Artistic Administration
Vertically Integrated Mahler
Wed, Oct 10, 2014
by Drew McManus
The orchestra field isn’t one to benefit from microeconomics like other fields; case in point, vertical integration holds limited value for performing arts organization business models. At least, not until you drill down into hyper-niche sectors. What is vertical integration? Let TV explain… As Tina Fey’s character, Liz Lemon, realizes, there’s a dark side to
It’s Not Too Early To Start Looking At Next Season’s Holiday Show Options
Thu, Dec 12, 2013
by Drew McManus
Christmas may be over but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be thinking about what your group should do for the 2014/15 holiday season. To that end, do yourself a favor and take a look at A Christmas Carol: The Concert, which is currently airing on Public Broadcasting System (PBS). A production of WTTW in Chicago,
Some Intriguing Thoughts On Concert Formats
Thu, Oct 10, 2013
by Drew McManus
In June 2013, arts consulting firm WolfBrown released a report detailing the results from a three season long assessment of concert formats. The project was conducted using the post-graduate orchestral academy, New World Symphony (NWS) backed by what the report defines as generous support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Of particular interest are the
Spin In St. Paul
Fri, Jul 7, 2013
by Drew McManus
Just a short post today thanks to a longer than expected day of travel getting back to Chicago. Take some time today to stop by the article from Euan Kerr in the 7/16/13 edition of Minnesota Public Radio where he examines the mass turnover in musicians at the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra (SPCO). There is
What If You’re Not As Awesome As You Think?
Wed, Jun 6, 2013
by Drew McManus
Among the 29th Annual Conductors Guild Conference sessions, one that stuck out in particular was the Auditioning Players panel discussion featuring musicians from the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) talking about how to audition musicians, what to listen for, best practices, challenges and solutions to common issues, etc. Anecdotally, the SLSO is genuinely known for
