Category: Orchestras & their Community

University orchestras: a call for action

Several professional orchestras represented at the Summit (including Reno, Pittsburgh, Memphis and Louisville) have in fact already taken significant steps toward adapting to the current economic and cultural landscape, in their efforts to remain vital and relevant. These orchestras have created meaningful local partnerships, found innovative ways to connect with their communities, and developed successful ongoing educational programs. I’d like to summarize how these initiatives can apply to the academic setting, and what we can do as educators to adapt them for our use and prepare students for a future in the performance, administration and support of orchestral music. Perhaps [...]

Jan 31, 2010 | 4 comments | View Post

Henry Fogel on survival

As other bloggers here have already mentioned in detail, the activities today focused on what orchestras are doing and can do more of to remain relevant in today’s society. Of the many valuable discussions, I was particularly struck by Henry Fogel’s forceful words on community engagement: – If orchestras are going to survive, they will have to matter (a hell of a lot) to people who will never go to a subscription concert. – The community must be involved in shaping the orchestra. – The word “outreach” is a negative and condescending term that describes a one-way street. “Engagement” means [...]

Jan 28, 2010 | 17 comments | View Post

Today’s Opening Remarks and Elusive Communities

It’s been a busy day. Opening remarks from conference organizer Mark Clague, SMTD Dean Christopher Kendall, UMS President Ken Fischer, and UM Director of Orchestras Ken Kiesler set the summit priorities: 1. Comments and discussion should focus on the realm of the “actionable”  ideas that could be put into practice by orchestras in the very near future. 2. Universities and resident societies—such as U of M and UMS—must play a conscious role in developing musicians, audiences, and participants who will thrive in a rapidly diversifying American orchestral culture. (This point was later expanded to great effect by Larry Tamburri in his discussion of [...]

Jan 27, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

Precise but not rigid

I’m writing about why I’ve decided to take a three-day sabbatical from my musical activities in Portland to attend the American Orchestras Summit in Ann Arbor. Here’s the first reason: Pierre Boulez. When I was in college, I spent one unforgettable summer playing in the Scotia Festival Orchestra under Boulez, and attending his talks on the history and future of music. I remember clearly that every spoken sentence (whether in rehearsal, lecture or casual conversation) was perfectly formed for maximum impact – he was always fascinating, brilliant and provocative. I’ve since wanted to revisit that experience, and although I won’t [...]

Jan 26, 2010 | 7 comments | View Post

How can we inspire a new generation of leaders, Quickly?

I was tickled, to be asked to contribute to the American Orchestra Summit Blog.  It was really not until this weekend that panic struck when I began to wonder, “What in blazes do I have to say about American Orchestras?!?!?” As my bio reads I teach Arts Management and Administration at the “university down the street.”  Our program is multi-disciplinary, so I have students interested in music, dance, theatre, visual arts, film, arts advocacy, arts and healthcare, and any other discipline you can think of.  I do have some students who are interested in working for established cultural organizations, like [...]

Jan 26, 2010 | 8 comments | View Post