. 2, Prokofiev's Montagues & Capulets from the Romeo & Juliet Suite, and Coates' Knightsbridge March. Each of these works contain complex and tricky passages, with the DYO rising to the challenge under Burchell's firm and steady direction, and bringing the musicality and emotion of each piece to the fore. It was a joy to see these young musicians perform so well. The numbers of musicians on stage swelled in the concert's second half, as the DSO and DYO players came together to provide sterling and sensitive support to the three concerto competition soloists under the baton of principal guest conductor James Judd. Ozan Biner-McGrath, 16, was first to take the stage for a nimble and accurate performance of the first movement of Mozart's sparkling Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor. Tackling the work's many technical demands with aplomb, Biner-McGrath brought the tension to the fore, and impressed with a fabulous cadenza written by Beethoven. Next up was Roy Zhang, 18, with a nicely balanced performance of the first two movements of Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major. Zhang showed great patience and control, allowing the second movement's contemplative nature to shine. Last to take the stage was cellist Portia Bell, 18, with a remarkable performance of the first movement of Dvorak's fiendishly difficult Cello Concerto in B minor. Filled with virtuosic moments, the piece offered many beautiful melodies, Bell making the most of every opportunity. There was a short prizegiving for preliminary section winners while the expert adjudicators — violinist Monique Lapins, pianist Jian Liu and horn player Samuel Jacobs — tackled the difficult task of choosing the winner. The final places were Biner-McGrath in first, Bell in second, and Zhang in third, each receiving generous prizes sponsored by the HTowers Charitable Trust. In the end, music was definitely the winner on the night. Congratulations to all involved in this successful event.
Otago Daily Times
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Well-paced, exciting final drew large audience
DSO and DYO Concerto Competition Rising Stars Finalists Dunedin Town Hall Friday May 16 The 2025 Dunedin Concerto Competition final, in which three young musicians performed with a full orchestra, attracted a large audience to the Dunedin Town Hall on Friday night. The first half of the programme featured the Dunedin Youth Orchestra, a strong 60-member orchestra with big sound and enthusiasm. DYO (conductor David Burchell) began with Offenbach's overture La Belle Helene, featuring contrasting flowing waltz passages and robust sections. They continued with varied movements from three substantial suites — L'arlesienne Suite No.2 by Bizet, Little Suite No.2 by Malcolm Arnold and Montagues and Capulets from Romeo and Juliet Suite No.2 by Prokofiev. The well-known Eric Coates' Knightsbridge March completed their contribution. All were well-paced and exciting and the conductor for the second half, James Judd, commented he was "knocked out by the quality of the first half". He conducted the DSO which included a number of DYO instrumentalists gaining experience with a professional orchestra. The Concerto Competition attracted 25 applicants, three aged under 14. I attended preliminary performances and can vouch for the high standard of performance and the difficulty the judges (Monique Lapins, Jian Liu and Samuel Jacobs) faced in naming just three for the final. First place ($7000) went to pianist Ozan Biner-McGrath (year 12 Logan Park High School), who chose the allegro movement of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor for a strong, confident, stylistic delivery with impressive scalic cadenza. Second place ($5000) went to first-year University of Otago student Portia Bell (cello) for the allegro movement of Dvorak's Cello Concerto Op. 104. Taking third place ($3000) was Otago University first-year student Roy Zhang (piano), who played with two movements of Ravel's Piano Concerto in G Major. A rather "showy" allegramente displayed the movement's jazz elements, followed by adagio, which developed stunningly with woodwind lyricism and obligato. Review by Elizabeth Bouman
