Archives for 2009

I stand pleasantly surprised by the Grammy live pre-telecast. It worked without a hitch and looked lovely. Here's our girl:The presenter said he gets "1 minute" for the classical awards every year. He also said that this kind of music "is your friend when times are hard" (I....guess?)  and to "grab Hilary" if you have any questions at all about classical music. Thanks dude: I'm the one who's going to end up fielding those. … [Read more...]

Each week, I'll post an interview with someone far more knowledgeable than myself on specific marketing and publicity subjects. This week, Goldstar CEO and co-founder Jim McCarthy on sitting in half-full audiences, going genre-less and why you don't actually gotta having a gimmick. Jim McCarthy is the CEO and co-founder of Goldstar and the Editor of Live 2.0. He's a decade-long veteran of the Internet and e-commerce business, starting with GeoCities way back when "myspace" was something you told somebody you needed when you wanted to break up … [Read more...]

Further to my post about e-programs, look at this 09-10 e-season brochure from The London Philharmonic Orchestra! You can flip through it online, download as a PDF, and/or e mail it to a friend. Having spent 20 minutes playing around with it this morning, I can officially say it's the first orchestra season brochure I've read cover-to-cover -- or, perhaps more accurately, page 1/68 - 68/68 -- in years, if not ever. And it cost zero dollars ($0) for them to get it to me. Thanks to Ronen for the link. … [Read more...]

As someone who has been known to Photoshop a few images in her day, I have to brush-tool draw your attention to La Cieca's top-notch Aretha Franklin Inauguration Hat/George Man-of work: This is excellent, excellent Photoshopping. … [Read more...]

The (now not so) new Carnegie Hall programs are fantastic. I've been meaning to write this since seeing Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Orpheus there in October, but my scanner has been on the fritz. I was reminded how much I liked said programs, however, on Sunday night at the Kurtag recital (um...go Steelers?) and promptly repaired my scanner for this purpose. Such nice bright colors in the calendar section! Gives the hall the opportunity to highlight specific concerts in an aesthetically pleasing fashion without using wasteful and noisy program … [Read more...]

I was just (remortgaging the house I don't have and) buying flowers online, and this popped up: I'm always "chatting" with Verizon reps, too. Sometimes they suggest I call the 800-number with my question, but often they're quite useful online, and I don't have to listen to hold music. I'd love to see a presenter box office live chat option. "Need help picking the perfect concert? Let one of our experts help you. CHAT NOW." That way, venues could have trained box office representatives who work from home. Call them "experts", too - not … [Read more...]

A journalist friend forwarded me the following press release, and it is funny stuff:Pittsburgh, PA, January 29...The trash-talking has already begun. Pittsburgh Opera and Arizona Opera (with locations in Phoenix and Tucson) have embraced the mortal combat of the Super Bowl with a fervor befitting, well, opera."Everyone knows how passionate Pittsburghers are about the Steelers. It goes without saying that we had to find a way to show our true devotion to our team," said Christopher Hahn, Pittsburgh Opera General Director, who today threw down … [Read more...]

Yikes - it has been a long time since I posted an interview. We have some really good ones coming up, though, I promise. For those of you just joining us now, every week I get my act together, I'll post an interview with someone far more knowledgeable than myself on specific marketing and publicity subjects. This week, Naxos of America Press and Media Manager Paula Mlyn on selling records without actually selling records, that famous Naxos album art, and networking, networking, networking.Paula Mlyn is the Manager of Press and Media for Naxos … [Read more...]

There are still TWO SUPERBOWL AD SLOTS LEFT!!For the bargain basement price of $2.7 million dollars, one of them COULD BE YOURS!If you get one, you'll be in the good company of Cash4Gold. … [Read more...]

Whatever your views on the subject, the fact that Page Six cares about the behind-the-scenes drama at The Metropolitan Opera is a Gelb accomplishment in and of itself. … [Read more...]

I was looking at Playbill.com and got very confused by the top banner ads: I thought, "I can't imagine anyone calling Wicked 'ferociously funny'. And I've never seen it described anywhere as a 'new comedy'." I refreshed - refreshed - refreshed the page and, to my surprise, got to this:Why are you using the Wicked colors, Becky Shaw?? "...newlywed couple fixes up two romantically challenged friends: wife's best friend, meet husband's sexy and strange new co-worker." No one mourns the wicked, sexy and strange color-stealing co-worker!Upon closer … [Read more...]

When I was watching the summer Olympics this past August, I got it into my head that a funny segment during the TV coverage would be to show an average person swimming alongside the Olympic swimmers (running against the runners, etc.). Me, for example, in all my former New Canaan High School swim team not-glory, diving into the pool next to these women who were breaking world records. My thought was that after watching the Olympics for days on end we lose track of how incredible these people are; there are no points of comparison, so when the … [Read more...]

Gotta love that Medici TV. Tomorrow, January 24, they'll be streaming a FREE, live Hélène Grimaud concert from the Cite de la musique (whose website makes them look very cool as well). The e-concert is at 7pm UTC (that is, 1pm New York City time). Medici TV streamed Hilary Hahn and Josh Ritter's Verbier performance two summers ago, and it was really beautiful footage. I love the way the image automatically goes to full-bleed on the screen. I wonder if they'll ever start charging, or offer an e-concert subscription package a la the Met Player. … [Read more...]

I learned a lot about the Billboard charts while subbing at the record label this fall. In the classical realm at least, it's shocking how little of a difference there is sales-wise between debuting at the top spot and coming in around number four or five. All the more reason not to turn our collective noses up at coverage on targeted blogs that get 600 - 1000 hits a day: they may not have the readership numbers of your local paper, but that's 600 potential buyers already engaged in what you're trying to sell. And if 100 of them buy the record, … [Read more...]