Neo Classical – Page 40 – Holly Mulcahy on the future of classical music

Status Still Counts

Mon, Mar 5, 2007

by:

Drew McManus

You hear it all the time these days, “Classical music ensembles are playing better now than ever before.” I don’t think this is an unreasonable statement and I would wholeheartedly agree that orchestras and opera companies which were barley more than civic groups 15 years ago are now full of talented, professional musicians delivering a string of excellent concerts. But what exactly has that increase in artistic quality accomplished? Are professional ensembles located in the proverbial artistic outskirts being noticed? Do they have as much impact as their elder cousins in New … Continue Reading

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Rules To Live, Er, Listen By

Mon, Feb 5, 2007

by:

Drew McManus

I don’t usually use this column as a personal soap box but a series of bad concert experiences have pushed me over the limit. In most circumstances, I am among the first group of people to stand up and declare that the typical classical music concert environment is too stuffy, oppressive, and elitist for its own good. I think the business of shushing people who want to clap between movements is silly and dress codes at everyday concert events, implied or explicit, only serve to keep people away. Nevertheless, it seems as … Continue Reading

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“The King Is Dead. Long Live The King!”

Mon, Jan 8, 2007

by:

Drew McManus

Over the past few years, several prominent classical music pundits have been proclaiming the death of classical music recordings. Contrary to that, classical music advocates have been steadily countering those claims by painting the purveyors as prophets of doom and gloom. Like a tennis match, both sides lob statistics back and forth trying to discredit the other. Nevertheless, the method which classical music recordings have been produced and consumed in the past is, in fact, dying. At the same time, there is undeniable proof that newer mediums for consuming classical music recordings … Continue Reading

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An Interview With Paul Scarbrough, Russell Todd, and Christopher Blair From Akustiks

Sun, Dec 3, 2006

by:

Drew McManus

It takes more than a pretty building to create a world class concert hall and the people responsible for how a concert hall sounds are acousticians, engineers that specialize in the scientific study of how sound in generated, transmitted, and received. For decades, this field has been dominated by a handful of great individuals but there are new generations of stars stepping into the limelight as more and more communities begin to realize just how important it is to have their performing arts buildings sound as good as they look.

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But You Knew That Already, Of Course…

Mon, Oct 2, 2006

by:

Drew McManus

Among all of the contemporary forms of art, I’ve always felt classical music has the most potential for growth. Unfortunately, it has a nasty habit of getting in its own way by perpetuating decades old exclusive barriers. At the same time, many classical music institutions are trying harder than ever before to consciously tear some of these barriers down. However, I find that some of these issues are so entrenched in the behavior and actions of long time classical music enthusiasts; they may not even realize they are unconsciously contributing to the … Continue Reading

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