Classical Music Finding New Life in Streaming Services

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A businessman and classical violinist from Minnesota, Michael J. Antonello has been a concert violinist and concertmaster on and off since the 1970s. Michael “Mike” Antonello’s passion for the violin is equaled perhaps only by his love of fine art, as he manages an art collection in addition to his business activities.

Classical music was once hugely popular, and enjoyed by connoisseurs and dilettantes alike. These days, despite taking more of a back seat in recent decades, it seems to be on the rise again. In a report from music research company MIDiA, the resurgence of classical music in streaming services was made clear.

Not only streaming, the researchers found, but CDs and radio are still very popular among classical music fans. Streaming revenue, however, grew 46 percent in 2018. Classical music constitutes the fourth most-popular music genre, following only pop, classic rock, and country.

As more consumers are attracted to mood-based playlists, classical music offers a great base to reach younger music listeners drawn to evocative compositions. This rise in the popularity of classical music presents an important opportunity for musicians representing the genre and composers who borrow classical themes for more modern arrangements.

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Brahms’ Paradoxical Social Isolation and Musical Conversations

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Michael J. Antonello is a Minnesota violinist known for his fluid renditions of classical pieces on the finest Italian instruments, such as a Stradivarius violin, the 1720 “Ex-Rochester” and a 1742 Guarneri del Gesu, one of only 125 instruments in existence. Among the albums that Michael (Mike) Antonello has recorded in collaboration with pianist Peter Arnstein is “Brahms Sonatas.” A traumatic experience in Brahms’ life that resonates in this fine recording is the tragic, protracted death of his teacher and mentor, Robert Schumann. Without Schumann’s tutelage, Brahms increasingly worked alone, with only a small, dwindling cohort of friends to provide constructive criticism of his compositions. Brahms’ brusque personality and inclination to take on the role of scholarly introvert led him to accept advice and support only from his late mentor’s wife, Clara Schumann, a highly regarded pianist, and Joseph Joachim, a composer and violinist. The paradoxical quality of Brahms’ sonatas and other chamber pieces is that they feature the type of brilliant conversation that he was never capable of with other humans. In the musical pieces, themes are bantered and exchanged among instruments, which often interrupt each other in sheer exuberance of expression. This can take the form of inspiration and joyful passion as well as tragedy. These piano and violin pieces are intricate and require a virtuosic knowledge of the instrument to play as the composer intended.

What is Overfunded Life Insurance?

Dollar bills on the floor 

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Based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Michael J. Antonello is a professional musician and a principal with Golden Valley Financial (gvfadvisors.com), a financial services organization. In his role at Golden Valley Financial, Michael J. Antonello oversees daily operations at the company, which offers a diverse range of products and services, including estate planning services and life insurance.

An overfunded life insurance policy offers some of the greatest advantages in a life insurance product, but is often misunderstood. Differing from other types of policies, an overfunded policy has a cash value portion that lends its value as an investment and doesn’t expire. A portion of the premiums paid on an overfunded life insurance policy is directed towards the death benefit, additional expenses of the policy, and an interest earning investment. This investment enables policyholders to collect tax-free income from the overfunded policy when needed. 

Overfunded life insurance offers additional valuable benefits, including enabling the completion of investment goals if you are unable to work or become disabled; the opportunity to complete the program and provide economic advantages to loved ones; and having the choice to stop the program at any time.