Arts Issues
Submitted by Jim Hirsch on Tue, 04/29/2008 - 7:19am.
A couple of strange things have crossed my computer screen this week and I would really love to get your opinion about them.
Earlier this week a friend emailed me an article about a robot conducting an orchestra. Okay, hold the jokes about conductors for a second. Honda’s ASIMO humanoid robot will take command of the baton in Detroit on May 13 and will conduct the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as it performs Impossible Dream to open a concert performance featuring cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
I think we can all agree that robots are unlikely to replace humans on the podium anytime soon. What’s interesting about this is that Honda is a major donor to DSO, and one gets the feeling that putting ASIMO on the podium might somehow be tied to the sponsorship. I’m all for acknowledging the wonderful corporate partners who support our work, but does this go too far?
Another item that caught my eye was from the League of American Orchestra’s newsletter. Apparently classical composers and folk musicians are collaborating on creating new music for orchestras. Not exactly a new idea given the use of folk music themes throughout classical music history, but up until recently, using folk influences was considered déclassé. How do you feel about this renewed interest in vernacular music?
Finally, speaking of traditional music, the Chicago Sinfonietta will be presenting the world premiere of Three Songs for Blues Singer and Orchestra created by composer/arranger Larry Hoffman on May 11th and 12th featuring Muddy Water’s long-time guitarist, John Primer. We are pleased to offer registered users of this site a “hot deal” to attend this concert that will also feature pianist Leon Bates performing Rhapsody in Blue and Pictures at an Exhibition performed with a never-before-seen video created by astronomer and video artist José Francisco Salgado.
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The epic 2008 edition of Musical America features an unlikely, full color two-page photograph of The Princeton Laptop Orchestra a.k.a. PLOrk. The accompanying caption begins “the Computer Age throws down a gauntlet.” The implied threat is that electronic devices are encroaching on the territory of traditional orchestras. Leaving aside the irony of using an object from the Middle Ages to describe the increasing integration of 21st century technology into musical performance, this “challenge” is nothing to fear.
A recent performance by PLOrk on the Sonic Divergence Festival at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall featured twenty laptopists, five conductors, acoustic violin and percussion soloists, and members of the Northwestern University Percussion Ensemble. Ample ingredients for an interesting evening of music were in place. And it was very interesting, up to a point.
The big question going in, even taking into account the brilliant minds at work on this project, was “how great will the distance be between what is musically possible and what we will actually hear?” While many of the elements for success were present, there is a long interesting journey ahead to close the existing gap between the two.
The technical creativity, innovative language allowing real time interaction among ensemble members, individual speaker systems, and obvious commitment by the performers produced a series of different “soundscapes” that, nevertheless, ran the emotional gamut from A to B. The technical wizardry is still in need of a way to make contact with the senses. Operational sequencing dominated the proceeding leaving a longing by the audience for phrasing, melody, and musical entry points.
Some of the best moments involved the acoustic instrumental interaction. We could see what they were doing and how they were doing it. Those moments were pregnant with the possibility that anything could go very right or very wrong at any time, making the audience a partner in the live performance experience. This was a welcome sensation.
Just as a great concert hall is only as good as the artists who perform on its stage, laptop orchestras will always be dependent on the quality of the music written for it and its ability to engage the audience as a partner. In that regard, there is much to do, and there is little to fear as far as usurpation of performance opportunities by armies of laptop-toting computer science majors.
Equally clear is the potential for new technology to compliment and embellish the music and musicians we have come to love, enjoy, and respect. I have little doubt that evolving technical innovations will one day blossom into the reality of something more artistically and emotionally engaging. It will be an exciting new addition to the lexicon of the arts when it happens. The battle has begun and the troops are energized.
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A good friend of mine who goes by the alias "
Drex Drexler" sent me this article from today's
New York Times, which provides evidence that
Thomas Edison was by no means the first to lay down a track (a recording recently discovered by researchers looks to have beaten Edison to the punch by 20 years).
Check it out: here's the article with audio of the findings.
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Regarding Jim's blog on Dudamel's appearance on 60 Minutes (which agreed is a good piece), I'd like to link to Andrew Patner's
Critical Thinking interview with Dudamel which took place just days before he flew to California (mid-stint with the CSO!) to make his announcement with the LA Philharmonic. Contrary to the last line of the 60 Minutes piece, we in fact heard all about Dudamel on WFMT first.
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Submitted by Jim Hirsch on Tue, 02/26/2008 - 9:00am.
I don’t know how many of you saw Gustavo Dudamel’s recent appearance on 60 Minutes. If you didn’t see it, use the link enclosed in this post. It takes about 13 minutes and is well worth the time.
It seems to me that Dudamel is the type of charismatic artist who will attract people to the concert hall, get people to purchase recordings/downloads, and make the concert experience attractive and exciting for diverse audiences. I predict that the Los Angeles Philharmonic will be seeing some new faces in the seats when he begins his tenure as their music director. He may be the Bernstein of our time.
Kudos to the very smart people at the Los Angeles Philharmonic for hiring this budding superstar. I’m guessing that a fair number of orchestras who are looking for music directors will end up wishing they had gotten Gustavo.
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Submitted by Jim Hirsch on Thu, 01/31/2008 - 3:23pm.
There has been some nice coverage of a few events that relate to diversity in classical music recently. Last week John von Rhein of the Chicago Tribune wrote an
article about a Chicago Sinfonietta diversity initiative entitled Project Inclusion that we launched on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. day. There has been further coverage of this important new initiative in the
Chicago Sun-Times and The Strad Magazine will soon print an article, as well.
The Sphinx Organization, headquartered in Detroit, also made an announcement about a consortium of orchestras they have pulled together (including the Chicago Sinfonietta) that will award a major commission each year to a composer of color. Check out this
article from Crain’s Detroit Business for more details.
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Submitted by Jim Hirsch on Wed, 12/19/2007 - 9:30am.
I’m always looking for “feel good” stories at this time of year. One such story caught my eye this week. There was an article written in the Los Angeles Times by Deborah Schoch about a classical music program entitled “The Harmony Project” that provides classical music training to 500 people ages 6 – 18. The disadvantaged children who participate in this program are organized into two orchestras and two choirs, once again picking up the slack left by the devastating cuts made in our school’s music budgets. In addition, the program, which is provided free to the participants, takes the children to the Hollywood Bowl for concerts and includes the use of instruments. The Harmony Project is partnering with the L.A. Philharmonic to extend this initiative to children throughout the area.
We have some wonderful programs for low-income students in Chicago, as well. Among others, the Merit School of Music, the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra, and the Sherwood Conservatory of Music all provide music instruction for low-income children. I recently met with the administrative staff of El Valor, located in Pilsen, who are also providing free music instruction for the children of that neighborhood.
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I recently spent a few days in New York combining business with pleasure. On the business side I attended a meeting at the League of American Orchestras (formerly known as the American Symphony Orchestra League) with colleagues from across the country to discuss issues related to our field. I also spent the better part of three days meeting with artist managers to get caught up on artist happenings and discuss upcoming projects for the Grant Park Music Festival. These meetings are important because direct face to face contact always makes doing business so much easier the next time one finds himself haggling about fees over the phone or email.
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I recently read a fascinating article on Polyphonic.org about “growing” audiences. The marketing consultant Christopher Stager was on a conference audience development panel in London and had some practical advice about how audiences “behave.” He outlined 8 fundamental beliefs he says we should consider when trying to get people into our concert halls.
How many of us think or care about how audiences respond when we plan our seasons? How many of us ask our artistic or music directors for programs with no thought of the marketing and attendance implications?
I am on a list serve discussion group of managers who are members of the League of American Orchestras (formerly known as the American Symphony Orchestra League.) The topic we are currently debating is how music directors, marketing staff and managers should interact and eventually agree on concert programs. The practice in our field varies widely. Gone are the days when music directors turned over programs and said, “Here, go sell it.” Today market pressures require a more collaborative approach.
In my own experience, staying true to one’s institutional priorities, matching those fundamental guiding principles to artistic personnel who share them, and of course employing the art of compromise, all combine in helping achieve those objectives.
The good news as reported by Stager is that overall, repertory is more important than guest artists. That’s good news because guest artist fees, especially for the big names, have skyrocketed past our ability to recoup them at the box office. Stager says the best selling concerts are those that match a big name with a mega popular piece. Yes, Perlman playing the Tchaikovsky Concerto will pack ‘em in.
I always wonder at badly attended concerts why the marketing didn’t work. Then, I realize at all Mozart concerts or when people cram the aisles to hear Boleró that audiences are shrewd, selective consumers. People know what they like and act accordingly. Never underestimate the intelligence of your audience.
Here’s also what I find hopeful: Stager says that “an institution’s unwavering will to present interesting programs – not simply popular ones” builds audiences over time. Great, so we can have our cake and eat it, too, that is, if we do everything else right.
But, since audiences tend to select the familiar and since ticket prices are accelerating beyond inflation, “audiences are less willing to risk the investment in what they don’t know. As ticket prices increase, their trust declines.”
Stager goes on to discuss “where” and “when” we program concerts, with interesting anecdotes to support his opinions. But the most compelling thing he cites as fact is that a solid music education is the main predictor of attendance.
Ta da! Or should I say, “Duh?”
How many of us have asked that question of our audiences? And how many of us are actively marketing to community music schools, conservatory students, or collaborating with those organizations on audience development programs? I don’t do enough of that yet for my organization, certainly at the level the evidence suggests I should.
Stager’s presentation closes on a hopeful note: that Classical music is in transition, not decline. I agree and feel that while our business model may be antiquated and not yet fluid enough to respond to our audiences’ needs, there is a large and loyal market share for our music. The way to reach audiences, the solution, whatever that is, has to be found by each of us on the local level.
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Submitted by Jim Hirsch on Wed, 10/31/2007 - 10:39am.
Last week Daniel J. Levitin wrote
an Op-Ed piece for the New York Times about how odd it is that classical music audiences are discouraged from expressing their enjoyment of music through movement. Levitin asserts that moving to music is innate and that we would probably have more fun if we moved freely.
I couldn’t agree more. For me, it follows the “don’t clap in between movements” rule at classical music concerts that I sometimes find so counter-intuitive. Would it be distracting if half of the people at a concert got up to dance or sway to the music? In some instances, yes. But there are times when the enjoyment of a piece is enhanced by moving to the beat, and if the entire audience joins in doing so, then it can ascend to a higher level altogether.
A great example of this takes place every January at the Chicago Sinfonietta’s Annual Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Maestro Freeman closes this concert every year by inviting the audience to stand up, hold hands, sing, and sway to the pulse of “We Shall Overcome”. The act of moving as a group, and singing together makes this one of the most emotional moments of the season, year after year.
Maybe there are other opportunities like this that would make our concerts more fun and fulfilling. Can any of you share similar moments that you may have experienced in the concert hall?
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