Blog

Dress for Success

The Baltimore Symphony under Marin Alsop has really been trying to change things up in the orchestra world.  A couple of years ago I wrote about plans for an orchestra  fantasy camp, (my words) for adults, and how the amateur musicians would be working with the pros of the orchestra. Apparently it has been a[…]

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Musicians as managers

My orchestra managed to startle a fair number of people the other day: In a surprising development, principal trumpeter Mark Niehaus has been named the new president and executive director of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the MSO announced Wednesday. Niehaus succeeds MaryEllen Gleason, who has resigned after two seasons as the MSO’s executive to pursue[…]

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Why Music Is Important: The Experience

Do you ever buy CDs or download music used in movies? Great scores like Out of Africa, Harry Potter, Chariots of Fire, the Batman series?

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Send Yourself a Text to Come in at Letter C

I subscribe to various list-servs, and one of them is orchestra-l. It’s for musicians who are members of ICSOM orchestras (International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians). Lately there has been a lot of back and forth about musicians using electronic devices in rehearsals when they aren’t playing. Here is a sample. “Bonjour! — I […]

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On governance

Recent news about the negotiations in Atlanta, St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Indianapolis have caused a great deal of discussion amongst orchestra musicians. Some online discussion got me to thinking about the role of governance in all of this, and how at least three of these situations are directly related to governance issues and misconceptions.

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You Want Younger Audiences? Time to Start Listening!

Shoshana Fanizza is the founder of Audience Development Specialists (ADS for short). It’s a company that provides services to help organizations and individuals learn how to apply audience development to their art. Find ADS here. As is the usual case now-a-days, she has a blog, and last June I stumbled across what I thought was […]

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The Importance of Music: Why It’s My Passion

As my love for the art form grew and grew, my need for it began to dominate my school life until one day it erupted as one of those tearful confessions you see in Hollywood movies.

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Ruggiero Ricci: A Tribute

By Tony Woodcock The great American violinist Ruggiero Ricci died this week at the age of 94.  I had the great privilege of seeing Ricci perform many times and of working with him on countless occasions. The first time I saw him live I was a boy of 14 with very “sophisticated” tastes.  His programme,[…]

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League Plenary Session, June 6, 2012

The first plenary session opened with a performance by the Oklahoma youth Orchestra, conducted by Dr. John E. Clinton, playing excerpts from Carmen by Georges Bizet and Sarsen by Hilary Tann. Jesse Rosen, League President and CEO, welcomed the delegates to the opening plenary session at Myerson Symphony Center. He commented that “youth symphonies are[…]

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1
Dress for Success
2
Musicians as managers
3
Why Music Is Important: The Experience
4
Send Yourself a Text to Come in at Letter C
5
On governance
6
You Want Younger Audiences? Time to Start Listening!
7
The Importance of Music: Why It’s My Passion
8
Tears, Elf Kings, and Michael Jackson
9
Ruggiero Ricci: A Tribute
10
League Plenary Session, June 6, 2012