Happy Memorial Day
Mon, May 5, 2020
by Drew McManus
Whether you’re home all day staying safe and healthy enjoying the holiday with family and friends or your orchestra is putting on a performance today, try to take a few moments to remember the reason for the holiday. To that end, I wanted to include a little something special today in the form of this
State Of Employment Poll & Review May 25 – 31
Mon, May 5, 2020
by Drew McManus
With nearly two months of data, trends continue to emerge as shutdowns continue. One of the biggest shifts over the past week are the numbers of managers indicating they have been furloughed, laid off, or are working reduced hours/pay. Weekly Report The overall number of responses increased for the second straight week with administrators continuing
Rounding Out The Week With A Little More Positive News
Fri, May 5, 2020
by Drew McManus
Just in case you needed another reason to remember why we shouldn’t let early thinking on COVID-19 topics be the final word when it comes to planning future activity, Barron’s published an article about experiments commissioned by the Vienna Philharmonic that indicate orchestra musicians “faced no added risk of transmitting the novel coronavirus when performing.”
Let’s Science the Sh*t Out Of Social Distancing Ticket Revenue
Thu, May 5, 2020
by Drew McManus
There’s a fascinating article (h/t Rainer Glaap) at ActivityStream.com that examines very positive results from efforts to science our way through maximizing revenue during live events if halls reopen with social distancing regulations in effect. It’s a positive step in the direction we examined from 5/6/2020 in that Activity Stream’s work includes maximum effort analysis
Do You Really Want To Play “Sophie’s Choice” With Your Subscribers?
Wed, May 5, 2020
by Drew McManus
I wanted to follow-up on one specific topic introduced in the sfcv.org article referenced in yesterday’s post in the form of forcing subscription renewals to choose or lose. If you have yet to read that article, it examines how arts organizations are navigating COVID-19 challenges. Here’s the broader context for the choose or lose subscription
It’s Time To Leave Panic Mode Behind
Tue, May 5, 2020
by Drew McManus
There’s no shortage of panic inducing discussions and news floating around. Big budget groups like the Guthrie Theater and The Met have announced or are telegraphing the punch of prolonged closures that gut most of the 20/21 season. If that weren’t enough, the timing of service organization annual conferences happened to fall right when we’re
State Of Employment Poll & Review May 18 – 24
Mon, May 5, 2020
by Drew McManus
The past few weeks of our weekly employment status polls, which track both orchestra administrators and musicians, have generated some intriguing trends and this week was no exception. Weekly Report For whatever reason, the overall number of replies from all three stakeholder groups increased this week, especially from respondents identifying as an administrator. Administrators continued their
Live with Carnegie Hall: A Tribute to Lynn Harrell
Fri, May 5, 2020
by Drew McManus
Mark your calendar now, on Thursday, May 21, 2020 at 2:00pm ET Carnegie Hall will broadcast a free live tribute concert to Lynn Harrell. It is an absolutely beautiful tribute idea and an equally challenging task to organize in today’s environment. Thank you Carnegie Hall. I can’t wait. Here’s the official event description: American cellist
Three Generations Of Conductors Walk Into A Bar…
Thu, May 5, 2020
by Drew McManus
No, this isn’t a joke; quite the opposite in fact. Instead, it’s a Facebook Live event happening this afternoon at 12 noon ET and hosted by Phoenix Symphony music director Tito Muñoz. Three generations of American conductors/musicians/leaders converge in a Facebook Live conversation to share their personal experiences during the current pandemic, and what they
The Murder Hornets Of Copyright Infringement Bots