Laura Brownell | Polyphonic.org - The Orchestra Musician Forum

Would You Buy a “Made in China” Violin?

Apr 18 2011

When Laura Brownell needed to find a violin quickly, she visited the Remenyi House of Music in Toronto and became enamored of a beautiful violin that, surprisingly, turned out to be made in China.

Laura presents an interesting discussion of the quality of current Chinese-made violins, and the threat Chinese makers pose to traditional European violin workshops. She interviewed Michael Remenyi, the owner of the Remenyi House of Music, to find out his concerns about these instruments and the factors that cause him to offer them in his shop.

Finally, Laura discusses the role that Chinese-made string instruments will play in the lives of professionals musicians.

Time to end the Detroit strike

Mar 30 2011

I am no longer working for the musicians’ union so I am just going to call it like I see it… It is time for the musicians of the DSO to make their best deal and go back to work. Sadly, we have seen this so many times – musicians using brute force to try[…]

Community outreach – ideas for guidelines

Mar 02 2011

It appears that a big reason that the Detroit Symphony potential settlement fell apart was a dispute over $2 million for community outreach. I am sure there is more to it than that but if there is still a spark of hope embedded in that concept it is worth taking a closer look. The term[…]

The worst is yet to come

Feb 28 2011

If you think that the Detroit Symphony labor dispute has been hard to watch, steel yourselves because the worst is yet to come. If the parties can’t find their way to a settlement in very short order, it will be even harder to watch the orchestra disintegrate. The recent “farewell” posting by the entire DSO[…]

Nov 23 2010

The dust has finally settled around the Harris Theater dispute. Music students are now comfortably established in their routines for the new academic year and may be looking for guidance as they pursue opportunities to perform. Laura Brownell takes a walk down memory lane and uses her experiences as a student performer to shed light on a long-standing issue: Can the interface among music schools, training orchestras, and professional musicians be effectively managed? This article explains that the problem will probably never go away but it can be effectively managed by following some basic guidelines.

Jun 10 2010

Mary McGeer, is a freelance musician who has carved out a unique niche in Toronto’s rich music scene by creating Talisker Players Chamber Music, an organization that presents chamber works for voice and small instrumental ensembles. The article explores the benefits and challenges of creating and maintaining a small budget performance organization as one part of an urban freelance career. Laura finds that although the rewards are significant in terms of creative expression, community connection, and the satisfaction of providing meaningful work for professional musicians, the price for those at the helm can be high. Countless hours of unpaid work are often required in order to maintain standards and stay within budget.

The Cleveland Orchestra strike: underlying issues

Feb 02 2010

A shared vision On February 2, 2005, Gary Hanson (ED/TCO) paid a visit to the storied offices of the AFM at 1501 Broadway in the heart of NY’s theater district. TCO was in town, set to play Carnegie Hall that evening. Hanson was clearly asking the AFM for forgiveness rather than permission – the meeting[…]

A tiny perfect strike

Jan 25 2010

It was a tiny perfect strike. (Torontonians and expat Gary Hanson will get the reference. The rest of you can Google David Crombie.)

Sep 28 2009

American orchestral musicians are familiar with ICSOM and ROPA. ICSOM, the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians represents the fifty, or so, largest American orchestras, and ROPA, the Regional Orchestra Players Association, as its name suggests represents U.S. regional orchestras. The Canadian counterpart to these two organizations is OCSM, the Conference of the Organization of Canadian Symphony Musicians – l’Organization des Musiciens d’Orchestres Symphoniques du Canada. Laura Brownell’s article gives the reader insight into the workings of this organization.

May 15 2006

Collective representation touches the lives of every orchestra musician at a number of contact points. Although most musicians are aware of what “the union” is, they may not realize how many facets of the union directly influence their career. One of those contact points is the Symphonic Services Division (SSD).

In an effort to help professional orchestra musicians better understand the organizations which represent them, SSD Executive Director, Laura Brownell, has written an introductory guide explaining what SSD is, how it connects with the musicians, and what they are working on this season.

Author - Laura Brownell

Would You Buy a “Made in China” Violin?

Time to end the Detroit strike

Community outreach – ideas for guidelines

The worst is yet to come

What Were They Thinking?

Unique Ensemble Created by Toronto Free-lancer

The Cleveland Orchestra strike: underlying issues

A tiny perfect strike

Schutzman Elected to Fourth Term at 2009 OCSM Conference

SSD Advocates for Symphony Musicians and their Local Unions