Drew McManus

The ugly side of classical music’s business has been in the news quite a bit this past year, such as the coverage related to labor problems in St. Louis and Baltimore. However, there’s one example of how small ensembles, such as a quartet or trio, are beginning to realize there’s much more to making music than making music. The Audubon Quartet saga started when the members began to quarrel over money and control. They past the point of no return in February 21, 2000 when three of the members presented their first … Continue Reading

The ugly side of classical music’s business has been in the news quite a bit this past year, such as the coverage related to labor problems in St. Louis and Baltimore. However, there’s one example of how small ensembles, such as a quartet or trio, are beginning to realize there’s much more to making music than making music. The Audubon Quartet saga started when the members began to quarrel over money and control. They past the point of no return in February 21, 2000 when three of the members presented their first … Continue Reading

There’s a battle raging along the front lines of classical music over the use of recorded and synthesized music to replace live musicians, particularly those who perform for ballets and musicals. Of course, the war itself is very old; musicians have long fought against technological advancements which threatened their livelihood. At the early part of the 20th century, it was radio and phonographs which began to displace live musicians and even today, recorded music continues to be used in that capacity. However, the most recent participants in the war are “virtual orchestra” … Continue Reading

Across the country, the Labor Day weekend traditionally signals the beginning of orchestra season and they are all in full blown promotion mode selling subscriptions as they push their 05-06 programming. Recent years have produced a sort of dichotomy when it comes to programming; orchestras facing a rapid decline in ticket sales are programming more standard fare in hopes of retaining core listeners and to create a “safe” environment for newcomers while others are pushing contemporary works with the goal of creating increased interest and preventing listener burn out. Nevertheless, one thing … Continue Reading