Things That Make you Go “Buh?” NHMF
Thu, Jan 1, 2010
by Drew McManus
Thanks to an astute reader for posting a comment to yesterday’s article, pointing out an item of interest at the New Hampshire Music Festival (NHMF) website. The reader noticed that the NHMF website features a picture of Festival Director, Henry Fogel, on the home page along with a related press notice but there is no
When Did “Older” And “Exciting” Become Mutually Exclusive?
Wed, Jan 1, 2010
by Drew McManus
Since publishing yesterday’s post about the Boston Globe article examining the New Hampshire Music Festival’s abandoned plans to revamp the festival’s artistic structure, the Globe article has been attracting some fascinating comments. One theme throughout those comments is the notion that younger musicians equal exciting performances. Some comments replying to that sentiment supported the notion
Yep, Process Still Matters
Tue, Jan 1, 2010
by Drew McManus
All things being equal, something like this might have slipped by under the radar but thanks to the Boston Globe’s Geoff Edgers, events at the New Hampshire Music Festival (NHMF) have taken center stage. According to Edgers’ article from the 1/11/2010 edition, the NHMF’s board and administrative leadership attempted to implement sweeping changes that were
An Updated Look At Top-Tier Musician Compensation
Mon, Jan 1, 2010
by Drew McManus
With all the news surrounding Cleveland Orchestra’s ongoing labor negotiations, it made sense to revise and double check the base musician compensation figures for the highest budget ensembles. As it turned out, the Cleveland Plain Dealer requested exactly that for an article they published on 1/6/2010 so the timing worked out nicely. As a result
Come On Cleveland, You’re Better Than This
Fri, Jan 1, 2010
by Drew McManus
Regular readers know that when we talk about orchestras and new media, one recurring warning is to resist the urge to use new media outlets for press release regurgitation. After all, that’s what press pages at an orchestra’s web site are for. Likewise, using the official organizational new media and social networking outlets to disseminate
Following Up On The Free BringLight.com Project
Thu, Jan 1, 2010
by Drew McManus
Congratulations to the Alabama Symphony Orchestra (ASO), whose application was selected for the free fundraising project at BringLight.com. With a goal of providing 10 sets of rhythm instruments for their Musicians Activating Growth In Classrooms (MAGIC) program, a course designed to provide music education for students that have no full-time music teacher, the ASO officially
Cleveland And Seattle: With Bated Breath
Wed, Jan 1, 2010
by Drew McManus
As the orchestra business watches Cleveland and Seattle with bated breath, it is difficult to wonder if events at these two larger budget organizations will have any impact on the business as a whole. And it isn’t just insiders who are paying attention, music critics, cultural reporters, bloggers, and just about any other stakeholder with
Appearing At The American Orchestras Summit
Tue, Jan 1, 2010
by Drew McManus
From January 26-28, 2010 the University of Michigan is hosting an American Orchestras Summit. Titled Enlarging the Circle: Creating Partnerships in Research and Performance, the organizers describe their goals as “bring[ing] together arts presenters, orchestra leaders, and academics to explore potential partnerships and strategies for confronting the many challenges that face the American orchestra today.”
Change Is Good
Mon, Jan 1, 2010
by Drew McManus
Regular readers have likely already noticed Adaptistration’s new look. I’ve been anxious to experiment with a grunge theme for awhile and the start of a new year seemed like a good time. But Adaptistration isn’t the only blog at Inside The Arts sporting fresh graphics, Sticks and Drones has a sporty new look and the
Here’s To A Strong 2010
Fri, Jan 1, 2010
by Drew McManus
By and large, 2009 was a tough year for the field and although some groups will continue to stumble in the weeds, others are making progress on finding institutional balance while several are well on the way to stabilization. For example, the Charlotte Symphony released a statement on 12/31/09 announcing a new program to build
