Environmental Philharmonic

Because I've complained before that classical music organizations don't say or do do much about the environment (if they do anything at all), it's only fair to note something new from the New York Philharmonic. They're switching to e-mail-only press releases (except for "major items such as season announcements," to quote their e-mail). And at the bottom of every e-mail from anyone at the organization is this, in green type: "Please consider the environment before printing this email." And their annual parks concerts t-shirt is, they say, 100% organic.

These are small things, but I'm glad to see them. Bravo.

One curiosity. Or maybe two. There doesn't seem to be any way to find the Philharmonic's newsroom (where they present and archive press releases) from their main site. Not even with the search function; searches for "newsroom" or "press releases" came up empty. This isn't typical of orchestra sites. The Philadelphia Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, and Pittsburgh Symphony, just for instance, all have their press releases readily available. The Philharmonic might say that most people who go to the website don't want to read press releases, and that's probably right. But on the other hand, I can't imagine that any of their visitors would mind finding a press release (or newsroom, or media room) link, and the absence of it might be frustrating for a journalist in a hurry, who didn't bookmark the newsroom and rushes to the main site to find it. (Would all journalists who fit that description please raise their hands? Just about everybody, right?)

Second curiosity: that the environmental news -- the end of paper press releases and the t-shirt -- isn't itself a press release, and can't be found in the newsroom, even though it was sent in an e-mail to the Philharmonic's press list.

But these are footnotes. Bravo again for the Philharmonic for taking a step towards a greener life.

And before I forget! Anyone looking for good things about classical music (I've been compiling a list) should love a quote on the Philharmonic site from one of their bassoonists, Kim Laskowski: "The best thing about being a musician is carrying around works of art in your head all the time."