I have noticed lately, with some horror, what now passes for “Arts journalism.” Arts journalism, especially Classical Music journalism, seems to have taken a dive. The expression “dumbing down” comes to mind. Or perhaps that’s just self-preservation on their part.
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Three Lasting Impressions…..
Last week was inspiring, surprising and also very sobering, as events in Los Angeles, Springfield and Fort Worth gave me a perspective from the global, local and highly personal aspects of what I do and who I relate to. A celebration of renewal, the linking to an icon (well sort of) and the passing of someone treasured……
“Of Course, You Know, This means GWAR!”
Facebook is a very dangerous place. You can find yourself deep in all sorts of either totally ludicrous exchanges or heavy philosophical discussions. Sometimes those “friends” of yours can pose a real challenge as did one of mine recently. Here’s my response:
And Now for Something Completely Different….
So two weeks ago was the 40th anniversary of Monty Python’s Flying Circus first broadcast hence the title, but I have also been thinking about the way orchestras typically go about searching for a Music Director and if this process needs to be done in a very different and more forward thinking way. I believe it does, but it will involve the challenge of getting current MD’s to buy in (me included) whilst setting our egos aside. Charleston who is about to go through this is a perfect example …….
Concert Companion….Bring a Friend to the CSO!
I’m a big fan of technology, I’m always bummed out when something I have is super seeded by a new model. I still have that old crusty 1st generation ipod touch (18 months old!). I was intrigued like many when the Concert Companion first came out, a device to enhance the understanding of the concert experience with real time program notes, video and other features. After the initial buzz, it kind of died down, and I haven’t heard much about it since and it seems that some are using Twitter for live notes. Well the creator of CoCo (it’s nickname) is now in charge of an Orchestra, one that needs a serious recharge, but I’m pretty sure a CoCo or an internet connection is not the answer…..
Two Takes – Entrepreneurship and Michelle Obama’s Speech
My class brings current blog posts and/or articles to debate, 3 on Tuesday and 3 on Thursday. In the clips below first Mackenna and I discuss the perception of what an entrepreneur is from an article by David Cutler, author of the soon to be released Savvy Musician. Then 3 of them on Tuesday brought in an article about Michelle Obama’s speech given in Pittsburgh about the arts. We kind of disagreed on what the impact will be, or if there will be any at all….
The Passing of an Era…
I am deeply sad today. This year has had it’s share of depressing moments, but in the space of 1 1/2 months I have lost my two biggest inspirations. Please allow me to pay tribute….
The Three Am”egos”…..
The common wisdom is to always look forward, live in the present, never in the past, whats done is done and so on. However at the Springfield Symphony’s season opening concert last Saturday, we brought the past to life in celebration of the our 75th anniversary season. We didn’t bring out archives to display in the lobby, we didn’t project pictures of the orchestra in embarrassing 70’s clothing above the stage. None of that. Instead we brought the past two Music Directors back for a joint concert, including a piece we conducted all at the same time! It was quite a week!….