Neo Classical – Page 37 – Holly Mulcahy on the future of classical music

Give The Gift of Music

Sun, May 31, 2009

by:

Holly Mulcahy

Some of the most memorable and special gifts we received for our wedding were not kitchen appliances, towels, or even dinner sets, they were gift certificates. And not the obvious and ubiquitous gift certificates to department stores, but gift certificates to events like concerts and baseball games. We remember these trips during our first year of marriage with tremendous fondness.

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Requiem

Mon, May 4, 2009

by:

Holly Mulcahy

It is no secret the world of classical music is a small place. From youth orchestras to summer camps, music schools to festivals around the world, and little orchestras to big orchestras musicians make lifelong connections at every stage of their career. So when a musician passes away, chances are high most musicians around the country will have known of or know another musicians that had worked with that musician. Normally, this sort of sad news spreads remarkably fast and with the advent of email and social networking, it isn’t unusual for … Continue Reading

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Thinking Outside the Box Seats

Mon, Apr 6, 2009

by:

Holly Mulcahy

It was probably a combination of buying the Girl Scout cookies last week, buying dividend stocks this week, and wondering if there were going to be comp tickets for my performance next week that triggered a revelation this afternoon during my rehearsal. Wondering about comp tickets made me think about one of my former orchestra’s policies of NO COMPS! “We, the XYZ Symphony feel that we are losing too much revenue by offering comp tickets, and will therefore no longer be offering them. You, as a XYZ Symphony musician, are encouraged to … Continue Reading

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“There Are No Words”

Mon, Mar 2, 2009

by:

Holly Mulcahy

A day before President Obama’s inauguration, the writers at Inside The Arts published “Dear President letters” from their unique perspective. Most of the letters were generally to do with the arts and how each writer wanted the next administration to handle the arts during the next four years. My letter was geared toward pointing out the necessary ways which classical music fills our lives during times of shared experiences. As I watched the inauguration, I found it particularly interesting that there were points where just about every reporter or newscaster would say, … Continue Reading

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How To Alienate Your Audience in 10 Easy Steps: Audiences

Mon, Feb 2, 2009

by:

Holly Mulcahy

A satirical look at how regular concert goers negatively impact the future of classical music. An engaged, enthusiastic, and diverse audience is one of the strongest measurements for justifying an orchestra’s value. During my years as a violinist in various orchestras around the country, I have witnessed audiences lose their enthusiasm for live concerts and turn their backs to orchestras as the result of behavior not just from those inside the ensemble but from those around them.

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