Drew McManus on the Orchestra business | est. 2003

Virginia Symphony Furloughs Make San Fran Opera Cuts Look Marginally Attractive

Wed, Sep 9, 2020
Hopefully, the Virginia Symphony Orchestra (VSO) will have an opportunity to relive what would have been their 100th anniversary because as of now, they have cancelled all concert activity through February 2021. While the group managed to secure a Paycheck Protection Program loan, those funds ran out at the end of summer and as a

Early Reports From San Francisco Opera Orchestra Settlement Look Rough

Tue, Sep 9, 2020
It appears the San Francisco Opera (SFO) and its orchestra musicians have reached an agreement for a new collective bargaining agreement. Janos Gereben was first to report on the newly ratified deal along with some key details in an article for the 9/20/2020 edition of sfexaminer.com. It appears to be a two-year deal with a

Why Are Conductors Exempt From Wearing Masks Onstage?

Mon, Sep 9, 2020
If you’ve been watching any of the early efforts from orchestras experimenting with socially distanced concerts, you’ve probably noticed that on-stage musicians are wearing masks, even wind players when they aren’t actively playing. In the handful of indoor events, audience members are wearing masks as well. So why are some conductors going without masks or

The Various Paths Of COVID Era Bargaining

Fri, Sep 9, 2020
As shutdowns continue, orchestras with regularly scheduled collective bargaining agreement (CBA) renewals are finding themselves thrust into bargaining during less than ideal conditions. Add those with need reopen existing CBAs into the mix and we’re just starting to see how all of this is unfolding. The Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) announced a new multi-year agreement

Just The Sort Of Thing To Help You Stay On Track

Thu, Sep 9, 2020
Visit ArtsHacker.com
I published an article at ArtsHacker yesterday pointing to something written by researcher Victor Yocco that provides exactly the sort of thing arts marketers need right now: effectively design to gain and hold attention for digital products. He had me at an overview of transient and sustained attention. The ArtsHacker articles covers some the highlights