It occurred to me today that I didn’t realize when writing my post on Nov 5 commenting on the election, that it was Stick and Drones one year anniversary! I looked back these past few days browsing through some different posts and especially the comments. I can’t tell you how exhilarating the journey has been so far….
Firstly many thanks to those who read our blog, to Drew for giving us this opportunity and to Bill who has taught me much about emotion in writing. His words just explode off the page! Secondly, I quickly realized that blogging is not just a simple venting opportunity, it’s also a responsibility. Words can and do hurt, and facts are important, but to be a part of it all, you can’t sit on the fence, passionate opinion is vital with the hope that it can be helpful (plus I can’t imagine many would read fence sitters blogs!).
I have always had strong feelings about the arts and the problems that exist and that continue to plague it’s potential relevance. I feel as though blogging has given me a focused way to hone a message which has helped me greatly in my career, especially when dealing with personnel and community issues. To be a blogger commenting on any particular field, I feel it’s vital to follow current events to find out what is really going on. Doing that can only help when making decisions as a music director and/or an arts leader also. I know it has helped me.
Thirdly, blogging has given my Audience Connection class a platform. These arts administration students are talking to the blogosphere and not just to me and themselves in hypothetical arguments. With the mic pointed at them, there is a palpable sense that they need to give carefully thought out answers and arguments, much as they would in a “real” situation since people will be listening (some of the houndbite clips from the class have had over 100 listens). The blog itself puts them in a “real” situation, even on the spot sometimes, and that can only serve them well when they are “out there” having to win the job or more importantly win the argument (or get the donation!). There next assignment is to redo the Springfield Symphony audience etiquette policies (listen to our discussion of this topic), and I have decided that what they come up with will be the new set of policies for next season!
My first post Out of the Shadows was a blogging to do list. There is still much to do on it and my feeling is that as more things are checked off, more “to do” items will be added and many will be revisited. Looking back through the posts it seems that one very early post still gets hit often that being Yo we put the ASS in clASSical, my take on the insane notion that by tricking out concert series with gimmicky marketing tricks, it will magically create a young audience. What is that Rachel Maddow says…BULLPUCKY!
My favorite and very timely post of Bill’s is his Super Music Tuesday post, his account of preparing and performing Copland’s Lincoln Portrait with the then Senator Barack Obama. If ever there was a snapshot of President 44’s temperament, work ethic and problem solving approach, then Bill’s post is it. All of the punditry in the world can’t come close to this real example. I may have actually swayed a couple of people to consider voting for him by directing them to that post! They were at the very least impressed.
Finally, I offer a suggestion which goes along with my series Revolution for an Evolution , a series about the seismic shift that I believe needs to occur in arts education to build sustainability and growth for the arts whilst offering true benefit to people: Blogging is not just a tool, or a place to vent to speak one’s mind. It has become for me a vital part of my growth as an artist and a leader as it has given me tremendous balance between the emotional and analytical elements needed to make informed decisions. Also, it has given me a global perspective on how things might effect my organization based on the research I have had to do for blogging. With the debate that certain blog posts initiate, it keeps my mind active and open to all sides of an issue. This is a long winded way of suggesting that for all the reasons listed that if you are an arts leader, I cannot recommend highly enough to you to start a blog!
One last thing. The internet seems to be hailed first and foremost as a gateway for getting information. Yet what blogging and the new media has proven to me is that the internet’s greatest gift and potential, is as a communication gateway. I now feel a real connection with the arts world.
Thanks again for reading, for listening and most importantly, for talking to us!
My God…… we’ve been at this for over a year? That’s depressing…….
An entire year, how about that. Who would have thought that two conductors could co-author a blog for more than a week before stabbing each other in the back AND turn it into a powerful cultural blogging force. :)