Oh gosh: let's see if I even remember how do to do this. Back in the day, when I didn't have clients playing everything Ravel wrote for the piano etc., I did interviews with Industry Professionals. The reasons were two-fold: first, I'm a curious soul, and second, I'm sure you all get tired of me. The interviews are all archived on a right side column. Scroll down a bit and they're there. So here is Andrew Shuttleworth, Marketing Communications Manager at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. I was curious about his Shakespeare … [Read more...]
Archives for 2011
Some PR is bad PR
It's a dark, dark day when even Sesame Street is making fun of you: … [Read more...]
The time has come
Twice before I have called on you, Life's a Pitches, to get out there and rock the vote. The first to make Hilary Gramophone's Artist of the Year, and we did it, Pitches, we did it. Well "we" and a really good Schoenberg album. The second was to get Hilary named Playboy's Sexiest Babe of Classical Music. We even nabbed the Opera Chic endorsement for that one. Sadly, our efforts were thwarted by Julia Fischer and one suggestively placed violin. Everyone loves a prop. Now the time has come for our greatest challenge of all: there's a … [Read more...]
I have often walked down that street before
My second-ever blog post, "How do you get (people) (in)to Carnegie Hall?", was about how I walked by an Abercrombie & Fitch and could feel the air-conditioning on the street. Consequently, I wanted to go inside. Here's what I wrote, lo those three years ago: ...after narrowly avoiding Abercrombie I thought, when have I ever passed a performance venue and had a desire to go inside? I walked by Carnegie Hall every day on the way to work at IMG, and never once did I see, hear or feel anything that made me want to go into that lobby. I walked … [Read more...]
You’re young. You’re broke.
It took a while for me to sort out that things only went on sale when people didn't buy them. I don't know what I thought when I was younger: that The Gap just had days when they were feeling generous? There's a lot of debate out there about discounting tickets. Should it be done at all, and if so, when, and by how much? One wonders why theater and classical music tickets aren't simply cheaper, but there are people who analyze such things for a living and I am not one of them, so I won't go into it here. I would, however, like to publicly … [Read more...]
PBR: Patron of the Arts
From today's NPR classical music letter: Quite possibly the strangest place to see a Pabst ad, but we appreciate the support, wherever it may come from. … [Read more...]
Can I teach you how to dance real slow
I happily admit that I hope, every moment of every day, that my life will turn into a musical. I've been watching Ally McBeal on Netflix streaming (My Name is Amanda Ameer and I'm Addicted to Netflix Streaming), and they have what I want: an office that breaks into choreography but not in that cloying Glee way. Imagine my surprise and delight, then, when a friend showed me this video from Grand Rapids. Here's the NPR story. After being included on Newsweek's list of "America's Dying Cities" , Grand Rapids--specifically, two directors … [Read more...]
Bon Iverywhere
Bon Iver's upcoming eponymous release is being streamed on the equally-prestigious-in-their-own-rights NPR Music, The New York Times, and Pitchfork. All three streams were posted the same day: Thursday, June 9. Did all three of these sites forgo their usual desire/demand for exclusive rights to the complete album because they anticipated such huge numbers of listens and hits? I mean, he's famous, but it's still pretty niche music. This kind of blanket exposure is great for him and his publicists, but what's in it for the competing media … [Read more...]
There are just some really smart, creative people out there
In honor of Les Paul's birthday, Google created a playable guitar for its homepage on which you can record yourself! Mashable listed their favorite recordings from today, as if we needed further proof that no one actually works at their jobs: 1. Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” is at the top of the heap, and not just because it’s Gaga. It’s a great rendition of a complicated song done by Leila Dossetto-Becker. 2. The Beatles’s “Hey Jude,” performed by Rosales. 3.Wanderchick brings us “Ode to Joy” in two parts: one and two. Serious … [Read more...]
Something to “like”
The English National Opera has released a trailer for Nico Muhly's upcoming opera, Two Boys. Unlike the unmitigated disaster that is the New York Phil's current The Cunning Little Vixen campaign (see previous blog post), the ENO's video is clever, teasing and actually meaningful. And I'll be damned: they're actually playing the composer's music in it! Now let's check in with Vix. Did I ever think the New York Philharmonic would send me a video with bras in it? No I did not. … [Read more...]
The un-cunning little marketing campaign
I should start by saying how thrilled I am that the New York Philharmonic is presenting Janáček's The Cunning Little Vixen at the end of this month. Go buy tickets. The opera is wonderful, and last year's Le Grand Macabre was a marvel; somehow, Awful Avery Fisher Hall was transformed into a Real Theater, and the performances--not just Eric's--were fantastic. And sure, I'm also obsessed with Fantastic Mr. Fox and woodland creatures in general. Today, the Philharmonic e mailed out the following to their list. It reads: Meet Vix. She’s … [Read more...]
Don’t stop believing
Alex Ross notes Die Walküre on the Glee season finale and expresses his hopes for next season: Happy happy kiddies, dancing in front of the big ol’ incest opera. … [Read more...]
Jeeves, Wooster and Sandow
Today at 2pm ET, you can watch ArtsJournal's own Greg Sandow debate with...wait for it...Stephen Fry! Why, I have no idea. How, I have no idea. But there it is, folks. Type of event: Debate When: Thu, 05/12/2011 - 19:00 Where The Cambridge Union Society In assocation with Vocal Futures. PROPOSITION: Kissy Sell Out - Kissy Sell Out is a DJ/Producer and Radio 1 Broadcaster. He has released one critically-acclaimed artist album "Youth" and his sophomore offering "Wild Romance' follows in May 2011. He has toured the globe both as a DJ … [Read more...]
A pitch for “A Pitch…”
My client David Lang wrote this article, "A Pitch for New Music"", for some newspaper that I think is called "The New York Times"? Something like that. Anyway. The Times has been running a series called The Score on the Opinionator blog, described as, "The Score features the writings of composers on their work and the issues involved in creating music in the 21st century, as the traditional notion of 'classical' continues to be reconsidered, revised and reimagined." Spurred by the Anthony Tommasini Top Ten Composers List of Destiny, David … [Read more...]