There has been some intriguing discussion as of late among some cultural bloggers about the audition process. It started off on 4/5/2009 with a post by Jeffrey Weisner at the Peabody Double Bass Blog examining the sometimes slippery process that results in a “no-hire” audition. Weisner’s post is refreshingly candid and offers a valuable glimpse into the audition process. A few days after Weisner’s post, Robert Levine posted something at Abu Bratsche based on his years of experience as principal violist with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra (or in his words, lead viola operator). Although each post presents offers thoughtful observations, it is difficult to avoid noticing they both acknowledge some procedural tension between audition committees and the music director…
Cultural Confidence Continues To Drift
The latest cultural confidence polling cycle indicates that positive attitudes remained somewhat unchanged and those with a negative outlook don’t feel quite as bad as the previous polling cycle. At the same time, the overall outlook on current and future economic conditions is decidedly negative…
Do We Need A New Business Model?
At least, that’s the question posed by Peter Dobrin in an article he wrote for the 4/5/2009 edition of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The quick answer is no, but Dobrin’s article is representative of the normal sort of reservation and introspective analysis that accompanies any sort of unexpected critical event. In this case, the predicament is the economic downturn that deflated the value of orchestra endowments and in Dobrin’s article, he challenges the value of big endowments. Fortunately, that isn’t the problem…
2009 TAFTO Publication Schedule
The 2009 Take A Friend To Orchestra (TAFTO) publication schedule has been finalized so mark your calendar: Monday 4/20: Matthew Guerrieri Monday 4/27: Brian Bell Tuesday 4/21: Janelle Gelfand Tuesday 4/28: Sir Andrew Davis Wednesday 4/22: Molly Sheridan Wednesday 4/29: Andrew Patner Thursday 4/43: Giancarlo Guerrero Thursday 4/30: Curtis Long Friday 4/24: Alan Valentine Friday 5/1: Philip Paschke
Process Still Matters
The 4/6/2009 edition of the Star Tribune published an article by Graydon Royce that examines a recent round of budget and pay cuts at the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra (SPCO). The article reports that the organization’s president indicated that pay cuts for management and staff took place before approaching musicians. This is the same procedure most organizations instituting pay cuts this season have demonstrated and on the surface it sounds fine, but in reality it contains a fundamental procedural flaw…