The absent blogger! Sorry. It’s been a busy couple of weeks.
I’m in the process of launching a new show and I need the advice of you radio professionals. This is not shameless promotion. I really want to know what sort of things you’d like, what will convince you to air the series, how you want the shows delivered, and all those little details.
It’s a series of America’s Music Festivals, beginning with 26 different festivals in the west this summer, and hosted by Marin Alsop. Free, of course. We hope to create a sense of place from the most beautiful places on earth.
The festivals are more than just a bunch of ho-hum concert venues. They’re a critical part of our classical music infrastructure. They provide off-season income for musicians. They give the artists a chance to recharge creatively — working with new, inspiring colleagues; playing unusual and challenging repertoire; performing for fresh audiences.
The festivals make it possible for musicians to interact informally with the audience. They raise the cultural profile of communities. They put a different face on classical music, giving opportunities to living composers and allowing for experimentation. They offer students the chance to work with world class musicians.
In the grand scheme of things, taking classical music to a less formal venue and framing it as a vacation in a beautiful setting does more for our business than all the promotions in the world. When listeners dress casually and musicians leave their tuxes at home, it utterly transforms the atmosphere. That is what I want to capture in these broadcasts — not only the music itself, but also the excitement, the sense of place, the enjoyment of the total experience.
After a concert in Santa Fe one night, cellist Peter Wiley said that when he leaves a concert in New York, the spell is broken as soon as he leaves the hall, but in Santa Fe when he steps out of a concert, the magic continues in the New Mexico night.
I am excited about the freshness of this series. I like to see fresh programming and hear fresh sounds on our stations. I like hearing the voices of the artists. And drooling over La Jolla or Carmel or Taos is almost as good as being there. I can almost smell the green chile roasting.
Need to save pennies, though. Content Depot? PRX? CD? What’s your preferred delivery system?
What would you like to hear in this series? Do you want the artists to customize some promos for you? How’s your schedule looking? What time of day would you air a series like this? I’m looking for input from those of you on the ground.
Thanks! See you next week at the MPC.
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Sounds wonderful, Marty! My staff and I are talking about it. We’ll get back to you.
I like the way you describe the concept, Marty: the sense of place(s), the network of locations and artists, the informality, etc. The challenge will be to impart all that without too much talk. Talking over music, done tastefully, could help with that. It sounds like a weekend show to me. Part of me wants hosting gigs like this to go to radio people, not conductors, but I also think Marin would do a really good job. I’ve certainly enjoyed seeing and hearing famous opera singers host the Met HD broadcasts (some more than others). If star power helps attract listeners, that’s a good thing, and if Marin is given some freedom to bring her experience and personality to the effort, rather that just reading a script written by someone else, the result could be both informative and entertaining. Good luck with it!
Good point, Robert. What I’m offering the festivals is to use their local radio hosts on the shows — so for Chamber Music NW that could be you or one of your colleagues. Marin will be the series host, but the local color definitely needs to come from locals.
You’re so right about the talk. I do like using music beds to carry the talk, and I think 5-6 minutes of talk spread out over an hour is more than enough. What do you think?
Thanks for the excellent feedback. This is a work in progress.
Robert’s opinions largely mirror my own. I agree that this would be fun weekend listening, especially if there are interview snippets from *audience members* about why they choose to attend. Personally, I’d love to hear a blurb from someone enjoying a picnic of wine & cheese, or from a little kit twirling around on the lawn.
Hi Marty,
I love using Fridays during the summer to throw in programs like this! A great to get the listener “out of the house.”
As for our station, we use Content Depot mostly, but would be happy to consider other methods.
You know that I would love to carry the program, so just say when!
Daniel