May 2009 Archives

Did you like the Publicist Parade? I learned many things, and here are two of them: 1. I send out press releases way too late and 2. I miss blogging when I don't get to do it. Decide for yourselves whether or not those two points are at all related.

Here's what I didn't write about but wanted to this week:

Is this black thing New York City Opera's new logo or is it just an image for the upcoming season?


Because...

And I mean...

I also thought a lot about anticipation this week, which perhaps I will flesh out at a later point. I finally watched the Lost season finale, and when the episode ended (what the what?) and the screen flashed to Lost, the Final Season, or whatever...2010, my sister and I looked at each other with bulged eyes (hers more so, because they're simply bigger) and said as one, "2010!!!". I also spent the better part of one morning this week watching and forwarding along this trailer:

Advertising does, in fact, work. Also, a guy at a meeting last week told me I looked like Anna Paquin; that's not even close to true, but it did get True Blood in my head.

So, I put the series on my Netflix queue, only to see in the description that there's a PUBLICITY angle!

True Blood - Mind-reading Louisiana waitress Sookie Stackhouse's (Anna Paquin, in a Golden Globe-winning role) life gets complicated when she falls for vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) in a world where vampires live openly and drink synthetic blood. Trying to improve their image and legitimize their finances, the out-of-the-coffin bloodsuckers hire PR firms and contribute to influential Republican politicians. Alan Ball ("Six Feet Under") helms the HBO series.

Well that's certainly exciting. Vampires, Life Complications and Public Relations: my ears are burning.  I'll report back after I power through the discs this weekend. Bang on a Vampire Marathon.

Publicist Log, Day 4: Today we have Rebecca Davis, who I have known 4eva, 4eva-eva. Rebecca was Director of Publicity at Universal Music Classical when I was Publicity Manager at IMG Artists, and then we worked on Hilary's Schoenberg/Sibelius exploits together, and then I covered for her at Universal when she was on maternity leave last fall. She's since started her own firm, and here's what she has to say for herself:

Rebecca Davis is a publicity, promotions and marketing consultant with over ten years of experience working with musicians on the world's leading major and independent classical record labels including Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Philips and Naxos. Clients include singers Juan Diego Florez, Rolando Villazon, Danielle de Niese and Cecilia Bartoli, violinists Janine Jansen and Caroline Goulding, conductor Kristjan Jarvi, the Australian Chamber Orchestra and composer Daniel Felsenfeld. Rebecca has also implemented successful media campaigns for artists including Renee Fleming, Anna Netrebko, Lang Lang, Bryn Terfel, Hilary Hahn, Anne Sophie Mutter and Osvaldo Golijov. Rebecca's strong relationships with journalists in the music media as well as mainstream outlets throughout the US has helped her secure coverage for artists in all major outlets in print, online and on radio and television. Rebecca has a special passion for bringing classical music to a broad mainstream audience as well as to the classical press through targeted pitching, creative story-telling and special events. In an increasingly diverse, ever-changing and often competitive media market, Rebecca uses an enthusiastic voice and in-depth expertise in promoting classical music to help artists achieve meaningful and impactful visibility in the national media. For more information, please visit: www.rebeccadavispr.com
 

What is the purpose of a press release? And what, in your opinion, is the most important aspect of a press release?  How does that element accomplish the purpose?

Most simply, a press release is a snapshot of an artist's current story. The quality of the writing and presentation of a press release can make a huge difference in how much attention an artist receives for any given tour, recording, or news item. The most important aspect of a press release is the solid information it includes. We're publicists so we're naturally pretty excited about our subjects and a little hype is hard to avoid, but a good press release is not about hyperbole and marketing but rather a tool to convey actual news about an artist.  In my experience, if you want a journalist to read your press release, you have to provide them with the facts quickly and concisely.  If a press release is too florid but short on hard information it will quickly be sent to the recycle bin and you risk having future releases downright ignored if a journalist doesn't feel they can trust you to provide information that would be of interest to their audience.
 

Similarly, what is the most important aspect of an artist biography? How long should a bio be, ideally? Should it include press quotes? Why or why not?

Along with the press release, a bio is the backbone of an artist's media campaign. It should be well-written and concise to work for programs, liner notes, artist and management webpages, Facebook and other social networking and anywhere else it might appear.  Though there may be some adjustments made for each iteration, the information in the bio and tone of the writing should be consistent anywhere it appears.  I'm a big fan of the one-pager as well as the biographical timeline that Deutsche Grammophon uses for their artists.  It gives a nice snapshot of the career, what happened when and, to my eyes, is a quick and easy read. 

I do tend to include press quotes in my materials when they make sense as that gives journalists an idea of what their peers in other markets (or countries) are saying about my artist.  I won't indiscriminately note that, for example, the Kalamazoo Chronicle liked an artist when she came to town when I'm pitching a new record. If I want to convey what makes a recording of I Capuleti e Montecchi special, however, I could tell you that Anna Netrebko and Elina Garanca sound swell together but it probably carries more weight to tell you that Opera News called their pairing "fortunate" and said "their voices are well matched and they blend beautifully." Press quotes can also be helpful when you are pitching an artist who may have a solid, enthusiastic  following somewhere overseas (like the vivacious and utterly jaw-dropping Australian Chamber Orchestra), but are still relatively unknown to media in this country.


How far in advance of a CD release or concert do you send/e mail press releases? How many times do you usually follow-up journalists after sending the release?
 
For monthly publications, I plan on at least a three month lead time (and sometimes much more) to develop a story and make sure interviews, photo shoots and other creative aspects of the story can be worked out by deadline. Weeklies, I would do about six weeks in advance, dailies a month in advance. It all depends on the piece though.  For a straight record review (yes, they do still happen) the journalist probably doesn't have to spend as much time working on the story as they would for a 1000 word profile with photos. So, the short answer is that it entirely depends on the kind of story I'm pitching and how far in advance each outlet works.  I'm currently working on pieces running anywhere from June to December.

How and when to follow-up depends on the preference of the journalist.  I have people who say everything from "just keep reminding me" to "please don't follow-up, if I'm interested I'll let you know" and everything in between.  Journalists can have very specific preferences about when they want to be called, emailed or even faxed and as publicists, we try to keep up with that to make sure we are feeding them the right information for them in the way that they like to receive it. 


In 2009, what do you consider successful coverage for a client's concert? How has the definition of "coverage" changed since you started working in PR? For example, do artist's personal blogs/websites/Twitter feeds count as media coverage?

These elements are extremely essential to reaching an audience directly and an important facet of artist marketing.  I wouldn't categorize facebook, twitter, youtube and artist websites as "media" coverage though, because there is no pitching involved, the artist and his entourage do the upkeep on those sites without relying on journalists as a third party.  I define successful media coverage for an artist or project to be when you are able to get not just one great story on an artist but a variety of interesting pieces across several kinds of media (in print, on line, on-air) that run around the same time so that they really impact not just concert and recording sales, but take a musician to a new level of notoriety and recognition and ultimately win new audiences to their artistry.


Who owns the problem of selling tickets and CDs?  Is it a publicist's job to secure press that will have a direct impact on sales, or does some press accomplish something beyond or different from sales?  Should marketing - ticket sales, ad copy, poster design - be kept separate from publicity, or do efforts often overlap?
 
In the short-term, a publicist needs to justify his or her fee by securing impactful pieces that will help with CD and concert sales.  But, there are also pieces that we work on over long periods of time that may reach a very wide audience and build recognition, but do not always have a direct affect on sales.  I have gotten reviews in limited circulation publications that have had far more impact to record sales than appearances on national TV shows reaching audiences in the millions, but in general any kind of coverage that is worth the artist's time will help build the profile and impact sales.

In my experience these marketing and press materials can and should complement one another. As a publicist, I work closely with the artist, management, record label, website manager and presenters to make sure that this happens. I'm a big believer in branding and consistent messages across platforms.  The more a person sees an image, the more they are affected by it.  If they see one image of an artist about his concert, another about an unrelated CD project, and a third on his website, I think it subtly undermines the effort to ingrain an artist into the popular mindset.
 

When in their careers should artists hire a publicist?

Quite simply, when there is a compelling story to tell.  Ideally, that includes recording projects and a busy tour schedule plus an interesting newsworthy hook.  If the artist's story is juicy enough sometimes that will make up for a lighter tour schedule or the lack of a major current recording.  It bears noting that even if there is no record deal, an artist needs to have a high quality recording for a publicist to service to journalists and radio stations.

Additionally, some publicists (myself included) will consider short term projects of just a few months when there is a big tour or a new release. The artist may not be quite ready for full-time press representation if, for instance, they spend most of their time out of the country and only need someone advocating for them with American media during the period they are active here.


If an artist doesn't have a publicist, what is the best advice you can offer them for self-promotion?

I would say they should do two things.  First, be sure your webpage and social networking pages are regularly updated with news about your career.  And don't forget the basic element of making sure there is clear contact information available if a journalist wants to cover your story. Secondly, read, listen, watch and pay close attention to what journalists are talking about and what radio stations are playing so you can pitch your story in the unique context of that particular outlet.  Our jobs as publicists are to know our media, to have those relationships so that we know when a story might be of interest to the journalist and their audience.  The biggest mistake an artist (or inexperienced publicist) can make is pitching a story to a journalist without first finding out what interests that person, what they've written about in the past and why that story makes sense for them. 

A third thing an artist should remember is good old-fashioned manners.  Be sure to say "Thank You" when a journalist covers your concert or recording (an email is fine, a note is even better).  And if they aren't interested for any reason (or are unresponsive as is more often the case), be nice, don't pout, and try again next time.


How do you choose clients? Is there a set criteria in your company, or do you decide on a case-by-case basis?

Again, I go back to the simple criteria of there being a compelling story to tell that is worth sharing on a national level.  The artist has to be exceptional at their craft, it should go without saying, but also   different enough from their colleagues in the same field to warrant the attention of news media.  For instance, a new recording of the Four Seasons from a bright young violinist is not likely to garner media attention on its own because the story has been told before.  If however, you are like Janine Jansen and record the work in an arrangement no one has heard before and become a huge sensation on iTunes with pop music level sales, you have yourself a pretty terrific story.  A good publicist should be able to help an artist craft and articulate that story as well.

I also look at what is happening with the artist over the coming seasons to determine if there will be enough going on to justify having a publicist on long-term.  Significant touring at important venues in major cities coupled with great recordings are important factors that help me determine if the artist is at a level where they will need someone consistently managing their profile within the media.

For a long-term client I love a multi-faceted artist like Kristjan Jarvi who is a true musical omnivore, a brilliant conductor, educator and new music advocate.  Those artists often have so much going on that they offer the best variety of ways to pitch to media and keep the story interesting.


Do clients on your roster know who the other clients on the roster are? Do they care?

I would imagine artists are aware of the caliber and kind of artists I have on my roster before they come to me, but I have never had someone say they want to work with me because I do or do not work with anyone else.


Should publicists run Facebook pages, blogs, Twitter accounts, MySpace pages for their clients, or is that essentially the 2009-equivalent of answering interview questions for them?

Whether it is the publicist, an assistant or the artist themselves posting to these sites and networks, it is just essential that they really reflect the artist's voice.  If they don't, then offering that kind of "relationship" with the artist through these sites is really very false.  I like to think fans are smart enough to sniff out if an artist is posting status updates themselves or if it is being done by someone disconnected to the artist as a person.


If you weren't a classical music publicist, what would you be?

I would probably be singing.  I'm a classically trained soprano myself who has moonlighted in the music business ever since high school.  If I wasn't doing this I would be singing some way or another either professionally, avocationally, or teaching.

It's Publicists Gone Wild this week on Life's a Pitch. Each day, we'll have answers to the same eleven questions from different New York City publicists. Today, we have Steven Swartz, who hails from the publishing (and apparently ukulele) world(s)! Steven and I met...actually, when did we meet?...but our paths cross early and often at cool-kid "new music" events throughout the city.


Steven Swartz never set out to be a publicist.  He studied music and philosophy at Swarthmore College and earned a PhD in composition from University at Buffalo under principal teacher Morton Feldman.  A teaching job proved elusive, so he moved to NYC, embarking on a career that would eventually span journalism, radio, the recording industry, and music publishing.  From 1990 to 2006 he served as Publicity Manager for Boosey & Hawkes.

In 2007 Steven founded Dotdotdotmusic, providing PR, writing, and consulting services to the new music field, specializing in artists whose music transcends styles and genres.   His clients include cellist Maya Beiser, composer Douglas J. Cuomo, New Amsterdam records, Signal, the MATA Festival, and others.  Steven has also enjoyed a parallel career as a recording artist, singing and playing ukulele in the "avant-folk" combos Songs from a Random House and Bedroom Community. Website: www.dotdotdotmusic.net. Twitter: @dotdotdottweet.


What is the purpose of a press release? And what, in your opinion, is the most important aspect of a press release?  How does that element accomplish the purpose?

I think any publicist would agree that it's not enough to convey the essential information -- you have to answer the reader's unspoken question, "Why should I care?"  Ideally, all of the elements of the release work together to provide that answer, but the heavy lifting is accomplished by the narrative you create in the release, and the context you provide to support and enrich that narrative.

Hard to say what the single most important element is, though I think the first two paragraphs are crucial: while the first gives the vital info, the second tells "why this event is different from all other events."


Similarly, what is the most important aspect of an artist biography? How long should a bio be, ideally? Should it include press quotes? Why or why not?

There's a type of bio that you'll often find in concert programs -- a laundry list of accomplishments. I find that absolutely deadly. It's a biography, not a job application! 

Most artists do see the bio as a kind of resume, not realizing that it can serve as a powerful marketing tool, especially on the web.  Phrases from a well-written bio can turn up in coverage for years to come...it's a tremendous opportunity to shape perceptions.

If you only have a few hundred words to work with, you certainly do want to mention the major prizes and credits. But a good artist bio tells not only what the artist has achieved, but how she became the particular artist she is.  There are always formative experiences and influences, and often some interesting twists and turns along the way.  Without belaboring these things, an artist's bio can sketch a compelling narrative arc, while still making room for the credentials that establish the artist as bona fide. 

I use press quotes sparingly, and not in every instance.  If you're writing a long bio, say 1000-1200 words, there may be room for a few well-chosen gems.  A short bio should run about 350 words, and you should always have a bio/blurb that tops out at 150 words.


How far in advance of a CD release or concert do you send/e mail press releases? How many times do you usually follow-up journalists after sending the release?

Anywhere from three months to six weeks out for the initial release.  No hard formula for how many times to follow up.  Some people are fine with repeated nudging, others need to be prodded gently and sparingly.  Know your contacts and what they respond to best!
 

In 2009, what do you consider successful coverage for a client's concert? How has the definition of "coverage" changed since you started working in PR? For example, do artist's personal blogs/websites/Twitter feeds count as media coverage?

If your artist is a gifted blogger, like Darcy James Argue, whose Secret Society blog is eloquent and influential, he can serve as a very effective adjunct to your own efforts.  But I'd hardly consider an artist's own blog as "coverage," though positive comments from his peers can be useful as blurbs.

This week on Life's a Pitch, the royal "we" is talking to NYC-based classical music publicists. Everyone gets the same questions, and presumably no one has seen anyone else's answers! Here's Jennifer Wada, with whom I had the pleasure of working on the Hilary Hahn/Josh Ritter concert at the Metropolitan Museum of Art last spring.

Jennifer Wada is a New York-based public relations consultant in the performing arts whose clients include the Metropolitan Museum Concerts series, the Orchestra of St. Luke's, the George London Foundation for Singers, composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, and conductor Kent Tritle, among others.  Prior to opening her own business in 2000, she spent 18 years at Carnegie Hall, the last nine of them as the director of public relations, from 1991 to 2000, overseeing the media profile of the landmark institution.  Ms. Wada is a graduate of Vassar College, from which she received a bachelor of arts degree with a major in music.  She was also for many years a member of the Japanese taiko (folk drumming) ensemble Soh Daiko of New York City.
 

What is the purpose of a press release? And what, in your opinion, is the most important aspect of a press release?  How does that element accomplish the purpose?

To convey the news compellingly - what an artist or organization is doing.  If applicable, this should be done in such a way as to convey how this ties in to the artist's or organization's overall goals, purpose, point of view, ethos, etc.


Similarly, what is the most important aspect of an artist biography? How long should a bio be, ideally? Should it include press quotes? Why or why not?
 
An artist's bio should say up top what makes him/her distinctive, and convey what is most important to him/her - ideally, these are related! - as well as the most recent accomplishments.  I am a fan of having short and long versions of bios, and press quotes can serve a distinct purpose:  to legitimize or bolster claims to qualities that anyone can make, particularly if an artist isn't super well-known, and to have praise be in the words of an authoritative voice, a voice that's not one of the interested parties.


How far in advance of a CD release or concert do you send/e mail press releases? How many times do you usually follow-up journalists after sending the release?
 
A month ahead for releases (though if an event has not been previously announced at all, as part of a season, for example,  I like to send a notice out up to three months earlier). Some journalists will receive targeted follow-up from me.


In 2009, what do you consider successful coverage for a client's concert? How has the definition of "coverage" changed since you started working in PR? For example, do artist's personal blogs/websites/Twitter feeds count as media coverage?

To your second question: Clearly, there are fewer print or broadcast outlets now, more online, which of course provide much less broad, but more instances of pinpointed, exposure.  And to your third question:  the initial posting or feed becomes "coverage," or serves the purpose of visibility, if it becomes viral.

Since I'm going to try to keep my trap (fingers?) shut all week, I'll just say two quick things now:

One. Last night at the bar Union Pool in Williamsburg, I received the best response yet to my response to the question, "So what do you do?" 

"So what do you do?" "I am a classical music publicist." "That sounds difficult." (The usual response is, "Oh. Cool. What does that mean?") This guy went on to ask what media opportunities there are for classical musicians, and of the outlets that do exist, how many of those translate to concert ticket sales? Photographer Jeremy Sachs-Michaels from Union Pool May 24, 2009 (whose stuff turns out to actually be good), you are correct, sir: it is difficult.

Two. This week, we'll be hearing from other NYC-based classical music publicists with whom I have worked to varying degrees. Let whatever record there is show that I have, without exception, found my co-publicists in the city to be supportive and collaborative. I have asked for contacts, sought out advice, and bounced story ideas off them and received feedback without a trace of animosity or competition. So here-we-go...First up is Christina Jensen, who had the unfortunate experience of me shouting about journalists "toeing the line" on our first phone meeting. We worked together when her client ACME performed four Wordless Music shows at the Whitney Museum last summer. That seems like a very long time ago.

_____________________


Christina Jensen officially founded her PR firm in 2007 after working day jobs for six years in marketing, fundraising, and orchestra management at various Boston and New York arts institutions, and moonlighting as a freelance publicist. She played the violin through college and for a little while afterwards, and had brief affairs with the flute and piano. At this moment, she represents 15 classical music clients including André Previn, Simone Dinnerstein, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (tours and recordings), Lisa Bielawa, the Chiara and Cypress string quartets, ACME, Jefferson Friedman, and more.

 
What is the purpose of a press release? And what, in your opinion, is the most important aspect of a press release?  How does that element accomplish the purpose?
 
A press release serves a couple of purposes which I think are equally important, in most cases. An event or concert related release should inform the calendar editor of the answers to the 5 Ws (who, what, where, when, why) in a simple and unfussy manner. For the features editor, freelance writer, or critic who might read further, the release should give some insight into the artist's mission, motivation and personality. A press release should tell the artist's story from the angle that you are emphasizing at that moment in the artist's career.

 
Similarly, what is the most important aspect of an artist biography? How long should a bio be, ideally? Should it include press quotes? Why or why not?
 
Again, I think the most important aspect of an artist's biography is his or her personal story, and a description of the projects/repertoire they are currently exploring.  Artists need bios in a few different lengths - short, medium and long - for use in program books of different sizes, on the web, in press releases, etc. I think it's fine to include press quotes but I try to pick juicy ones that convey something, rather than just strings of adjectives.  I will say that artists' bios, at least for me, are a process of negotiation with the artist and manager. Managers I have worked with tend to want to include more lists than I tend to include when left to my own devices - lists of performance halls, lists of conductors worked with, lists of orchestras soloed with, lists of teachers, lists of concertos played, etc. - which I have been told is helpful in the booking process because it lets presenters know where artists have been, where they're going, and what they can do.  


How far in advance of a CD release or concert do you send/e mail press releases? How many times do you usually follow-up journalists after sending the release?
 
For a CD release, I like to mail promo copies to longer lead magazines four months in advance if I am going for review coverage, and even further in advance if I am hoping for a feature about an artist who may be unfamiliar to the contacts to whom I'm sending the CD.  I mail to radio and short leads six to eight weeks or so before the release date.  For concerts, I send press releases at six weeks in advance for larger cities like New York with a follow up release for calendars and short leads three weeks in advance.  I try to jump on long lead magazines for concerts as well, months in advance.  In smaller markets I just do one release at four weeks out.  I follow up with journalists twice after sending the press release - three times if I'm particularly keen on a story, just really hopeful, or if they've been out of the office.


In 2009, what do you consider successful coverage for a client's concert? How has the definition of "coverage" changed since you started working in PR? For example, do artist's personal blogs/websites/Twitter feeds count as media coverage?
 
The definition of successful coverage changes for each of my clients, for each of their concerts. Artists naturally have higher and lower profile performance dates within one city, and you must prioritize which dates you are really going to go for. For a high profile performance, I consider the coverage to be very successful if I can get one or two feature articles placed in print media or on a well-read webzine or blog, event listings preferably with photos in print and online media, a radio interview, possibly a news television interview, a review in the "paper of record," and a couple of reviews in online sources like blogs or webzines.  The addition of online media as desirable and valued places for coverage is what has changed most in my time working in PR.  I don't think that artists' personal blogs/websites/Twitter feeds count as media coverage, but I do think they can help gain media coverage by providing a personal link to the artist. Also, if someone re-blogs or writes about an artist's blog, I think that might count as coverage - right?

Are you sick of me? If you are, then next week on Life's a Pitch is just for you! All week long, I'll post interviews with other NYC-based classical musical publicists. Each independant publicist or firm has been asked the same set of questions, and hopefully no one cheated and shared answers (ahem).  All your (well, at least my) publicity questions are sure to be answered, and by New York City's finest, so tune in starting Monday!

And now for something completely different.

I got into an argument with a web designer once about whether a site should be in orange or green tones. He liked the orange, but the client liked the green. He then went behind my back and talked the client into the orange which made me furious because 1. the green was better and 2. this wasn't art for art's sake; the client was paying him and me to promote their product (in this case, themselves), not to win this designer awards or get him a spot in a gallery.  (Are there physical galleries of web pages? Probably?) Oh, and 3. he wasn't supposed to be talking directly to the client. Sigh.

This week in Interviewville, we have Ken Grier, Director of Malts for The Edrington Group, answering questions about drinkable art, storytelling and those elusive edgy kids everyone wants a piece of.  The Macallan has launched a new collection that merges photography with their Scotch called The Masters of Photography.  For their first collaboration, they've partnered with "noted" (/completely awesome) photographer Rankin (of Dazed & Confused fame).  For this project, Rankin has taken over 1,000 large format Polaroids on the grounds of the Macallan distillery.  Each photo is then sold in a limited edition black leather box along with a rare 30 year old Scotch. So, art for commerce; good, bad, ugly, beautiful?

Ken Grier has worked for The Edrington Group for over 10 years carrying out a variety of roles including Global Marketing Controller (The Famous Grouse) and European Zone Director.  In 2001, he was promoted to Brands Director for the Groups Brands and when the company restructured in 2004 he was appointed to the new role of Director of Malts, profit responsible for The Macallan and Highland Park. In October this year he took on the added responsibility of head of the company's marketing intelligence team. He is a director of The Macallan Distillers, Highland Distillers and the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre.

In his current role he has overseen the hugely successful launch of The Macallan's Fine Oak range in 2004 which now accounts for one in four sales of The Macallan. This success has propelled Fine Oak to become the most successful initiative in The Macallan's 184 year history, fuelling The Macallan's rise to the number three best selling single malt brand in the world..


How did The Macallan come up with the idea to create a product with photographers? What have been some successful past Macallan marketing campaigns?

Not only do our consumers want the best in single malt Scotch, but they are also cultural connoisseurs with sophisticated interests.  In fact, we know that 80% of Macallan whisky drinkers are also invested in art, so partnering with the iconic Scottish fashion photographer Rankin to create one-of-a-kind labels for our precious Fine Oak 30 bottles was an ideal way to appeal to our consumers.

In past campaigns, we joined forces with Lalique, the legendary French crystal makers, in 2005 to create a series of six limited edition decanters containing rare Macallan single malt, retailing for up to $14,000 each.  To date, we have launched two of these decanters.

           
From the looks of The Masters of Photography website, The Macallan's collaborations with photographers will continue after this project with Rankin. Will Macallan eventually look to collaborate with other kinds of visual artists, outside of photography? What about performing artists? (I know some great musicians who sure like Scotch...)

One of our main goals is to tell our story in an engaging way, to appeal to the emotions of our target market, so yes, we'll continue to evaluate the appropriate avenues that will allow us to do so , however we are currently selecting a photographer to collaborate with to produce a second bottle in the Masters of Photography series.

As mentioned above, we've partnered with Lalique crystal to create limited edition decanters for some of our oldest expressions to present the liquid in a beautiful and innovative way.


Classical music is often used to advertise high-end products, to prove that these products are, well, classy or classic, so you hear classical music in car commercials, classical musicians are used in Mont Blanc ads, etc.. The Macallan is already a luxury brand, so why the choice to collaborate with an edgy photographer rather than one with a more "fine art" reputation?  Are there potential collectors out there you think The Macallan has missed with past campaigns/collaborations?

It's actually very fitting for The Macallan's Fine Oak collection to be paired with an artist on the cutting edge of photography.  Rankin's iconic status in the fashion photography world appeals to the younger, edgier, more trend conscious audience that is becoming the new face of single malt Scotch, and The Macallan's Fine Oak collection - one that is completely unique and untraditional for the brand - attracts a similar target  audience.

As background, after 180 years of only maturing The Macallan liquid in sherry oak casks, the brand broke with tradition to add bourbon-aged casks into the equation.  The result of this unique cask combination is The Fine Oak Collection, a lighter and more modern style of single malt Scotch that answered the global demand for a more accessible single malt.


Conversely, what is the current Macallan consumer-base? Do you think they'll be interested in Rankin's work beyond this series, having been exposed to it through this collaboration?

As mentioned above and especially with the launch of The Macallan Fine Oak Collection in 2004, the Scotch category is growing exponentially among younger, edgier, trend conscious men and women, who are curious and eager to learn and understand the history behind the liquid. 

When we launched The Masters of Photography Collection at the M+B Gallery in Los Angeles, it was clear that Rankin had a strong following among these young, fashion-savvy influencers.  We were also delighted to see how well these "in the know" industry leaders responded to The Macallan, and we can only assume that there's a huge population of a similar demographic who would also react favorably to our brand.


In your advertising and publicity campaigns, how are you balancing spirits media and visual arts media? Has one side or the other shown more interest in the project?  

The Masters of Photography Collection is essentially the coming together of two art forms - whisky making and photography - so we've generated interest in both of these vertical media areas. 

The spirits press focus more on the precious liquid inside the bottles - The Macallan Fine Oak 30 Years Old - and are eager to promote the new limited edition bottlings from The Macallan.  For the art/photography press, it is important to note that Rankin's project with black-and-white instant film came at the end of the Polaroid era, and that he actually bought out all the instant film in the UK to finish a photo shoot of 6,000 original images of The Macallan distillery.  In addition, Rankin's reputation as being an iconic fashion photographer is highly appealing to the art world.  

 
Is getting Rankin's Polaroids - on their own or in conjunction with the bottle design and packaging - reviewed by art critics a goal?

Our main goal was to tell our brand story in an innovative and engaging way and to explore the intersection between art and whisky making, so we weren't necessarily focused on getting the art critiqued on its own.


Orchestra seats at The Metropolitan Opera range from $110-$295. One of my clients played with the Los Angeles Philharmonic this January, and orchestra tickets to her concert were over $100. It's sometimes challenging for publicists and marketers in the arts to convince the public that these performances are "worth it", even in a good economy. "The Macallan Fine Oak 30 Years Old Rankin bottling" costs $1,695. How do you convince first-time buyers it's worth the money?

The $1,695 limited edition bottles are actually not aimed at first time buyers - instead they are for the Scotch connoisseur who is heavily invested in single malt Scotch.  The collection provides the opportunity for this very specific Scotch collector to own a bottle that's completely unique and the only one of its kind.


How do you explain (to non-collectors) the difference between a $160 bottle of Scotch and a $1600 bottle of Scotch? Between a $60 and a $160 bottle?

The key to whisky-making at The Macallan is that corners are never cut and compromises never made. By using the finest barley ( Minstrel ),  yeast,  the smallest pot stills on Speyside and carefully conditioned sherry casks,  which can cost up to ten times more than casks used by other single malt distilleries, The Macallan makes an enormous investment in every step of the production process.  In short, uncompromising methods, combined with watchful patience in the maturing warehouses, enable The Macallan whisky makers to produce distinctive, top-quality malt whiskies which truly deserve their price tag.


Even without the Rankin photographs, would you define "The Macallan Fine Oak 30 Years Old Rankin bottling" art, or is it something else?  And if it is art, should you drink it?

Even without the Rankin photographs, the whisky making that takes place at The Macallan distillery is certainly comparable to art, with Bob Delgarno - The Macallan Whisky Maker - the artist.

Bob Delgarno's craft is to create single malt perfection.  To do so, he ensures the following:

• Continued use of  Minstrel barley, despite its low yield and high cost
• The unique combination of four yeasts, to add complexity during fermentation
• The smallest hand-hammered stills on Speyside, ensuring richness
• Extreme selection after distillation--only 16% make the cut
• Exceptional oak casks - All handcrafted or hand-picked in Spain or North America
• Pure, natural coloring (caramel is never added)
• The broadest range of vintage single malts from any distillery

The end result: liquid masterpiece.

It's no small wonder magazines are folding.

Here's what happened yesterday:

I filled out an application to join MediaBistro and it asked me whether I wanted a free subscription to New York, Wired, Gourmet or W magazines. Erm...Wired?

And then I thought, speaking of magazines, where the Murray Perahia have my New Yorkers and Vanity Fairs gone off to? And why didn't I get the last two issues of my beloved Domino, may she rest in peace. So I got on the horn with Conde Nast, only to learn that they had removed a "3" from my address for no apparent reason, but that they would start sending my magazines again next week. Oh, and did you get a letter asking about where to transfer your Domino subscription to? No. Well, do you want Architectural Digest for the next 2 years? I mean, I guess?

Then I bought tickets to something at Joe's Pub, and was told again that I got a free subscription to New York magazine, which I guess means that, via Joe's Pub purchases, I have a 3-year subscription?

Forget giving their content away for free online; they're giving away the print versions, too! I think the last time I wrote a check to a magazine, it was for $12 which got me another 2-year subscription to Domino plus a gift subscription that I sent to my grandmother. Apparently my 12 bucks were not, in fact, enough to keep the magazine afloat.

And in other news-news, when I was on vacation a few weeks back, a stapled series of pages called "TimesDigest" arrived at the door every morning where the actual New York Times used to be. So, presumably, instead of shipping the newspapers to Costa Rica, where I was, they e mail the hotels the highlights and the hotels print/photocopy in-house. Fine by me and the environment, but probably not ideal for the Times. Unless the shipping and printing costs were getting prohibitively expensive, and at least this way their brand stays out there?

About a month ago, I posted (here) about how box offices aren't open during and after performances:

Presumably we are all 100% behind the artistic product we put into this world, so logic would dictate that the time patrons would be most willing to buy additional tickets would be directly following a performance they've just enjoyed. With that in mind, why aren't box offices open after 8pm? They close when the performance starts, so love your experience or not, you're not buying another ticket after the show unless you go home to your computer. And even when box offices do stay open - and I've personally never seen one - where are the incentives to purchase more tickets or a even a subscription at that time?

It seems the folks at Carnegie Hall had a similar and simultaneous idea. At the recent Edgar Meyer/Bela Fleck/Zakir Hussein concert in Zankel Hall, I was thrilled to find the following insert in my program:

I asked, and they couldn't tell me how many today-only subscriptions they sold at intermission and after the concert (understandable), but the table in the lobby looked busy.

I went to The Whitney (where I interned many long years ago) on Friday to see the Jenny Holzer exhibit. The Whitney is pay-what-you-want on Fridays, so I paid $10 each for myself and my friend because I had a $20 in my wallet (admission is usually $15 per person). According to my ticket, one can put that price of admission toward a membership, which I think is a great idea.

My only complaint is that the kind lad at the admissions desk didn't tell me that; I had to notice it on the ticket. Hard-sells can be annoying, but in this case it might have been nice to mention. If you like what you see, you know you can put this ticket toward a membership, right?

Could this work for subscriptions? Again, it would involve having box offices open after performances, but if I buy a single ticket, can I put it toward a subscription in that same section? That way, one $100 ticket couldn't cover, say, half of a subscription in less expensive seats.

My friend Joe e mailed me this morning, attached the following, and asked, "Does it seem like ads might now be more important than news?"

Aliza and I went to the equality rally hosted by the cast of Hair yesterday and were only mistaken for a couple once, far as we could tell. (To which she said, "Hey mister, she's my sister!" Sisters? We're close.)

David Hyde Pierce and Cynthia Nixon were both fantastic speakers. The Mayor and the Governor showed up, which made me mildly regret snapping at a Bloomberg caller about term limits and The American Constitution the other day. The group behind the rally - which was apparently organized in just ten days - is called Broadway Impact. Beyond the great organization Classical Action, I continue to be concerned about the lack of activism in the classical music industry.

Will the cast of Next to Normal be raising awareness about mental illness? I hope so; the Broadway gauntlet has been thrown. And speaking of Next to Normal, I'd like to take this opportunity to raise some awareness of my own about its rampant cruelty to classical music; nobody talks about my boyfriend like that and gets away with it! The daughter in the musical, a nerdy overachiever destined for The Ivy League, is a classical pianist. She drinks Red Bull is Very Uptight. Shortly into the story, she is hit on by a jazz pianist who is cool and likes drugs. But not scary chemical drugs - just the natural, I-guess-OK kind. To drive his casual-ness home, he also wears a hoodie.  He doesn't like classical music because "you have to play the notes that are on the page".  Her defense of classical music is that "Mozart wrote poems about farts". It seems even Next to Normal thinks women don't like jazz. Only after the daughter has a total breakdown does the Oversimplification Fairy arrive, and the girl then expresses her loosening-up/meltdown by playing non-classical music. Was the Next to Normal band not playing "the notes on the page", one might wonder?

But I digress. Here are some faux toes from Sunday:

Circa once a week, I'll post an interview with someone who knows a whole 'lot more than I do about specific marketing and publicity topics. This week, I'm very excited to talk to my very first critic (well, for the blog, anyway): Denver Post arts critic Kyle MacMillan. Here's Kyle on having something to actually pitch, on enjoying the new-found benefits of a one-paper town, and on thinking globally/acting locally.

An alumnus of the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University, Kyle MacMillan has been an arts critic for more than two decades. Besides writing for the Denver Post, he has free-lanced for national publications ranging from Opera News to Artforum. A native of Kansas City, Mo., he enhanced his love of classical music while serving for a year as assistant to the director of that city's Friends of Chamber Music. 
 



How long have you written for the Denver Post, and what has been your favorite thing about covering the arts in Denver?

I started in November 2000. What has been exciting about Denver is the amazing growth of the scene. In the first column I wrote for the paper, I expressed my dismay at the lack of a single decent concert hall or opera house in the city. That has since been rectified. The 977-seat Gates Concert Hall at the University of Denver is a gem, and it has helped city attract talent that simply never came here before. That hall also fostered the establishment of the city's first general performing arts series -- Newman Center Presents. It's still small for a city of this size, but it is a big step up from nothing. In addition, the city now has a dedicated opera house.  It has its acoustical drawbacks, but it is so much better than the ill-suited facilities in which the opera and ballet performed for years. Other examples could be cited.
 
 
How did your job change when, with the closing of the Rocky Mountain News in February, Denver became a one-paper town? 

There has been little change.  We tried to comprehensively cover the scene when the Rocky was here, and we are still doing the same thing. I thought I would get an increase in calls from people wanting coverage, but it really hasn't changed. What is different is not having to constantly look over my shoulder to see what the Rocky has done or worry about what it might be doing. Now, I can set my own agenda for coverage and just do it.
 

How much pressure is there to cover arts stories with a local focus? That is, can you review a CD if that artist isn't coming town? Is the need to have a "local hook" limiting, or does it help narrow things a bit in a positive way?

Of course, we want to be local. That only makes sense. But I have never found that to be limiting. If there is going to be a local presentation of a Handel opera, it doesn't mean that we can't do piece on the resurgence of Handel operas worldwide. It is possible to do local coverage with a national or international scope. And we try to do that as much as possible. And keep in mind that local is pretty big here. I regularly cover three opera companies -- Opera Colorado, Central City Opera and Santa Fe Opera. There are also the few dozen summer music festivals, including the Aspen Music Festival, which is international in scope, and the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival, which this year will host the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra and Dallas Symphony. I suppose I should hasten to add that everything doesn't have to be local. I recently did a piece on the new classical-music magazine -- Listen: Life With Classical Music --  and there was no local hook at all.
 
Unfortunately, we don't do many CD reviews. It's just a question of time. I was able to do an  end-of-the-year Sunday spread on some of the best CDs of 2008. That was a happy concurrence of time and space.
 

You and I talked about a piece you wrote back in January called "Classical Music's Wild Turn". That article was a preview for an Alarm Will Sound concert in Denver, but I thought the topic and execution was much more interesting than a standard "profile".  Do you think arts journalism is moving away from the three options for coverage: feature, concert review, CD review? As both arts genre lines and media lines are blurred, are we going to see different definitions of  "features" and "reviews"? 

I think critics and journalists have always strived to avoid falling into the all-too-easy rut of previews and reviews. While we do plenty of previews and reviews around here, the emphasis has always been on trying to do things that are bigger, broader or different. With the seeming diminution of arts journalists, at least at newspapers, I think there is going to be increasing call to do more with fewer stories. That means writing pieces that are more inclusive and broader in scope. I think blogging has also changed the form of what is written. I see many blog entries that are riffs on something that has appeared elsewhere. That kind of an item didn't really exist before. As for the blurring of media lines, I don't think journalism has really caught up with that yet. We still want to divide things into theater, art, classical music or  whatever, and some things just don't fit neatly into those conventional categories, and that can have a negative effect on the way they are covered.  
 

You don't have a blog. Do you feel like you've missed out, dodged a bullet or something in between?

I do actually have a blog that I do in the summers that is focused on the summer music scene in this region. But it is true that I do not blog in general. The reason is simple: time. Like Justin Davidson and a few others, I wear more than one hat.  Besides covering classical music, I also serve as the visual arts critic for the paper. So, in essence I do two full-time jobs. That doesn't leave a lot of  time for blogging.

 
You're a journalist at a time when the world-at-large expects to receive its news for  free. As more and more publications become online-only, do you see a way for writers to make money? Should publications pay you if no one is paying to read you?   

The Denver Post, like many other publications, is moving toward some kind of a pay-to-view format. I think news outlets wrongly allowed the expectation of free news to emerge, and we are now paying the price for that.  I think the expectations of free news is going to have to change. Nothing is truly free. It costs money to maintain even the most modest website. But like everyone else, I don't have any brilliant ideas of how to change expectations and make the economics work better. At the moment, we are moving into a grim period for arts writers, at least ones that want to make a living doing it.  But I do think we will emerge on the other side of this transitional time with new journalistic structures of one kind or another, and there will once again be a place for paid, full-time critics and writers. 


How does a performing arts journalist get famous? Breaking a big story? Or, in our industry, "breaking" a major artist? A history of important reviews and features?  Is becoming famous at all a priority for a journalist?

I don't know any famous performing-arts journalists. Who would that be? Frank Rich? He had to leave day-to-day reviewing and move to the op-ed pages of the New York Times to become more broadly known. Robert Hughes became one of the most famous art critics in the world, because he wrote for a general-interest, powerful news magazine. But such magazines have lost their former influence. They are barely able to keep publishing, let alone employ arts journalists. With the increasing diffusion of news media, I think it is increasing difficult for any one journalist to have the reach or the power that might have been possible before. The New York Times theater critic used to be able to shut down a Broadway show. I don't think that's possible anymore.

I don't think fame is priority at all. I think respect is the more important commodity, particularly respect from artists and fellow journalists. And the way to achieve that has not changed -- write in a serious, informed and original way. 


How far in advance of a performance do you like to be pitched?

Well, it depends. I usually get pitched months in advance for artists appearing at the summer festivals, and that makes sense. We tend to plan the coverage of the summer as whole and have to make some tough decisions about what is covered and what isn't. But for routine events, I usually work at a month or so in advance in terms of mapping out what to cover.  


What is the best way for a publicist to get your attention?

Well, the most important thing is to have something interesting to publicize. All the p.r.  fireworks in the world won't make a difference if what is being pitched simply isn't worthwhile or intriguing on its own merits. Beyond that, I think the key is to tailor a pitch. Why does it make sense for the Denver Post to cover this? What angle makes special sense for us? What is different about this  artist or this event? So often, publicists rely on mass e-mails and generic  pitches, and those are all too easily ignore. I always think is helpful to a trigger a critic's memory. Remind me that this is the artist who I read about two months ago in BBC Music Magazine or the artist who just make that big appearance in New York. It is easy to mix up names or forget who someone is.  

 
Do you find shorter, personal e mails or lengthier (but more general) press releases to be more effective? I find that sending a general release and then sending personal  follow-up e mails with a specific writer's interests/publication in mind is fairly effective, but some might say that's overkill. I also never call anyone to follow-up on a press release. Should I/publicists everywhere be getting on  the horn?

I think your approach is ideal. I get hundreds of e-mails a day, so it is very easy for something to get buried or accidentally deleted. That's why a follow-up or two only makes sense. When I first started as a critic, there was no e-mail, and I would get 40 or more phone calls a day. Now, I get relatively few. I still think there is a time and place for phone calls, perhaps in the case of  something especially unusual, something that really would be a must-do. I think phone calls also make more sense if a publicist has built a relationship with a critic over time. I know some critics never want to be bothered by phone, but I am not like that.


What is the most annoying thing a publicist has ever done, besides asking you to  answer questions for her blog?

Oh, I could probably go on forever about this. What annoys me are pitches about things that the Denver Post would never cover in a thousand years. I occasionally hear from some music series in Oklahoma somewhere about something they are doing. That's nice, but why would I cover that? Why would anyone other than a few national publications cover that? Another thing is incomplete press releases. It's amazing how many times the basics are not covered: who, what, when, where, how and why. Even worse are errors in the press release. That goes a long way in damaging a publicist's credibility.

Question: Why don't either of the two massive banners for the Lincoln Center 50th Anniversary at the Time Warner Center tell us how or with whom we will be celebrating?

(The second banner hanging to the right of this one is identical.) What kind of programming and which artists will the festivities include? Are we not excited enough about this to put an exclamation point after "Anniversary"? That's too bad. Was there not space to maybe list some of the features of the new plaza? What's my motivation for going to LincolnCenter.org/50? Lots of "50s" in something resembling the 9 to 5: The Musical font doesn't exactly spur me to digital action.

For the sake of the blog, I did in fact go to the anniversary website. Yes, I would like to hear Plácido Domingo singing "E lucevan le stelle" from Tosca in 1969, "Interactive Timeline".  But no! I do not want to hear Plácido over Fanfare for the Common Man, which starts playing automatically when you go to the site with no option to turn it off. The lesser-known Tosca/Fanfare mash-up! Unable to figure out how to turn off the sound on the main page of the site, I muted my computer and messed around with the timeline in silence.

Now I want to hear Leontyne Price on the timeline. Un-mute. But wait - here's Audra McDonald singing "Some Days", presumably at...American Songbook? Or is it with orchestra? How would I know, since there's no audio player with credit information in sight.

Tom Brokaw's voice emerges from the ether. Ah - now I see what's going on: there's a "Commemorative Ceremony" tab and the audio is coming from video that begins but is hidden when the website launches. So you have to figure that out before you click on the "Interactive Timeline" tab, which is your first option, if you want to hear the audio on said "Interactive Timeline" without the "Commemorative Ceremony" audio playing simultaneously.  

According to my friend Alex, "This is a case of a sloppy element on a site. The problem is that the flash video player starts on page load, but the actual video isn't viewable until a user navigates to the Ceremony tab. While this is annoying on its own, it gets even messier when a user clicks into the interactive timeline. This causes a Javascript 'lightbox' overlay to appear, but all of the elements on the site continue to operate as if nothing had happened so there is overlapping audio from the Ceremony video. The easy solution - don't auto-start the video. It would also be nice to not use the ugliest out-of-the-box Flash video player..." 

I love Lincoln Center. The buildings are my favorite in the world, and the Vivien Beaumont is my favorite theater in the city, and when I was ~7 I wanted to be proposed to in front of the fountain (but upon rethinking, that's pretty lame). Just this morning, I wrote the following in an e mail to my friend Shree, "OK, then the new Hard Rock Café at Lincoln Center at 6pm, and then onto more freebasing fat at the game." She wrote back, "Um 'Lincoln Center'? Slip of the type?" (I meant "Yankee Stadium"). So I love Lincoln Center, but come on: figure out the audio on your website.

Some gentle readers may think I pick on Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center too much on this blog. First, I live here, so I see what they're doing. But second, Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center (along with maybe the Kennedy Center and now Disney Hall?) are two of the only arts presenters that people outside the industry have heard of. There are many reasons they have reputations as the best in the world; I just want their marketing and media to be some of those reasons. Much should be expected.

You had me at "when the moon", Broadway revival of Hair cast, but you've taken audience participation - or rather, cast participation - to a new level. From Perez Hilton, courtesy of my sister:

After recently writing about Alvin Ailey's Extension program (dance classes for "real people"), I decided try it out last weekend. It didn't hurt that Sunday was a beautiful day, but the scene around the building was quite lovely and inviting.

There were attractive actual dancers (not that "real people" can't be attractive, too...) hanging out on the steps outside, and the ground-floor studio is all-windows so passersby can see what's going on inside (ahem).

That said, I'm glad my class was on the sixth floor; no need to use Real People Zumba to advertise your company to the city-at-large. Showing them little ballerinas-in-training is much better PR strategy. There was also good signage out front, so if the ballerina cuteness did catch your eye, you'd know you too could take classes there.

The sixth floor studio space was airy, open and had a great view. The class was packed, and they took attendance like a real dance class not for real people. There were some not so real-looking real people waiting for a ballet class after the Zumba class, so I suspect there are different ability-level classes offered.

For the first time in a very long time, I spent an entire day with high school boys.

No, I'm not The Cougar, I simply went to the Star Trek movie and then to the Village Vanguard to see jazz pianist Brad Mehldau this past Saturday.

As previously planned, my mom, Aliza and I got to the movie theater at Lincoln Center precisely one hour and a half early for Star Trek. I'd guesstimate we were about People 29, 30 and 31 in line at that point, and out of those people, we probably doubled the number of women.

That said, after posting about the Mother's Day/Star Trek correlation on Friday, I've received five additional reports of friends taking their mothers to the movie for Mother's Day. [I also learned, by going with a friend on Sunday, that people actually took their mothers - and daughters - to Next to Normal on Mother's Day, which is just too bizarre for me to handle. Did they know what the musical was about? More on Next to Normal's classical music bashing at a later date.]

When I was watching The Kentucky Derby a few weekends back, I was entertaining myself by pounding mint juleps and wondering if there was some young horse publicist person out there whining (whinnying?) about how everybody pays attention to The Kentucky Derby but people just aren't into horse-racing the rest of the year. How do we harness the Derby audience for other races? When will we stop young people from bridling at the costs in involved in the sport? Why are we saddled with an old, rich-person stigma? That led me to think about how every industry - even those that are flourishing - wants a specific demographic they don't yet have. A few years back, for example, the Red Sox had three players on the show Queer Eye for the Straight Guy in an attempt to reach out to the gay/lesbian communities of Boston.

If jazz publicists and marketers are not concerned with the gender situation, they certainly should be. In my (albeit limited) experience with jazz, the genre is men playing music for men. Like football. (Yes, I realize women watch football, but you see my point.) In the four years I was at Dartmouth, there was one woman in the Barbary Coast Jazz Ensemble. Girls auditioned, but none except this one was good enough to make it, apparently. I asked members of Stefon Harris' Blackout about this issue when we were at a Chamber Music America New Music Institute together, and they said most of the time women are singers in jazz, but rarely instrumentalist performers. The sign at the Village Vanguard says the capacity is 123 people. At the 11:30pm set on Saturday, I counted 17 women including myself watching the three men on stage. What is that all about? It really bothered me.

Some Google work led to these:

Yahoo - Why don't girls like jazz? One prize of a man named "george g" offered, "Because it's not lightweight music", and another gem - "Jeff Taylor" - suggested, "Although greatly generalizing I would have to say that why 'girls' (under the age of 30) as well as plenty of 'guys' don't usually like jazz is because jazz is art music and requires much *effort* to enjoy." george g. and Jeff....call me. Groan.

An NPR Women in Jazz profile -

When we think of women in jazz, we automatically think of singers, but there have been a number of female instrumentalists dating all the way back to the early 1920s. Musicologist Ingrid Monson points out that the piano, one of the earliest instruments that women played in jazz, allowed female artists a degree of social acceptance. In jazz's early years, female instrumentalists usually formed all-women jazz bands or played in family-based groups. Stepping up into the professional jazz world was a difficult feat for many women, but an interesting twist, according to author Sherrie Tucker, author of Swing Shift: All-Girl Bands of the 1940s, jazz provided better working opportunities for many African-American women.

And Women in Jazz from PBS -

Women who play jazz on saxophone, brass instruments, bass, or drums still encounter befuddled reception to their very presence: "I've never seen a woman do that!" or the ubiquitous, "You play good for a girl!" or "You play like a man!" Commentary about women in jazz still sticks at fundamental questions: Do they exist? Are they serious? Can they play?

These mostly discuss women playing jazz, whereas I'm more interested in women as jazz audience members. (Of course these things are probably related). I pounced on a friend of my friend when she told me she was a jazz trumpeter and asked if I could interview her for the blog on this topic, so hopefully I should get some answers from someone on the inside soon. If anyone knows of literature on the topic, though, please comment.

I have to say, spooked as I was by the gender imbalance, I was extremely impressed by the age range at the Mehldau concert. We were sitting behind a table of about eight high school boys (ordering soda - so cute) and next to two couples, one pair well over 60 and the other mid-40s. My kingdom for that range around me at a classical concert. So like I said, we all have our own demographic issues to grapple with.

On Wednesday night, my friend Joe and I discovered that we will both be taking our Treky moms to see the Star Trek IMAX for Mother's Day. Joe and I get along quite well, have similar jobs, etc. so there's no great shock that our upbringings may have been alike, but we were wondering: is the Mother's Day/Star Trek movie correlation some kind of stealth marketing agenda? Are there great throngs of people with Treky mothers we don't know about? Chauvenist norms would seem to dictate that releasing the movie around Father's Day might sell more tickets, but perhaps not.

Just goes to show that programming, perceived demographics and marketing campaigns sometimes align in mysterious ways. Having already bought our tickets in advance, my mom, sister and I will be getting to the Lincoln Center movie theater at 3pm tomorrow for a 4:30pm movie, should you need us. There is actually a Starfleet jumpsuit floating around our house in Connecticut somewhere; Mom, resistance is not futile - please don't wear it to lunch and the movie.

In similar news, is anyone running an interesting Mother's Day promotion they'd like to share with the whole class? Leave a comment.

Speaking of advertising on ArtsJournal, an ad for the 2009 NEA Arts Journalism Institute in Classical Music and Opera caught my eye:

Columbia University and the National Endowment for the Arts are pleased to announce the 6th annual Arts Journalism Institute in Classical Music and Opera. This 10-day intensive workshop brings writers and editors from across the country to New York City for a total immersion in the world of classical music and opera. The twenty-four fellows will attend nightly performances, participate in writing workshops, take short classes in music history, and meet with leaders in the field, from administrators of New York's primary music institutions, to critics and writers at major U.S. publications. The program also stresses journalistic skills required of music writers in the new interactive digital media environment.

The Institute is designed for American journalists, especially those covering the arts outside of the top media markets. No specialized musical knowledge is required. Staff writers, editors, and freelancers are welcome to apply. The Institute will be held at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York City from October 17-27. It encompasses a rigorous schedule of classroom seminars, meetings with arts leaders and writing workshops to help the participants develop their critical skills and report on the world of classical music. The application deadline is July 23, 2009. For inquiries, please email: nea_institute@earthlink.net.

Having said that I'm by no means a journalist in the previous entry, I'm going to apply. Why? Because I love school, I want to experience what the other half is being taught, and I think I could offer a...let's say "unique"...perspective. Wish me luck.

Update, Thursday 5/14 - I am allowed to apply but have been warned I'm "not a shoe-in" being NYC-based and, oh, you know, a publicist. It's funny, I never thought I would have to update my resume again.

I don't really do publicity for free.

Well, I suppose this blog is free ("  "), and on occasion I'll write a friend's bio or look at a website for free. And I have lunch with people and brainstorm about PR more than I probably should for free, and sometimes I pitch artists who aren't mine for the sake of good stories everywhere for, what I guess is technically, "free". But generally, this is my job; concert/show tickets and clothes must be bought and rent must be paid, usually in that order.

Which is why it's totally ridiculous that writers on ArtsJournal and beyond are debating whether or not journalists should get paid. Of course they should - there's no debate about that - but for what, how and by whom? And if everyone is giving it away for free, why should we spend our money on some?

Four ArtsJournal bloggers have brought this topic up recently:

CultureGrrl has directly raised the issue with her readers. Her argument? I write this blog as a labor of love, but could be paid write for other publications which wouldn't necessarily be available to you, readers. If you like this blog, you should donate. If you don't donate, I will blog less frequently, if at all. Her fundraising campaign began in mid-February, here,

As you may have noticed, I have now added a "Donate" button to the blog's middle column. Payment can be either through your own PayPal account or by credit card. (For the latter, click the "continue" link in the lower left corner of the donation page.) It's a secure (non-tax deductible) transaction, handled completely by PayPal, not by me.

I'd like to call this a "voluntary subscription," but my webmaster tells me that's not how things work on the Internet. I'm not a waiter, so I don't want to call it a "Tip Jar." (Tips of the news variety are, of course, always welcome!) Call it what you will. Just be sure to vote early and often!

...and continued here,

But my list of financially generous readers now appears to be stuck at 24. My "Donate" button seems to have become vestigial. So, with much regret (but also some pride in what I created), I'm planning to repurpose this blog on or about Apr. 23, CultureGrrl's third anniversary. It will become an occasional outlet for my analysis and commentary, in the manner of some of the less active sites on ArtsJournal. If the financial recompense for blogging miraculously picks up, so will the pace of my posts. The button and the ad space remain at your disposal.

...here,

I have juicy, nourishing morsels to serve up from this 75-minute brainstorming session, but I was disheartened to discover that no CultureGrrl readers responded, while I was away, to my call for Donors 25, 26 and 27 to support the blog by clicking the languishing yellow button on the right. (Okay, I'll settle for 25 and 26.)

Did no one miss me while I was gone?

Did I mention that one of those who popped in (and spoke) at our high-powered conversation yesterday was Carmine Branagan, director of the National Academy?

See you tomorrow (maybe).

...here, here, here and here.

Newer ArtsJournal blogger Regina Hackett at Another Bouncing Ball disagreed with CultureGrrl's approach, and said so here:

While not an expert in seeking remuneration, I instinctively feel that begging is not the best strategy for arts writers.

Culture Grrl disagrees here, here, here and most recently here, the last having the distinction of being not only plaintive  ("Did no one miss me while I was gone?") but threatening ( "See you tomorrow (maybe).")

Culture Grrl (Lee Rosenbaum) is an industrious reporter, especially on museum administration news. But if she's that intent on raising a bit of what Bernie Bertie Wooster calls the necessary, she should consult an expert.

...and here:

In suggesting that Culture Grrl's begging for money might not be the best way to attract support for an art blog, I tiptoed through the topic, so as not to cause personal offense. In truth, it drives me crazy. My masterpiece of understatement here.

Chloe Veltman at Lies Like Truth tried to solve the problem for herself by applying for an arts grant, and detailed her experience here:

I recently applied for a grant to help support my activities as a performing arts blogger from a Bay Area-based organization that funds theatre artists and companies. Before I applied for the grant, I asked the the grant's leaders if I would be eligible to apply. They told me that as a theatre critic, I would indeed be eligible to apply under the "artist" category, which I thought was very forward-thinking of them. "Yes, you are eligible...You would want to define yourself in terms of being a "theatre artist" (personally, I feel theatre journalist fits that bill)," the grant-giving organization's director wrote to me in an email. So in the spirit of experimentation, I applied for the grant.

The experiment, somewhat unsurprisingly, failed. Even though I'd be told I was eligible to apply, in the end the grant's panelists decided not to consider a theatre critic as an artist, so my application was deemed eligible.

Douglas McLennan, editor of ArtsJournal and blogger at diacritical, recently suggested that organizations hire critics-in-residence:

Lots of arts organizations have blogs on their websites. Most aren't very good, and they're difficult to maintain well. There are many out-of-work critics. And less and less arts coverage in local press. So why not critics-in-residence?

So that's what's going on in this neck of the woods. Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reports that "there are almost as many people making their living as bloggers as there are lawyers."

I was on a Chamber Music America panel about two years ago with a classical critic. After listening to my yammering about how I pitch critics' blogs when I think they are actually better suited for what I'm pitching than the print publications those critics write for are, the moderator asked the critic what he thought about blogging. "Well, you won't ever see me writing for free!" he said with a smile. "People have paid me to cover classical music for 15 years - why would I start doing it for nothing?" I Googled him this morning, thinking he may have changed his tune, but no - still no blog. More power to him.

He's absolutely right, of course: why would someone do what they have defined as their job and not get paid for it? The general argument against his stance is that, like with anything, there are levels of investment. If a blog is popular, that blogger's profile is raised and consequently that writer may become more attractive to the mainstream media (if that is even the end goal) and to advertisers. (See Parterre Box's James Jorden's new gig with the New York Post.) But what if you have a blog and you don't have time to write it because you're getting paid for other writing work? Then you enter an annoying cycle: this blog may raise my profile and bring me to other communities, but I have to write this other piece and get paid for it so I don't have time to blog today. And do we really believe that, in the world of arts blogs, advertisers are going to cover all the costs of living? Finding advertisers is a full-time job and - once potential advertisers have been identified - convincing arts organizations that the Internet Isn't Scary is time-consuming as well, take it from a girl who knows. Should ArtsJournal hire someone to sell ads on the blogs? Probably, but who pays for that person?

The extremely popular website Gawker, which is among a few of my favorite things, pays its writers by Page Views. See this piece in the - yes, now shut down - Portfolio magazine. Gawker even does its bonuses by Page Views:

Even in the growing editorial teams we need to control costs. And that
means a new look at traffic bonuses. We've been spending $50,000 a
month on average on pageview bonuses. The scheme has made writers
hustle for traffic even in teams so large that there was a risk they
become lumbering. It's helped us hit a record 274m pageviews last
month, up 69% on last September.

Pageview bonuses will continue this quarter. And we are committed to
pageview incentives, and to measuring performance by a writer's
individual pageviews, in the long term. But a first quarter spike in
traffic -- and the resulting bonus payments -- could be dangerous if
advertising markets are troubled next year. And we're assuming that
the economy is so volatile that most of you would like a little bit
more predictability about your own income.

That's why we're suspending the pageview bonus for the first quarter
at least, but making up for some of the loss of income by raising pay.
If you haven't recently agreed to a new rate, your monthly base amount
will automatically be increased by 5% in January.

This may be another post for another time, but how good can journalism be when writers' salaries directly depend on Page Views? What about that story that needs to be told but may not draw a huge clicking crowd? Two different writers from blogs on print publications' sites have told me that they would love to post interviews with my clients, but sadly their editors have asked them to focus on more mainstream (and ideally scandalous) celebrities to hopefully attract more user comments. Again, how good could those interviews be if their sole purpose is to spark comments - just comments, regardless of quality?

This blog works for me because I'm writing about what I already get paid to do. I may try something out for one of my clients and then report on it, or put an idea for artists or organizations that present artists here and benefit from the free - yes, free! - advice of intelligent and passionate readers. Should I be finishing the press release for David Lang's the little match girl passion CD right now instead of looking into how Gawker writers get paid? Why yes, yes I should. But at the proverbial end of the day, thinking about how journalists get paid helps me be a better publicist, so the press release can go out a few hours late. (But I'm doing it as soon as I post this, David - I promise.) I couldn't write a blog without my job, not just because my job pays the bills, but because the job is the blog content.

I like to think that artists and industry folks with blogs constitute an important aspect of the broader cultural conversation, but I don't pretend it's journalism. Where would be be if all of our news came from people with "real"/"day" jobs? Someone has to be an unbiased reporter of the facts. Someone, I guess, with family money?

You'd think from the number of times I've mentioned my jury duty on this blog I had served on a three-month trial. In actuality, I only spent 2 days on jury selection, and wasn't even chosen to serve, probably due to the fact that, when given the opportunity to ask anything of one of the defense attorneys, I asked if he truly believed in every client he chose to represent. Next.

The other defense attorney possessed an uncanny ability to not connect with any of us. One woman in the front row had written down "reading" as a hobby on her jury survey, so this attorney asked what she was reading currently. "Well...it's kind of embarrassing: I'm reading Twilight." "What's that?" he asked. Really? He has no idea what Twilight is? OK, fine - he doesn't see movie posters or know any teenage/20-something/apparently 40-something women. Then this attorney got to a guy in the second row, who was probably about 28 and said he handled the booking of pop music tours. "So you like music; do you listen to 90.7 WFUV?" No, the guy responded, I don't own a radio. Strike Two. Pop music guy asked some question about decision-making on the jury, and the lawyer decided to give him an example from "pop culture" rather than answer his question straight: "Well, you've seen the movie Twelve Angry Men, right?" No, pop guy had not. "But most of you have seen the movie Twelve Angry Men, certainly?" Everybody shook their heads except me and a woman behind me, and I was tempted to be a brat and say I had seen both the play AND the movie, but held back. Then we got to the also youngish guy next to the pop guy - let's call him the "sporty guy" - who had written down "sports" as his hobby. It somehow came up that he had gone to Duke undergrad, to which the lawyer responded, "So you must be a basketball fan, eh? Duke's not doing so well, are they?" "Well, it's over, actually," said sporty guy. Strike Five for the defense, at least.

In his attempt to naturally relate to potential jurors, this poor guy only showed that 1. he had no idea what Twilight was 2. he thought 28-year-olds in 2009 in New York City listened to the radio 3. he figured every juror in 2009 had seen a movie that came out in 1957 and 4. he didn't know that college basketball season was over. By trying to be like us, he could not have alienated the group more.

On Day Two of my jury selection, the lawyer for the MTA began (it was a case where a city bus had hit a car with two people in it). This should be rich, I thought; no way a room of thirty New Yorkers is going to like the counsel for the MTA.  "How many of you love the MTA?" was his opener. The room burst into laughter and eye-rolls. "OK, how many of you hate the MTA?" A few hands shot up, mine included. "When I first started working for the MTA, I asked them: I said, guys, when I'm on the 6 train, and it's coming into the station, and the 4/5 express trains are across the platform, why don't they just wait for the 6 train? That's so annoying!" He continued to complain about the people who sign his paychecks, and then told us it didn't actually matter whether or not we or he had ever had subway trouble; we had to judge this case fairly. He also said something general about turning on the news only seeing bad news, something, again, that a room of New Yorkers could all relate to. He gets us! He's like us! Let's side with him.

This all reminded me of an argument I had with a friend a few weeks ago very late in a bar in Brooklyn. We have a mutual pianist...let's say "acquaintance"...who I do not like and he does like. I don't understand why you don't like her, he said. Because she's not smart, I responded. Amanda, she is smart. Anyone who plays the piano that well is smart. Not true not true!, I shrieked, continuing, musical-smart does not necessarily equal smart-smart! And anyway, she doesn't read the news. Or books. She's getting better at that, he offered. Oh is she now; she needs to get "better" about reading the news? How can she be a relevant artist if she doesn't know what's going on in the world around her?

When I got home,  I texted my friend, unable to let the argument go, as per my usual. I wrote, and I quote (I found it on my phone): "I have refined my point: If Hilary, Helene, Alisa [meaning Weilerstein, who I know but do not represent] or Gabe were unable to play instruments at all, let alone as well as they do, they would still be fascinating." 

So this, combined with my the recent attorney mash-up, leads me to ask: does it matter if artists have other stuff going on besides their music? Should they be able to completely relate to their audiences, or do they get a free pass because they are exceptional at one thing? Do we want our classical stars to be just like us, or do we like it when they're on another plane?  And if audiences do want to be able to relate to classical musicians, is it a publicist's or manager's job to force artists to read books, to watch the news, to get some hobbies? Can having outside interests - and being interesting - be taught?

I am much-delayed in posting this: my sister forwarded it along to "keep me occupied" during jury duty. 

My expert opinion is that this is a Good Promotion. I was going to make it relevant by suggesting some string quartets I'd like to see "jersey swap", but I honestly couldn't come up with any.

Last week, Judith Dobrzynski at Real Clear Arts posted this thought:

With newspapers and magazines shrinking faster than the ozone layer, coverage of events like this concert will disappear except for blogs. And that creates a large problem for arts institutions dependent on the media for free marketing and PR, especially those in the performing arts. 

I was talking about this very subject last week with the PR head of an important music institution. Though he hasn't lost coverage by mainstream media, he is in a bit of a fix. More and more bloggers are asking for tickets, which are expensive to give away. He can't do it, and doesn't unless they have MSM credentials, too. Yet bloggers may be the only ones writing regularly about the arts in the years to come, especially outside of New York.

Bloggers without publications behind them asking for press tickets - and in my case, asking for interviews with artists  - can be a problem. As Judith says, press tickets aren't free; those are real seats that can be sold at top prices. In the current media climate, arts organizations aren't in a position to turn down reviews, and publicists aren't really in a position to turn down interviews, but where should we draw the line?

When bloggers I'm not familiar with request interviews with my clients, I always read their most recent entries and then - if their last entry wasn't from months or even years before - ask them for their daily page views.  That way, I can determine if an interview should be a priority or happen at all. I also do a quick Google search to see how often their blog is linked to by other bloggers. If the blog has a smaller readership but is a consistent source of information for more heavily-trafficked blogs, I take that into consideration. Turning down blogger interviews or ticket requests is not snobbery; an institution or publicist can have a page view cut-off, and inform bloggers of their policy. Ideally, bloggers asking for press tickets would go to organization press departments with their page view and readership information. That in and of itself is always a good indication of professionalism.

I would also recommend giving many bloggers first chances but not so many second chances. If a blogger with a high number of page views is given a ticket to a concert and then doesn't review it, it's fine to turn down their next request as far as I'm concerned. Bloggers aren't dealing with space constraints or editors, so there's no excuse for accepting free tickets and then not reviewing.

When I was covering at a record label in the fall, I worked for one artist who was not familiar with the "blogosphere" and had a history of turning down interviews that were not serious enough. I felt very strongly that interviews on Violinist.com and Sequenza21 would not only be quite serious musically but would really help sell records. Rather than just suggesting these to her manager, also not a blog-guy, and then getting annoyed when he said no, I sent him the following e mail:

These are the two blogs I think we should focus on for previews of the album. I have worked with both of them before, and find them to be very professional and thoughtful. Blog content from widely-read blogs such as these will be picked up and circulated by other blogs, creating a viral publicity effect. Additionally, the blogs below target readers who are actually interested in buying new music albums, whereas more mainstream press  readers will not necessarily purchase an album or attend a concert. 

Sequenza21
http://www.sequenza21.com/index.php
 
Contemporary classical  music blog written by multiple musicologist contributors, including David  Salvage, Jerry Bowles (editor), and John Clare. 
Regarded as a  community for contemporary classical composers and performing artists who  support new music. 
Topics range from  album reviews and concert previews to profiles of artists and composers.  
8,000 readers per  day.

Violinist.com
http://www.violinist.com/
 
Networking site for  professional and amateur violinists run by Laurie Niles (a violin teacher)  
Includes discussion  boards, interviews, and links to violin shops, teachers, etc. 
6,000 readers per day.

Her manager responded about an hour later with, "Great! What is the next step?"