Music-based playspace coming together in Durham

Notasium, a music-based play space, is scheduled to open in Durham off of Chapel Hill Boulevard in July. Notasium, won full funding in a Kickstarter online fundraiser earlier this year and also has secured additional funding from local investors.

Durham's Delta Rae Featured on True Blood Season Six Trailer

Durham band, Delta Rae's song "Bottom of the River" has been featured on the television show True Blood's season six trailer.

Durham's Casbah Hires New Talent Buyer

The Durham rock club Casbah has hired Elysse Thebner as his replacement as its new talent buyer. Thebner is a fixture in the local music community, playing with bands and promoting shows with Ampersand Booking.

ReverbNation to Relocate Near Brightleaf Square

ReverbNation, a Durham-based music industry promotions tool, will move its headquarters from its current space across from Durham Athletic Park to space previously occupied by Ogilvy near Brightleaf Square.

Hillside Band Director to Step Down After 15 Years

Hillside High School band director Xavier Cason will step down at the end of the school year to spend more time with family. The N.C. Central University graduate and former Marching Sound Machine director, has led the Marching Hornets for 15 years and helped the program win hundreds of awards including last year's state championship.

The Old Ceremony Signs to Yep Roc

Durham-based pop-rock band The Old Ceremony has signed to Yep Roc Records for the release of their forthcoming record Fairytales and Other Forms of Suicide.

Duke Composer Inducted into American Academy of Arts and Letters

Stephen Jaffe, Mary and James H. Semans Professor of Music Composition at Duke University, is one of ten new members to be inducted into The American Academy of Arts and Letters in May 2012. Jaffe’s music has been featured at major concerts and festivals including the Nottingham, Tanglewood, and Oregon Bach Festivals, and presented by the Slovenska Filharmonija (Slovenian Philharmonic), the National Symphony, the San Francisco, North Carolina and New Jersey Symphonies, Berlin's Spectrum Concerts, London's Lontano, and many others.

Durhamite Advances to Next Round of 'American Idol'

Durham’s Adam Lee Decker will advance to the next round of 'American Idol' after surviving the latest cut with a group performance of Elvis’ “Jailhouse Rock.”

Durham Band Delta Rae Signs to Sire Records

Durham-based folk-rock band Delta Rae has signed to Sire Records, a subsidiary of Warner Music Group. The band's first full-length LP is expected in late spring or early summer.

NPR Song of the Day: Carolina Chocolate Drops' "Country Girl"

"Country Girl" a single from Durham Grammy winners the Carolina Chocolate Drops' new album Sweet Defiance is NPR's Song of the Day for February 2, 2012. Listen here.

SoundPure Acquires Raleigh-based Indoor Storm

Durham specialty music equipment and guitar store, SoundPure LLC,  has acquired Raleigh-based guitar shop Indoor Storm. Indoor Storm will move its employees and inventory to SoundPure’s Durham location at 808 Washington St by the end of January.

Carolina Friends School Student Wins 'Best in High School Designer Craft' Title

Durham local and Carolina Friends School student, Nick Shear, won the title of Best in High School Designer Craft from the Carolina Designer Craftsmen Guild for the spruce-top guitar he made as his sophomore end-of-year experience project.

Marsalis Music Releases Harry Connick Jr.'s "The Happy Elf"

Branford Marsalis' record label, Marsalis Music, has just released the holiday album "The Happy Elf" by the Harry Connick Jr. Trio as part of the label's "Connick on Piano" collection.

Durham School of the Arts Wins D'Addario Music Foundation Grant

The Durham School of the Arts has received a $2,500 grant from The D’Addario Music Foundation to restring and tune instruments for the school’s music programs. The grant will provide guitar, violin, viola, cello and double bass strings as well as other tuning and instrument care accessories that teachers and students use to maintain high-quality sounding instruments in the Guitar and Strings program.

Quincy Jones Joins Zenph Advisory Board

Twenty-seven time Grammy-winner Quincy Jones has joined saxophonist Branford Marsalis and jazz bandleader Gordon Goodwin on Zenph Sound Innovations' artists advisory board.

Duke's Baldwin Auditorium to Undergo $15 Million Renovation

Duke University's Baldwin Auditorium is set for a $15 million renovation to include infrastructure improvements, acoustic upgrades, new seats and amenities.

Durham Composer Awarded NC Arts Council Fellowship

Durham composer Eric Hirsh is among the 2011-2012 recipients of the North Carolina Arts Council Artist Fellowship Award. Hirsh will receive a $10,000 fellowship to support creative development and the creation of new work.

DSA Student Selected for Prestigious Grammy Camp

Durham School of the Arts rising senior Mary Weitz has been selected to be one of just 35 high schoolers to participate in the first-ever New York City Grammy Camp. The Grammy Foundation's highly selective camp gives participants access to music industry heavyweights and experience with the entire creative process of making music.

Durham Filmmaker wins Full Frame Jury Award for Best Short Film

Durham filmmaker, Rodrigo Dorfman, took home the Jury Award for the Best Short film Sunday at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival for "One Night in Kernersville," a film chronicling the John Brown Jazz Orchestra's recording session for a CD to be released in the fall.

Read more: The Herald-Sun - documentaries honored

Durham Filmmaker Rodrigo Dorfman's Short Film Premieres at Full Frame

Durham filmmaker Rodrigo Dorfman's short film, "One Night in Kernersville," premieres at the Full Frame Documentary Festival. This is Dorfman's latest story of jazz bassist John Brown, associate professor and the director of the jazz program at Duke University.

Read more:  Filmmaker strives for visual jazz