Archives for June 2016

I've said these things before, for instance. But they need to be said again, following up on my last post, about a quick way to improve almost any publicity pitch. What’s in today's post: Classical music publicists don’t know how to say why we should care about the music they publicize. This problem afflicts the entire field of classical music. We don’t know how to say why anyone should care about the music we love. I can help with this problem. I deal with it in my consulting work. A big problem with classical music … [Read more...]

I get a lot of ineffective pitches from classical music publicists. In fact — sad to say — I think most of the pitches I get from classical music publicists aren’t very strong. Take this one, which came recently: Hope all is well. I am following up about a possible review of XXX’s new album featuring pianist YYY. Details are below. What’s wrong with that? “Details are below.” Never write this! Give us the information we need right now. Don’t make us work to get it. Because — this is a truth we’ve all got to face — you can count on people … [Read more...]

In an earlier post, I talked about the League of American Orchestra national conference, which I was at last week, for one of its three days. The subject of the conferernce, as I said, was diversity. I went to one panel discussion of that, in which the thoughtful panelists happily got much input from the audience. Everyone — do I need to say that these were mostly people who were white? — seemed very sincere. Searching their souls. Saying that they should change. I honor that. And likewise I honor a theme that emerged, which was that we … [Read more...]

So on Friday I zipped down from DC to Baltimore to attend the League of American Orchestras conference. Whose theme this year was diversity, aka “The Richness of Difference.” A three-day conference; I was there for only one day, so of can’t know everything that went on. But one thing I’m sure of. Symphony orchestras — or just about any major classical music institution — can’t match the diversity impact of Hamilton, which (not exactly to anyone’s surprise) just won the Tony award. And demonstrated so powerfully the richness of difference, … [Read more...]

In this post: I’ll be at the League conference. My thoughts on the conference theme, diversity. classical music institutions don’t do enough planning, when they look for a new audience. I’ll be at the League of American Orchestras conference tomorrow, Friday, June 10. Not speaking or presenting anything. Just hanging out. If you spot me, say hello! I love meeting people at these events. And of course I should have put this on the blog a little earlier! Conference theme The theme of the conference is diversity. I did a post … [Read more...]

I’ve read some things about what Yannick might do as the Met’s music director, when finally he starts that job. (Can’t stop myself from calling the guy what the Philly Orchestra calls him, though I’ve never met him, and couldn't in my wildest dreams imagine that I'd write about Muti and call him “Riccardo.” The power of marketing for a new era!) In some of what I’ve read, there seems to be an assumption that Yannick will have a lot of power. But I wonder. In most US orchestras, the big ones, anyway, the music director has a more restricted … [Read more...]

in this post: Why diversity means more than simply selling tickets to diverse people. And why that might be impossible to do. And then - most happily - a bigger, more productive way to get diversity. This is something I can help you with as a consultant. Go here to learn about my consulting work. Conversation with a friend who runs an important classical music organization. How can they get more diversity, something funders like? Maybe not the right way What seems to be the simplest answer: Sell tickets to more kinds of people. This group … [Read more...]

In my recent posts, I’ve noted a lack of real physicality in most opera stagings, which — to cite just one problem it causes — can lead to violent moments not looking violent. Which then makes opera look implausible on stage, unable to do what any action movie, even a bad one, manages with ease. Which then, I think, undermines any claims we make that opera is great art. No acting training needed And in my last post, I said this problem could easily be fixed. Even without opera singers getting much better training as actors than they … [Read more...]