More Cancellations for St. Paul Chamber Orchestra

Dark

The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra (SPCO) announced additional concert cancellations in the wake of the prolonged work stoppage that has obliterated more than four months of concerts and events. The SPCO has officially called off all engagements for the next six and half weeks through April 21, 2013. Statements from the SPCO and the musicians following the announcement couldn’t be more diverse. According to the 3/5/2013 edition of the Pioneer Press …

Read more

Concrete Ideas From Imaginary Program Notes

Violinist Holly Mulcahy posted an article at Neo Classical on 3/4/2013 titled Imaginary Program Notes: What We Can Learn From Children that examines the value in foisting less structure on our listeners. It’s loaded with just the right amount of “Duh” realizations we all need to hear from time to time. I won’t spoil the details for each spontaneous moment of inspiration (A.KA. the Duh moment) but suffice to say, it’s …

Read more

Reaping The Rewards Of A Well Designed Economy Of Scale Business Model

When The Venture Platform was launched in the fall of 2010, its success or failure rested squarely on an economy of scale business model that kept profit margins low and focused on incredibly solid code and unmatched service. If all went according to plan, users would benefit from an ongoing stream of upgrades and improvements without paying for them by way of annual fee increases. It is enormously pleasing to say that …

Read more

The Problem With Commentary Articles In Traditional Media

During orchestral labor disputes, there is no shortage of tactics employed by both sides to distribute static messages to the general public, but few can try your patience more than the conventional editorial commentary found in traditional news outlets. To be fair, the warring factions aren’t to blame here, they’re merely taking advantage of a third party communication vehicle to deliver their talking points; instead, the outlets are to blame. For …

Read more

A Sad Day: SFSymphony Oboist William Bennett Has Passed Away

After suffering a brain hemorrhage during his performance of the Strauss Oboe Concerto, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra Principal Oboist William Bennett passed away. Bennett served as the orchestra’s Principal Oboist for 26 years but was a member of the orchestra 34 years. The orchestra released a statement on 2/28/2013 and there have been numerous articles recounting his career, accomplishments, and consummate musicianship. H/T to Brian Wise at WQXR for posting this …

Read more