Take A Friend To Orchestra Update
Thu, Apr 4, 2005
by Drew McManus
Preparations for Take a Friend to Orchestra month are in full swing. There are a few more names to add to the existing list of guest contributors: Paul Bailey: Musician & composer Henry Fogel: President, American Symphony Orchestra League Kyle Gann: Composer, musicologist, and music critic; The Village Voice Frank Manheim: Knowledgeable nonprofessional classical music
Is All Of This Really Interesting
Wed, Apr 4, 2005
by Drew McManus
A few days ago, Greg Sandow presented a scenario and posed a good question regarding whether or not the average patron would be interested in all of the non artistic issues within their local orchestra. In particular, he was wondering if a concert review of a last minute change in repertoire (which as a result
Nashville Symphony’s Music Director Passes Away
Tue, Apr 4, 2005
by Drew McManus
I received the sad news yesterday that the Nashville Symphony’s long time music director, Kenneth Schermerhorn passed away early at the Vanderbilt Medical Center on Monday, April 18th, 2005. Maestro Schermerhorn led the Nashville Symphony for 22 years and oversaw everything from the organization filing for bankruptcy in the 1980’s through their recent grand accomplishment
Is FOX Trying To Make Classical Music Relevant?
Mon, Apr 4, 2005
by Drew McManus
As odd as it may seem, some of the most intriguing signs that classical music isn’t entirely removed from the cultural consciousness are coming from the FOX television network. In an episode of their sitcom Malcolm in the Middle they included classical music as an integral part of the story line. Last night’s episode had
Searching For The Holy Grail Of Job Satisfaction
Fri, Apr 4, 2005
by Drew McManus
Although the orchestra business faces a great deal of uncertainty in the upcoming years, there’s one problem which doesn’t show any signs of abating; job satisfaction among musicians. Several articles here at Adaptistration have touched on this subject before, most notably one from March 16, 2004. However, there was a good article in Ilkka Talvi’s
Driven By Artistic Vision
Fri, Apr 4, 2005
by Drew McManus
There’s an interesting article in today’s Guardian Unlimited, a paper based in the U.K., which features an interview with Osmo V
Reader Response: Super Managers
Thu, Apr 4, 2005
by Drew McManus
Super Theatre Manager, Joe Patti, took the time to write in with some observations and questions about the idea of using executive managers for smaller budget orchestras (below $1 million annual budget) only when they are needed. [Regarding] timing; since there is a general portion of the calendar which constitutes the period when audiences are
Concert Hall Conundrums
Wed, Apr 4, 2005
by Drew McManus
If you ever wondered whether or not a concert hall can influence an orchestra’s future then the round of concert hall related events this past season may help you draw some conclusions. Building, maintaining, and refurbishing concert halls are already a big business and it continues to grow on a regular basis. A concert hall
Mobile Managers: Super Managers For Tomorrow
Tue, Apr 4, 2005
by Drew McManus
One of the fastest growing problems in this business is the degree to which smaller budget orchestras are patterning their operational model after the big budget organizations. When referring to “smaller budget orchestras” I mean all of those ensembles in the $250,000 to $1 million range who typically present between three and eight concerts per
The Value Of Contemporary Music
Mon, Apr 4, 2005
by Drew McManus
The argument of old music vs. new music has been raging for decades and in recent years it’s taken a severe turn as orchestras scramble to keep their audiences. As a result, some artistic managers are pushing to program standard repertoire and other works they believe will be the most “audience friendly”. In the end,
