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The speed of change

January 14, 2013 by
future blog

One thing my mavericks posts showed was how much change there is in classical music, how many people and groups are doing new things. And we barely scratched the surface. (The link takes you to the first of these posts. At the end of it, you'll find links to all the others.) As I said, I'll be adding to the mavericks list. But right now, here's something related — a post about new things that have popped up in my inbox or web browsing in the past month or so, things that also show how things are changing. Whether the people and groups … [Read more...]

01/14/13 2:17 PM | filed under: Preparing for the future |

Classical music wish list

January 11, 2013 by
npr music blog

That's what you'll find on Tom Huizinga's NPR blog today -- things many of us hope will happen in classical music during 2013. I'm there, along with Marin Alsop, Jennifer Higdon, Kevin Puts, and some others, including Tom himself, of course, and his fellow NPR blogger Anastasia Tsioulcas. Alsop's wishes are as lively as she is. Her first one: For all of us in classical music to stop being afraid of having fun ... and showing it! Love that! Here's a summary of my wishes: classical music institutions should make finding a new audience … [Read more...]

01/11/13 11:20 AM | filed under: Uncategorized |

Community squared

January 9, 2013 by
renewal blog

As I've been saying in my last post, and the one before, I've realized that my blog — all my work — involves a community. And that I want to move in new directions. So here's yet another way to move. I'd talked about taking my work to an institution (which perhaps I'd run), but if I keep it here, I've realized that I'd love some help. There are many reasons for that. First -- and simplest — is my workload. Just keeping the blog going (not to mention my newsletters, and other things I do) requires lots of administrative time. … [Read more...]

01/9/13 11:47 AM | filed under: about the blog, my projects, personal |

New directions

January 8, 2013 by
new directions blog

A followup to yesterday's "Renewal." I realized, as I said in "Renewal," that my blog — and all my work — involve a community, a community that nourishes me, and that I seem to nourish, a community of people involved with (or even just thinking about) change in classical music. But I also realized that it's time for something new. And I thought of two new paths to follow. I could take my work to an institution, maybe a music school or university, maybe a music school that's looking for a director, and would want me to take the … [Read more...]

01/8/13 11:15 AM | filed under: Uncategorized |

Renewal

January 7, 2013 by
renewal blog

A belated happy new year to everyone! As I come back to my normal life after an intensely happy holiday. We have lots to do here. We need to continue the mavericks posts from last month. And of course I want to assess the condition of classical music, as I do every year. Starting, maybe, by citing some ways that — while the mavericks show great change, great success — our normal ways of doing things are failing. But I've realized a few things while I've been away. First, that I've accomplished a lot here, along with all of you who … [Read more...]

01/7/13 12:31 PM | filed under: about the blog, my projects, my talking/writing business, personal |

Warmest holiday wishes

December 26, 2012 by
rafa xmas

To all my readers, whom I value so much — warmest wishes for the holidays, and for 2013. The best thing, for me, in the past year, was what you see in the photo. Our little Rafa, two months old last Xmas, but now 14 months old, and a real participant. A kid who smiles and laughs, and makes up games to play with us. 2012 looked like a troubling year for classical music, with so many orchestras in peril. But built into this trouble is hope. As things get worse, more people see that change has to come. And more change does come. As I look … [Read more...]

12/26/12 4:40 PM | filed under: personal |

Final mavericks: Jade Simmons and a Go-Go symphony

December 21, 2012 by
jade blog

Well, final only for now. Because, as I said in my last post — where I finished the list of readers' nominations — I'll be continuing this in the new year. So the name to conjure with, maverick-wise — the maverick of the year, if I had to name one — would be Jade Simmons. One look at her website (follow the link) tells you she's different. "Cyber Digs of Multifaceted Pianist Jade Simmons," it says. "Take off your shoes & stay awhile!" I don't know anyone in classical music who's so much at home in our outside culture, who does … [Read more...]

12/21/12 11:56 AM | filed under: changes, entrepreneurship, finding a new audience, Preparing for the future, Uncategorized |

A lot of mavericks

December 20, 2012 by
from readers blog

  Finishing — for now — with the many, many suggestions I've gotten from readers. If I missed anyone (maybe a Facebook comment, or something on Twitter, or whatever else might have escaped my dragnet, forgive me! This isn't over. We'll resume in the new year. And then keep doing this! Because what we've done here is something badly needed. We're compiling a list of classical music alternatives — of the many new things that people have done, to change the face of this art form, and give it a new birth. From Andrew Lyon:  I am … [Read more...]

12/20/12 10:03 PM | filed under: breaking the mold, changes, from readers, Preparing for the future, Uncategorized |

“We personalize what music is”

December 20, 2012 by
ROCO blog

Another maverick, one I've known about for years: The 40-musician River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, in Houston, founded in 2005. This has to be one of the most stunning entrepreneurial triumphs in classical music, since its founder, Alecia Lawyer, created it from nothing, using social contacts at her church and in Houston generally to lay a foundation. And then finding the best musicians she could, from Houston and elsewhere. And then building a large, stable audience. And then making an impact on the city. She was (as I just learned from … [Read more...]

12/20/12 1:59 PM | filed under: changes, entrepreneurship, finding a new audience, Preparing for the future |

Mavericks — continuing

December 19, 2012 by
from readers blog

More classical music mavericks, as submitted by readers: From Geoffrey Jones: The Artists in Residence program at Strathmore [a major concert hall, between Washington, DC and Baltimore], some of them are breaking molds and have huge talents. Three suggestions from Brett Amacher: I think this is a great example of how to "reach outside the classical music bubble": 'The Speedbumps at the Canton Symphony' did that very well, imo (details on the blog post below). http://www.callumndad.com/?p=361 Tonhalle Orchester Zurich's "tonhalleLATE"... … [Read more...]

12/19/12 12:51 PM | filed under: changes, entrepreneurship, finding a new audience, Preparing for the future, Uncategorized |
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