Archives for 2010

The big storm has hit New York. Juilliard closed for the day. My class is canceled. One great way to use the time I've just been given -- post more solutions! Here are some that came in as comments. I should also note that I've had some responses to my call for help, and that the blog sidebar on solutions is coming "with all deliberate speed" (to quote a famous line from the Supreme Court). Here are today's solutions. Note that I'm posting them simply in the order they came in. Thanks to all who sent them! From Paul Gambill, something he did … [Read more...]

I love where the solutions idea is taking us. And I'm serious about collecting the responses in a sidebar to the blog, in the "Resources" section on the right. But I'm a little overwhelmed by the work involved. No need to get into a list right now of my many projects, but I'm reaching the limit of what I can reasonably handle. Even though maintaining the "Solutions" page is nothing but simple grunt work. I just don't know if I have time for it.So I'd love to find a volunteer. Would someone like to help, collect the things for the page, maintain … [Read more...]

On Saturday afternoon I went to see the Met's streaming Simon Boccanegra in a multiplex in Rockaway, NJ. The audience was old -- dismayingly old. I know I've written quite a bit about the aging audience, but this time I was shocked. This wasn't an audience like the one that shows up in the Knight Foundation's survey of attendance at concerts by an assortment of orchestras -- where there's a mix of ages, even if more than 60% of the people are 55 and over. No, this audience, to judge from appearances, was almost entirely over 60. The theater the … [Read more...]

Here's another success story, about new ways to promote what otherwise was a standard (though evidently quite wonderful) classical performance. This was a semi-staged production of Gluck's opera Armide, done by Opera Lafayette in Washington and New York, and reviewed by my wife Anne Midgette in the Washington Post:Opera Lafayette celebrated its 15th anniversary on Monday night with a gesture that, before the fact, seemed almost quixotic. The company, which usually performs in the Kennedy Center's Terrace Theater -- seating about 500 -- … [Read more...]

I love the reactions to my "Solutions" post. Just as I'd hoped -- people posting comments, telling us about their own solutions, their own new ways of presenting classical music. In Britain, the Netherlands, and the US. Keep them coming!I'll try to feature as many as I can, not just in the sidebar I'll create, but on the blog. Unless/until there are too many, of course, in which case we'll have to figure out another way of getting them attention. Not that too many solutions would be a bad thing!So here's something from Matt Huber, who took my … [Read more...]

I think it's time to emphasize solutions on my blog. I've made so many criticisms of the classical music world -- justified criticisms, I don't hesitate to say. And I love the theoretical discussions we get into, which I'm often (but, wonderfully, not at all always) the one to start. But still it's time to move forward, which doesn't mean scrapping the critiques -- which are needed; how else will classical music institutions ever change? -- or the discussions. Alongside these things, though, we need solutions, things people are doing to change … [Read more...]

Follow this link to read my latest book riff, a long time coming. It covers chapter two of the book -- see the book outline -- titled "Dire Data." For a shorter version, go here.The book, of course, is Rebirth: The Future of Classical Music. There's now a sidebar on this site, off to the right, devoted to it. There you'll always be able to find all the book material I've made available. You can also go to it directly, by clicking here.The subject of the new riff -- and the correponding chapter in the book -- is the crisis in classical music, … [Read more...]

A little while ago I was talking for to [ah, typos] a former student of mine, a composer with a sincere commitment to modernism. Readers here know that that isn't my own favorite musical style of the past 50 years, but I respect it, like some of the music, and also think that it's due for another look. I'd like to see a retrospective on it in a contemporary  art museum, because I think a museum audience is one place to look for people who'll actually like modernist music. I'd also look -- in the future -- to the alt-classical world. … [Read more...]

For the first time, I've seen comments here that in my opinion cross the line that separates vigorous disagreement from scornful personal attacks. I won't cite those comments here, though I did flag them in remarks I posted in response to each one. I don't want comments like these appearing on my blog. So this is my warning, never needed before. Disagreement -- including vigorous, even total disagreement -- is welcome here, whether it's about something I say, or something anyone else says. But if anyone posts a comment that in my opinion gives … [Read more...]

On the website of SloverLinett Strategies -- a company that does audience research and planning for nonprofits working in education and the arts -- there's a terrific blog post, by one of the company's two principals, Peter Linett. I'll excerpt a bit of it, but I'd urge you to follow this link and read it all. It fits perfectly with the discussions we have here: If someone asks you why the classical music scene...looks and acts the way it does, you might answer by referring to those appearances and actions as manifestations of a particular set … [Read more...]

A high school student -- who wants to be known here just as Spencer L. -- asked if he could interview me. We did it by email. Here's our Q&A. A good chance for me to be very succinct about things I believe:1. How has music (specifically orchestra, ensemble, jazz as opposed to rock, rap, etc) affected you and your life?I grew up listening to this music, so my first musical experiences were involved with it. It touched my heart, excited me, and made me want to learn all about it. [I was careless here. Apologies to Spencer. I meant that I grew … [Read more...]

Yes, I promised a new book riff first by last Wednesday, then by today.But it's slow going. To plan and outline this book in a way that's lively, thorough, and correct -- that takes time. So I'm finding myself going offline, and doing what writers and artists always have done. Apply butt to seat, and work.Time problems are a major thorn in my life. And not only my life, of course. I have more things to do than -- short of working 24/7 -- I have time for. So...triage. Lately this blog was triaged, and also the comments on it. I regret that, but … [Read more...]

Re my book -- I've moved on from riffing chapter one to riffing chapter two. (See the outline for what those chapters are.)But I realize the chapter one collected riffs are very long. So I've made a shorter version. Better, in some small ways, too. But of course a lot gets left out. Still, for those who want a quicker read -- and especially if you were daunted by the sheer length of what I've offered earlier -- here's something shorter. I'm forced to revise a deadline I gave myself for the chapter two riffs. They're outlined, in full. But I … [Read more...]

My "Diversity Challenge" post has sparked a terrific discussion. Read it in the comments. I'm grateful to everyone who's contributed. It's all about the increasing diversity of our culture, and the notable non-diversity of the classical music world. But one key thought was offered three weeks ago by Jon Silpayamanant, as a comment to my post on the New York City Opera, in which I mentioned -- besides the improvising flute in the orchestra (still one of my favorite classical music amazements in recent months) -- how the company attracted a … [Read more...]

From Janis, commenting on my "Diversity Challenge" post:The classical is trying to wonder how to attract an audience, and that's the whole problem. The people you want to attract aren't interested in being a mere audience. Maybe you'll get a few superficial dilletantes here and there, but the lifeblood types who can really breathe new life into it and bring it into the future aren't interested in sitting there. They want to roll up their sleeves and dig in themselves.You go, Janis!She ties into points I've often made.The classical music world … [Read more...]