Tick Tock
NON DIVISI: I figured I’d try to get one more post up this summer, which obviously wasn’t my most prolific as far as writing. The situation in Detroit could eventually have a profound impact on anyone with an orchestra job- it’s sort of a perfect storm involving one of the country’s most esteemed ensembles. The outcome there could be a bellwether for the business in certain ways, and the whole situation is worth observing very closely.Much more knowledgeable people than I have written extensively on the subject, notably Drew McManus here.
All about Detroit
ADAPTISTRATION: There’s no shortage of topics to discuss surrounding the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s ongoing labor dispute. You can keep up with all the articles at Adaptistration via the DSO topic archive.
A Tale of Two Cities…
STICKS AND DRONES: Two interesting situations are developing that on the surface may not seem connected but are actually deeply related. For better or for worse. Detroit. Charleston. One’s a biggie. The other’s a ……… not so biggie ……… though I’m sure that the musicians in Charleston who rely on those jobs to make a living would argue otherwise, and I can’t really blame them. What they have in common is that for years no one has taken adequate responsibility for the long term health of these organizations. Now they’re paying for it.
New Videos: Interviewed by Violinist Giora Schmidt
THERE’S ALWAYS ROOM FOR CELLO: I just posted a pair of videos of an interview I did with Violinist Giora Schmidt backstage at the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival. I have to apologize for not posting with more frequency but I’m writing something right now which will go up soon and I have a big announcement about a foundation I’ve formed called HEARTbeats, which strives to help children in need harness the power of music to better cope with, and recover from, the extreme challenges of poverty and conflict. There will be much to share!
Concert And Brew
BUTTS IN THE SEATS: So something of a tangential post to my entry yesterday featuring churches whose design and technology rival performing arts venues. Today’s topic– performance spaces you want to work at based on superficial qualities like the name or appearance alone. This is an audience participation post so feel free to add your dreams and stories in the comments box.
Dog Days of Summer in Chicago
BRIAN DICKIE: It is good to be back home but the late Summer is a steamy time so everyone is moving slowly. And it will be another week, after Labor Day, before life resumes a decent productive pace. Meanwhile we are tidying up at the end of our Fiscal Year and hoping and praying for a prosperous new one starting on September 1.
Rabbath versus Simandl continued
DOUBLE BASS BLOG: One of the fun things about running a blog is seeing how posts from many years ago still generate comments. The following comment comes from a discussion from 2007 about the merits of the Rabbath and Simandl systems as teaching materials for younger students.
Classical Birth Knell in Houston
SCANNING THE DIAL: Looks like Houston will get a full-time Classical station fairly soon, not though without some consternation and birth pains.According to a University of Houston news release, the University of Houston’s Board of Regents voted to buy Rice University’s student-run radio station, 50,000 watt KTRU for $9.5-million, If approved by the Feds it would end the station’s student-driven programming and create an all new 24-hour classical-music station, the call letters of which would be KUHC.
Speaking The Unspeakable
NEO CLASSICAL: The Teton Valley in Jackson Wyoming is my summer home. Playing in the Grand Teton Music Festival is something I look forward to each summer. Some of the finest orchestra musicians across the country collaborate in excellent concerts and exciting hiking. Musicians compare jobs, past seasons, and catch up on who is doing what and recent trends throughout the field.
