Super Sam Vs. The Prophets Of Doom!
Thu, Aug 8, 2010
by Drew McManus
On 8/9/2010, Minnesota Orchestra violist and blogger Sam Bergman posed the following question: “For exactly how many decades do we plan to allow the prophets of doom [which links to Greg Sandow’s blog] to continually shout from the mountaintop that orchestras are withering on the vine before pointing out that their dire predictions have been
12th Annual Peggy Glanville Hicks Address
Wed, Aug 8, 2010
by Drew McManus
Established in 1999 to honor composer Peggy Glanville-Hicks, the Peggy Glanville-Hicks Address is an annual forum for ideas relating to the creation and performance of Australian music. The 12th Annual event featured a piece by conductor Simone Young titled Music in the age of soundbites and although it is a lengthy piece, it is well
Cleveland Orchestra Wins Lawsuit
Mon, Aug 8, 2010
by Drew McManus
When the jury concluded deliberations in the lawsuit filed by of Cleveland Plain Dealer former classical-music critic Donald Rosenberg against the Cleveland Orchestra and the Plain Dealer, the orchestra and paper emerged victorious. And although a number of characters in both organizations are sharing in a collective sigh of relief, the victory is, at best,
AFM Calls Out The League
Fri, Aug 8, 2010
by Drew McManus
The August, 2010 edition of International Musician published an article by Christopher Durham, American Federation of Musicians (AFM) Symphonic Services Division (SSD) Director and Assistant to the President, titled Quality Leadership Is Essential in Difficult Times. Don’t let the obvious nature of the title fool you, the article essentially levies blame on much of the
Venture Crosses The Finish Line
Thu, Aug 8, 2010
by Drew McManus
There’s nothing quite as gratifying as completing an enormous project and the Venture Project has been precisely that. The programmers have completed every task and we’re in the process of packaging everything up and using the final product to generate the remaining content needed for the sales site. However, that doesn’t mean you have to
Late Night Airport Blogging
Wed, Aug 8, 2010
by Drew McManus
Funny things pop into your head when you find yourself in less than desirable places. Tonight, it’s all about hearing words come out of your mouth that you never thought you’d ever say…
Detroit Goes Public
Tue, Aug 8, 2010
by Drew McManus
After months of closed door and blackout negotiations, the musicians and management of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) went public last week to present their bargaining positions. On 7/30/2010, the DSO musicians leafleted a Meadow Brook Music Festival performance (copy, courtesy of the Detroit News) and both sides have presented their positions via an article
An Insider’s Look Into Shop Talk
Mon, Aug 8, 2010
Ever since this blog launched in 2003, readers have always been more inclined to share thoughts via private email. Even though those exchanges regularly contain insightful content, their very nature prohibits public consumption. Nonetheless, guest blogger Chris Blair and I ended up having a fascinating exchange in the process of determining whether or not Chris
Educating for the Orchestra of the Future
Fri, Jul 7, 2010
by Mark Clague
Anyone attending the League of American Orchestra’s recent conference in Atlanta was surely struck by the industry’s determination to adapt and change. At the opening “Orchestra R/Evolution” session, attendees were polled and not a single vote supported the status quo. Russell Willis Taylor general session keynote the next day, “There Are No Crises, Only Tough
AFM Calls Out The League: Observations