Unlike previous incarnations of Take A Friend To Orchestra (TAFTO) month here at Adaptistration, the 2009 contributor list is being finalized much earlier. The primary reason is that for the past few years, orchestras that have been interested in putting together a TAFTO oriented event in the spring have requested that information be made available earlier in the season so they can have more time to plan. As such, here’s what’s happening so far, including the list of confirmed contributors…
Baby, It’s Cold Outside
I’m back from Seattle and right as I was heading in the door, several inches of snow and ice began pummeling the Chicago area. But that’s not the only thing cold going on as more newspapers are writing articles about chilly ticket sales. The 12/12/08 edition of the Sacramento Bee is one of the latest to chronicle local events in an article by Edward Ortiz…
Good News And Bad News In The Cultural Confidence Level
Bad news first: the latest Cultural Confidence update indicates a distinct downturn in the outlook on current economic conditions. The good news is the latest poling cycle indicates that the economic outlook is increasing on the extremes and decreasing in less committed feelings…
A Word To The Wise?
In case you haven’t checked the headlines out in the past week, you should be aware of the fact that Cleveland Plain Dealer critic, Don Rosenberg, filed a lawsuit against key figures in the Cleveland Orchestra. According to the 12/11/08 edition of the New York Times in an article by Dan Wakin, Rosenberg charged that orchestra officials had waged a “campaign of vilification” against him and that his bosses at the newspaper had caved in to demands that he be ousted…
The Anti-Joy Of No Internet
The topic I wanted to write about today (the audition process) required some online research but due to a nearly 24 hour internet service outage in my area of Chicago, that wasn’t an option. As such, I’ll have to address that topic toward the middle of next week after I return from some work in Seattle. In an odd sort of silver lining, my interaction with a Comcast customer service manager …