Drew McManus

Regularly quoted as an industry expert in international newspapers and trade journals, arts consultant and industry expert Drew McManus has been involved with every aspect of nonprofit performing arts organizations. He has become one of the most unique individuals in this industry who is trusted and respected by administrators, academics, board members, music directors, musicians, and union officials alike. Mr. McManus was the original author of New Classical and during that time published 63 articles from February 2004 to May, 2007.

The Future Of Classical Music Is In Venezuela

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This installment will examine one of the two remaining questions regarding the astonishing Fundacion del Estado para el Sistema Nacional de las Orquestras Juveniles e Infantiles (Foundation of the State for the National System of the Orchestras Youth and Children) program which is commonly referred to in Venezuela as FESNOJIV. Part 1 introduced the program while Part 2 examined how the FESNOJIV began 30 years ago and how far it’s evolved since that time. Although I had come to understand that the FESNOJIV program has accomplished an immeasurable amount of social good … Continue Reading

The Future Of Classical Music Is In Venezuela

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To reiterate where things left off in Part 1, I recently had an opportunity to examine the Fundacion del Estado para el Sistema Nacional de las Orquestras Juveniles e Infantiles (Foundation of the State for the National System of the Orchestras Youth and Children), which is commonly referred to in Venezuela as FESNOJIV. After my first day’s interaction with some of the musicians and a few of the program’s leaders, I had the following questions: How has this seemingly amazing program developed the way it has over the past 30 years and … Continue Reading

The Future Of Classical Music Is In Venezuela

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If you could create a culture of classical music from scratch, how would you do it? That’s precisely the sort of question Venezuelan José Antonio Abreu asked himself 30 years ago when he began his classical music course which would evolve into what is now the Fundacion del Estado para el Sistema Nacional de las Orquestras Juveniles e Infantiles (Foundation of the State for the National System of the Orchestras Youth and Children), which is commonly referred to in Venezuela as FESNOJIV or El Sistema. Back in 1975 Abreu may not have … Continue Reading

The Business Behind The Musicians Of Tomorrow

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If you talk to most professional classical musicians and ask them where they gained the bulk of their performing experience before attending college you’ll likely have them telling you what it was like growing up in their respective youth orchestras.Over the past several years, youth orchestras have exhibited reverse trends to their professional counterparts. Whereas many professional orchestras are forced into scaled back artistic offerings and shorter seasons, youth orchestras are bursting at the seams. Many suburban areas are even forming their own youth orchestras separate from the traditional groups associated with … Continue Reading

It’s All About Ambiance

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When it comes to live entertainment, getting there is rarely half the fun. More often than not, once you finally arrive the actual venue is often lacking. Concert halls are typical victims of uncomfortable seats, too few bathrooms, poor lobby facilities, expensive refreshments, inconvenient (and usually expensive) parking, and the décor usually makes you feel terribly underdressed or overdressed (rarely “just right”). The average mega-screen Cineplex is no different. Tacky faux décor usually try to make the inside of the building look like a swanky knock off of the Art Deco theatres … Continue Reading