In my post What Defines a Healthy Orchestra I wrote that Orchestras should consider exploring the possibility of recruiting a “team doctor” to donate some time to help musicians in need, especially the ones who travel to play with them. I have some news!!!…
Challenge=Opp
A Revolution for an Evolution! – Part 1
This series is going to be a long term project that I hope starts a discourse.
I have written in the past that the Orchestra business needs an intervention but college music education needs a revolution. Shadowing the angst felt by Orchestras to maintain both relevance and control of their destiny is the fact that the next generation of musicians and administrators are essentially being trained for a world that no longer exists……
Paging Gordon Ramsay!
With what is unfolding in Columbus and Shreveport, recently in Jacksonville and the disconnect that exists between so many orchestras and their communities, I wonder if there is someone or some group that would have the respect, the clout and the cojones to come in and shake things up so that we can focus on becoming relevant to our communities or at the very least to our audiences!….
What defines a healthy Orchestra?….
We are constantly strategizing to make our orchestras healthy. Precious little of any strategy has much to do with the actual health of the musicians in per-service orchestras, which are the majority of the League member orchestras. I wonder if this is something that needs a forum on a state or even national level. Certainly it can start in a small way at the Orchestra management level….
Arts Education or Arts for Education?
I’ll never forget one particular day during my senior year in high school in Sydney Australia, when in English class we had our first lesson on King Lear. Our teacher began to talk about the play. We were not paying much attention and suddenly he stood up, opened the door and asked us to follow him. Someone asked him where we were going, (to the Principal’s office I thought) to the theater he replied…..
Edumacation…….
Today I noticed a very scary article that was posted on ArtsJournal on Friday. The US society has gotten to the point where there are some States spending more on prisons then they are on higher education. If this doesn’t scare the livin’ bejesus out of you then……….
What’s in a Name?
It is funny – as a Music Director you’re responsible for putting together a season that is coherent and musically fulfilling. But then it’s thrown into the hopper of PR/Marketing and God only knows what is going to come out. You’re thinking one thing and then you catch a glimpse of what is going out to the public and – “that’s not what I had in mind!” So, what’s in a name?
Columbus: Facing the future with dignity and integrity
What continues to impress me about the Columbus Symphony musicians is their understanding of the situation, their hope and most of all their willingness to put a human face on what is at best an uncertain future. Again they are connecting to their city in a way that can be understood and appreciated by everyone…….