Tagging onto Bill’s random thoughts, some things have been rattling round my head, along with some things I picked up on our trip and online, starting with an intriguing question from a member of the Syracuse Symphony as we were preparing to play a concert in Rome NY…..
Simply this:
If Beethoven, Bach or Mozart were alive today would they be writing “classical music” or would they be Rock/Pop/Hip Hop etc…composers/stars?
It seems on the surface that it wouldn’t take too much thought to answer this, but then, I started to wonder about how art, architecture, literature and dance have developed with new knowledge, technology and materials (which they didn’t have) so maybe their sometime craving for popularity would lead their genius into new genres or to expressions of music that truly moved people. If their genius helped define the history of music does that mean they passed the torch on to those who were at the forefront of Jazz, Rock, Bluegrass etc….over Classical? Maybe it is more about the mindset of moving people rather than developing an art from based on a set of traditional principals that creates a genre. It’s a great question that undoubtedly generate opinion and debate for years. That would be a healthy thing, a debate should never be over….sorry Al Gore
Do(nor) Love:
OK so your orchestra has a budget of $4million and and someone walks in and gives a donation of $1million. Chances are it would be the biggest donation in the organization’s history, there would be wild celebration, buildings/programs named for the person, offerings of the first born etc….I mean getting 25% of the annual budget in one go means the celebration/adulation is deserved right?….Well yes of course, but take into consideration that an orchestra will also generate about 25% of their revenue to cover their budget from their AUDIENCE…..They need to be celebrated also and whats more, they give it every year….
You’re the what sympathy orchestra and you want my star to play where?:
We recently went through negotiations in collaboration with another local not-for- profit for a “big name guaranteed sellout star” that fell through (lucky for us it was not a make or break thing for either organization, next year looks good at this point). It makes me wonder though if there some way to cut through the demands that include specific model private planes, no meet and greets with sponsors, windows that open on the hotel’s top floor and lemon wedges cut at 85 degrees etc…, to hopefully make them realize that the reason we might want them to come and earn more money in one night that our whole staff combined will earn in a whole year, is that some groups might need a little help to make ends meet to be able to pay those salaries from time to time. Or, maybe we want to help the children by endowing programming in our community. Another point, landing a big name to appear can also shake some sponsors/donors who might continue to help when “the star” tells them how important music is for a community and was for them where they grew up etc….Are there any “stars” out there that are willing to reduce their fees and demands and perform to help orchestras sustain themselves through tough times? Musicians helping musicians? I wonder if the League would be willing to put out some feelers on this one?
Off Course:
OK, Music Appreciation? Can it stop being called that, because following that title accurately, would mean those who score the best in the final should be the ones who prove they LIKE music the most!
Noninformercials!:
Right now there is no such thing as an EASY payment
Stop telling us to call for a FREE brochure, hands up if anyone has ever paid for a brochure?
A Subway commercial touted that their sandwiches are made fresh oven baked bread. Isn’t just about all bread baked in some kind of an oven?
In an infomercial when you here the voice over say wait there’s more! Are they acknowledging the fact we are all about to change the channel?
This restaurant is in Syracuse NY, and I can’t vouch if they are accurate in the description of their food because we didn’t eat there. However, there were a lot of cars outside!
This picture was taken in Pocahontas IL, proudly as the sign to the town says the childhood home of Country superstar Gretchen Wilson! I wonder how many new antiques she has?
Where for art thou Romeo….
So a marriage proposal billboard reading “marry me Juliet” on I44 is funny enough, but it made us laugh all the more being that it was just outside Knobview Missouri!
This video blew me away, I can’t imagine how long this took to do, wall animation, and it gets better and better as it goes on, brilliant!!!:
Finally, with the passing of Michael Jackson and the millions of tributes I came across this cover of I Want You Back by the vocal sextet Sonos which for me is creative, tasteful and moving: