A friend sent me a link to an interesting blog written by Amanda Ameer entitled, “Someone, please just bring the water to the horse”.  This fun-to-read, thought-provoking blog is about how orchestras can do a better job of marketing events to younger consumers.  Think of it as our field’s Holy Grail.  

I think you will enjoy reading this even if you are not an orchestra marketing director.  I’d love to get your take on her conclusions so please return to our site and leave a comment after reading Amanda’s blog, and maybe share some ideas you might have.  Enjoy!

This morning my Google alert for Chicago classical music included a link to a blog with the title, Baroque jams: you’re new iPod playlist.  This caught my eye for a number of reasons.  First, my wife and son spent seven hours in line last week waiting to buy the new Apple iPhone that incorporates all of the iPod functions with too many other things to list.  I confess that I am interested in just about all things Apple-related.

But when posts combine my interest in technology and classical music, I tend to really pay attention.   This post is meant as a primer for younger people looking to put classical music on their iPod who might not know where to start.  The author spoke with an artistic administrator, a composer, and a radio host who all had suggestions.

I think we can do even better here at chicagoclassicalmusic.org.  I’d like to ask you, our very informed and knowledgeable users, to suggest your top five classical music compositions that should be on every young person’s iPod by replying to this post.

Here is my list:

Beethoven – 7th Symphony
Mozart – The Magic Flute
Tchaikovsky – Violin Concerto in D major
DBR - almost anything he’s recorded with the Mission
Albéniz – Leyenda (I had to include a guitar piece!  This one is fun and exciting.)

I was in Denver last week for the League of American Orchestras annual conference.  The League meetings are always a treat and this one had some great highlights including a killer keynote address by Jim Collins, the author of Good to Great, a moving presentation by El Sistema creator, José Antonio Abreu, and an emotional farewell to the League’s retiring CEO, Henry Fogel.

The Collins presentation was particularly useful as he has created a not-for-profit version of his best-selling business book that is widely available.  I highly recommend this for anyone involved with a not-for-profit.

One short comment on Maestro Abreu.  It is clear to me why he has been able to develop what might be the most successful orchestra education program to be found anywhere in the world.  I simply can’t imagine anyone ever saying no to him.  In case some of you haven’t seen this, this is a YouTube clip of the Simon Bolivar Orchestra (the best players from El Sistema) under the baton on Dudamel.

Finally, Henry Fogel presided over his final LOA conference.  Henry has done an amazing job as CEO of the League and all of us in the orchestral world owe him big time.  Thanks Henry!!

I’m off for a few weeks but will be looking for items of interest for this blog on all of the golf courses I plan on visiting.

I’ve been thinking a lot about our economy recently.  I’m wondering how $4 per gallon gas, a weakening dollar, the sub-prime mortgage mess, a huge federal deficit, and other economic trends will affect the micro-economy of classical music.  The challenge for organizations like the Chicago Sinfonietta is that we make artistic commitments and budget assumptions up to 18 months in advance.  Who knew last January when we were finalizing our 2008-2009 season that the stock market would decline significantly and that gas prices would set daily records?  Would we have done anything differently had we known that the economy was headed for a downturn?  Hmmm….. So,

How do you think will these factors affect attendance? 

How do you think funding and sponsorship might be affected?

How should we as arts managers react to uncertain times like these?

What other factors do you anticipate affecting classical music in the future?  Maybe I’m a bit pessimistic, but I’m not real happy with what I’m hearing and seeing right now.  Can someone talk me down off the ledge?

Well, Asimo (the Honda robot) recently “conducted” a piece with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the sky didn’t fall.  Chicago Opera Theater provided a live simul-cast of Don Giovanni on a screen in Millennium Park earlier this month and no one seemed to object.  And this summer the Grant Park Music Festival will present a concert of Indian music performed with a screening of a vintage Bollywood movie.  What is our classical music world coming to?

It seems to me that these are all great examples of the field seeking new and exciting ways of appealing to audiences, both new and old. I plan on attending the Grant Park concert on July 30th and am also very interested in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s presentation of The Inca Trail, an evening of Peruvian music scheduled for next October. 

Yes, my tastes do run in these directions, but I’m wondering if there are a good number of people out there who also enjoy these types of performances.  What do you, our faithful readers, think?