Drew McManus on the orchestra business.
Before we dive too far into this rabbit hole of a topic, we should confirm that the apply-audition-award method that is the typical professional US orchestra process is perhaps best described as the “best bad option available.” This isn’t a post about reinventing the wheel, rather, it’s about looking under a few rocks to shed some transparency on an otherwise murky topic. For whatever reason, my inbox has been flooded as …
One of the most common questions I get from cultural entrepreneurs looking to start up a chamber group or related artistic effort is why they need event liability insurance (assuming they know about event liability insurance to begin with). “Doesn’t the venue cover that?” They can, but most require renters to provide proof of insurance, but the good news here is obtaining event insurance isn’t as daunting a task as it …
Not long ago, I began offering Venture Platform users a reservation function via our e-commerce platform that also serves as an ideal tool for arts orgs to use for automating much of the audition scheduling process (including notifications, confirmations, and even changes). Even though it’s designed as an e-commerce function, it can be used in a non-transactional way or even gathering payment info but not processing a charge, which is handy …
The internet was alive with outrage since the trio Time for Three posted a video on YouTube protesting their treatment at the hands of a US Airlines regional carrier. Apparently, two of the three members were traveling from Charlotte, NC to Fayetteville, AK when the aircraft’s captain allegedly told the two violinists that FAA regulations “prohibited musical instruments to be carried on the plane.” As it turns out, that’s just about …
There’s a fascinating article by Philadelphia Inquirer music critic David Patrick Stearns in the paper’s 7/20/2013 edition about a recent Philadelphia Orchestra performance featuring violin soloist Nicola Benedetti. Stearns reports the heat was so high that the orchestra cancelled a sound-check rehearsal and Benedetti clearly suffered during that evening’s performance. Stearns’ article is timely during a period in the field where work rule flexibility is all the rage during collective bargaining …