Month: April 2006

To round out our TAFTO 2006 contributions I thought it would be appropriate to do something out of the ordinary. As such, our final contributor is providing a two part installment. Part 1 will cover the details behind his organizing a TAFTO event to an orchestra which is the only American ensemble than can rightfully claim to be an island unto itself: The Honolulu Symphony.

The guide for this journey is none other than Joe Patti, the entrepreneurially minded arts manager and author of Butts in Seats, his weblog on arts management. Joe’s unique contributions not only demonstrate the depth of his creativity but they also provide you with a detailed template on the entire thought process behind organizing your own TAFTO event.

However, I feel that one of the most important features in Joe’s contribution today isn’t directed toward patrons at all, instead, it’s best read by orchestra managers. So snap to attention orchestra managers and read Joe’s contribution, I guarantee you’ll be better off having done so…

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TAFTO wouldn’t be complete without a contribution from a “knowledgeable nonprofessional classical music activist” and this year that role is being filled by Pete Matthews. Pete’s contribution chronicles his trials and tribulations with regard to hauling his friends off to classical music concerts. That’s right; you’re going to get to read about several real life experiences of TAFTO in action.

If you have ever invited an uninitiated friend to a concert you will relate to some of Pete’s rougher experiences. Nevertheless, those of you out there still building up the courage to invite a friend, you can take stock in the fact that Pete’s narrative is filled with a great deal of encouraging advice…

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It’s not easy to create a successful music blog entirely on your own with no affiliation to a larger website or the benefit of name recognition that an established journalist has. You have to have loads of creativity and personal charm. Saxophonist Brian Sacawa has used those precise skills and done exactly that with his refreshing blog Sounds Like Now.

His TAFTO 2006 contribution is every bit as entertaining as his blog and his music and I’m certain you’ll be able to take something from it with you while on your own classical music travels.

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A TAFTO initiative simply isn’t complete without a contribution from a real live orchestra musician. This year’s contribution comes from Timothy Judd, a violinist in the Richmond Symphony Orchestra.

If you’re interested in seeing the issues of audience development from the eyes of a professional orchestra musician and like straightforward, detailed ideas then this is your article…

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Are you ready for this? Nothing is off limits when it comes to composer and blogger Alex Shapiro when she engages the topic of the classical music concert experience. Alex goes so far as to challenge the notion that there are any notions at all and the result is a thoroughly entertaining TAFTO contribution.

Love it or hate it, you’re assured to come away from the piece thinking about classical music from a different perspective than you did beforehand…

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