Alex Ross is on Gawker today! Many congratulations to him for achieving mainstream digital media recognition. Oh, and on winning that award thinger. … [Read more...]
America’s Funniest Home Press Requests
Or, "Am I Going to Get Arrested?", by Amanda Ameer. Would you believe me if I told you that I received an album request from the company that apparently handles "in-flight entertainment" for...Air Force One? They asked for a CD for consideration - I'm not telling you which one. I e mailed back, "Like, the President's plane?" ((consummate professional)), she's like, "Yep, that's the one!", smiley face. "Um, yeah, I'm sure that's fine."Now, I don't think I have to spell out the comedy for you, but I can't help but wonder:1. The President and his … [Read more...]
The solution to the freelancer problem
1. Why does everyone keep telling me there are no freelancers? I would think the city would be crawling with freelancers, since all the staff writers are getting laid off. 2. I neglected to mention how cool this was last week. Pshaw to The New Yorker for simply printing excerpts of John Adams' autobiography; here we have the esteemed Michael Tilson Thomas previewing his own concert! I could do without the mini-me paragraph openers ["It was thrilling, but it fed on itself." "By the early '70s he realized the danger." "These were the years of the … [Read more...]
Virtual site done right
While looking for contact information on their website, I stumbled upon the Orange County Performing Arts Center's "Interactive Seat Buddy". Heeey, buddy! You select the theater, the level and the seat, and your new computer pal shows you the general view from that location. This is perfect for first-time ticket buyers who can't picture where their seats are going to be or what the stage is going to look like, and might not buy because of it; one small step toward making the classical-concert-going experience less daunting. Orange County: … [Read more...]
Talk to me about (indie rock) record labels
It seems like years since I've posted an interview here, which, I assure you, is my fault and not my subjects'. The good news is, we have an exquisite line-up for the next few Fridays. For those of you just joining us now, on Fridays I'll (try to) post an interview with someone far more knowledgeable than myself on specific marketing and publicity subjects. This week, FatCat USA label manager Anna Bond on record placement in iTunes vs. stores, being a girl, and how the industry needs to reinvent itself.Anna Bond has been co-label manager of … [Read more...]
Cultural Revolution
Well, this happened. Who knew an American orchestra wielded that kind of power. That's more shocking than the news itself to me, actually. … [Read more...]
Serendipity
Below please find an exchange with my sister not one hour ago. I like how "Aliza Ameer" is in quotes when I cut and paste, like, allegedly that's who's sending me e mails.On 9/17/08 12:11 PM, "Aliza Ameer" wrote:Yeah, that's definitely true, I almost called Detroit, just to see if I could request tickets for $1 and what they would say. Then I decided not to, but they don't put any instructions down for how it works. Yeah, they definitely should have a tkts booth of sorts. Why couldn't they just join in with the normal tkts … [Read more...]
Tales from the Crypt
File under: Grrreat. The Newark Star-Ledger might go out of business. On the one hand, a city without a paper could force higher quality online content slash save trees (or "gardens", I guess, in New Jersey's case). On the other hand, I really like Bradley Bambarger, so that's too bad. His review of one of our Wordless Music orchestra concerts back in January was really thought-provoking (a thought-provoking review??): incidentally, I was at a Goldfrapp concert last Friday thinking about how every performing arts genre besides classical music … [Read more...]
It was Wynton Marsalis, in the Patron Lounge, with the Blackberry
About a week ago, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra launched a new website. Props to them for caring about their online presence, which is more than I can say for some people. But, sadly, the site is strange, distracting and illogical. I like the homepage, which uses the facade of the building as navigation. This is useful because 1. it's intriguing to see what Flash magic is going to happen when you click on a door [SPOILER ALERT! Nothing happens.] and 2. it (hopefully) leads folks to recognize the real life facade as the home of the symphony … [Read more...]
PS
Aren't you glad that you work in the performing arts industry and never had any money to invest, anyway?And who would have thought "freelance classical music publicist" would end up being a more stable career choice than "investment banker"? I knew I avoided Econ classes for a reason... … [Read more...]
Let yourself advertise
It's that time of year: the city is completely covered in Metropolitan Opera opening night ads. Buses, bus stops, banners, phone booths...you can't swing a dead Venus worshiper without hitting one. This year, the campaign has a slogan: "Let yourself go", which I think is rockin'. It paints going to The Met as a guilty pleasure, a message that the sultry Renée Fleming Thaïs photo completely supports. "Come on, you know you want to...buy tickets to the opera," Ms. Fleming seems to suggest with the one eye that isn't covered by kinked … [Read more...]
The Girl Next Door
Gramophone Artist of the Year voting has closed, but I'm kind of terrified to report that you can still Vote for Hilary!Playboy's Sexiest Babes of Classical Music - could I/would I make that up?I'm actually pretty impressed with their description of Hilary! I've read presenter ad copy about her far worse than this. It's quite well-written and accurate, actually. Maybe I'll start reading Playboy for the articles. Hilary Hahn Who she is: A serious-minded violinist who isn't afraid to find partners outside classical music She'll play a Bach … [Read more...]
Renée is the new Rain?
The unnervingly lovely Renée Fleming releases her newest album next week, and combing through her press materials to promote it, I stumbled upon this:Master Chef Daniel Boulud has created the dessert "La Diva Renée" (1999) in her honor, and she has inspired the "Renée Fleming Iris" (2004), which has been replicated in porcelain by Boehm.She also has a Coty (synonym for "fancy") perfume coming out if/when The Metropolitan Opera Gift Shop reopens this winter called "La Voce". My Coty perfume, "Life's a Spritz" (2008), will be coming out … [Read more...]
Mixed messages
In commercial (or, more specifically, consumer-brain) shorthand, classical music and opera = high-end, expensive, classy. If you buy a car that was advertised with opera playing on the TV, you are one cultured, loaded guy. I think a lot about how the "industry is dying" but classical music and opera are still omnipresent. I'm sure if I had a different job, I would still passively hear classical music once a day. So my ears always perk up when opera comes out of my television, but when this Jeep commercial came on last night during Frasier, I … [Read more...]