The next episode of my online book on the future of classical music --scheduled for Monday, October 9 -- will appear on Wednesday instead. This is due to scheduling and workload issues beyond my control. The new episode continues with the historical background to the problems we have now. I've been describing how three things helped establish the current isolation of classical music from contemporary life: the rise of the very concept of classical music (as something removed from everyday life), which dates from the early 19th century; … [Read more...]

This comes from my friend Christopher Stager, an expert marketing and audience development consultant, who works with arts organizations, especially orchestras. He also knows music in genuine, enthusiastic depth. Chris and I were talking over lunch, and the subject of orchestra programming came up -- not gigantic questions, like how much new music an orchestra can dare to do, but something smaller, the way sometimes there's a panic about one piece on a proposed program, something maybe a little obscure, which (or so it's feared) will … [Read more...]

New York magazine has a feature called "Party Lines," about events where celebrities are spotted. This week they feature the Metropolitan Opera opening, along with the premiere of The Departed (the new Martin Scorcese film), and a gala for New Yorkers for Children. Each entry features a quote. The Met's quote comes from model Maggie Rizer, who says: You know, I've never been to the opera before. [She's asked why not.] I never really hear anybody talking about it. It seems to me that it's a very traditional thing for older people. If … [Read more...]

For those who might want to find me in the real world, here are places I'm going to be this month: October 6 and 8 -- in Pittsburgh, doing a multimedia presentation on Shostakovich before two Pittsburgh Symphony concerts. It's an all-Shos program, excerpts from The Bolt ballet suite, the Piano Concerto No. 1, and the Fifth Symphony. Feltsman is the pianist, Sinaisky the conductor. I'll post more on my thoughts about Shostakovich. October 18-22 -- at Bowling Green State University, in Ohio. I and my wife Anne Midgette (the New York … [Read more...]