Drew McManus on the orchestra business.
More than half of the ROPA and ICSOM orchestras in this country employ a music director that does not reside in the community where the orchestra performs. Although that may strike you as staggering statistic, it has been the norm for over a decade. Part of the trouble is that the role of the music director is inconsistent across the country. Most music directors only focus on the artistic output of …
I was pleased to see the well-written response on Andrew’s page with regard to my earlier blog about artistic administration programs. Having been an avid reader of Andrew’s blog for some time now, I agree with his statement “One frustration is that I tend to agree with Drew that there are problems with the way we have traditionally taught management leaders in Arts Administration.” I agree that between Andrew and myself …
No, this isn’t a blog about who’s in charge; rather, it’s a blog about lack of communication. This lack of communication is centered on uniforms . Here’s the firsthand account of a situation from a female member of a notable Northeast orchestra whose name rhymes with "Muffalo": The management decided that it would institute a new uniform for some of our casual concerts. This uniform would be worn by all …
First off, let me thank everyone for the large volume of email I’ve received regarding the Pandering to Grants blog. Please keep in mind that I do wish to use your comments in these Reader Responses, so let me know if I have your permission to do just that when you take the time to write. Education is always a polarized issue and I’ve not been disappointed at the wide variety …
I’m beginning to hear a regular complaint from orchestra patrons; they’re sick and tired of receiving persistent letters, emails, and phone calls from their local orchestras asking for donations. Here’s a few quotes from some orchestra patrons: “Why should I give more money? I already gave them money, why don’t they learn how to use it better?” “I gave money three separate times this year, but they still say they need …