Over the past two weeks I’ve been either attending or conducting concerts woven around a central idea. As both an audience member and as a performer, what struck me was the realization that these were as much projects as they were concerts, and that those projects created a following (read audience or community) around the organizing ideas. #
That led me to think about the way communities are formed, how they sustain themselves, and why they stay alive or die. #
Mulling over the subject, in turn, led to these ten little questions. Perhaps they will provoke your own thinking as well. #
1. What if communities are the manifestation of ideas? #
2. Is that how communities are born? #
3. Is a community what you get when you commit yourself to an idea? #
4. Does a good idea make a good community? #
5. Do you know the value of an idea by the nature of the community that forms around it? #
6. Does a large idea necessarily make a large community? #
7. Is it better to have a large community around a tepid idea, or a smaller community around a passionately-held idea? #
8. Can you have an idea and no community? #
9. Can you have a community and no idea? #
10. Is the absence of a central idea how communities die? #
#
Recent Comments
nancy dotterer field on Masur on Beethoven
Have been making notes, on his comments also....and yes, the "magic" and the soul which Masur helps musicians and conductors find...often...Trudy Miller on “Must See” Streaming Internet
Thank you for sharing some of Mr. Mann's comments. The beauty and truth in what he says transcends his medium:...Marly Harris on Public Concert, Private Music
I'm late to the party but this essay moved me profoundly.Barry Johnstone. on Field Trip!
Thank you for posting this MOST important article. The last five sentences sum it up for me!Claudia cutler on Field Trip!
Thank you for posting this. I am a dance teacher who helped form - with great music, dance and drama...Gene on Penny for your thoughts
Thank you for a great idea! We're going to try this at our chamber music festival next June. ...Stephen Soderberg on What are we doing here?
A wonderful project & a beautiful post!John Thomas Dodson on Discovering the Baroque Above a Torture Chamber
We did check into that. We spoke to several people well versed in history and in the archives here. It...MWnyc on Discovering the Baroque Above a Torture Chamber
Sounds like a wonderful project! Any thoughts of reviving any sacred music from the colonial period that may have survived in...Justin Saragoza on A moment of attention is enough
What struck me in your post, and it was a bit unclear to me (just me maybe), is wondering if...