KillingClassicalMusic

Posts tagged classical music

The Guardian’s Tom Service was upset at the end of a recent concert and the LA Times thought it worth posting a poll to see whether or not readers agree that some concert goers should be fined for their “misbehavior.”  Just the headlines for these posts get off to a bad start.

So what was the offense?  An audience member began expressing his appreciation for the performance before Service would have liked him to.  In other words, an audience member really liked the performance - so much so that he burst with enthusiasm at the first reasonably appropriate moment.  In Service’s mind, it would have been better had this jubilant listener been put to sleep by the performance.

And Service is not alone.  Apparently a majority of people who took the LA Times poll support Service’s idea that people who express their appreciation for a performance should be fined.  And it’s a vast majority when you include the people who think it may be OK (or that an “early clapper/shouter should be banned”).  Here’s the poll immediately after I submitted a response:

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It’s that time of the week again.  Here’s this week’s Best of the Web list.  Enjoy.

• Watch Your Language
• Musicians reject latest deal to end DSO strike
• Connecting with the audience
• The strange case of the striking orchestra
• Drip-fed up: why don’t theatres get Twitter?
• UPDATE: This story what recommended by @JohnBanther - World Premiere Live Stream

And here’s something @FOTJS shared earlier on Facebook with Jack Stamp discussing why music matters.

Please let me know about any other stories or web items you think would interest the KillingClassicalMusic.com community.

I believe that, at the moment, innovating on the administrative side of the classical music business is more important than innovating the artistic side. This is because I think it’s largely the business aspects of it that create today’s problems; the music itself is fine. Today I want to explore a indirect reason to innovate in arts administration: motivation.

Those who work in the arts have a bit of an advantage over many of their for-profit counterparts. Simply put, arts professionals are typically working in jobs that align with their passions. As a result, motivation is much less a problem than it may be for other employees in other professions.  But passion is a fickle motivator that waxes and wanes. When work becomes overly monotonous people can quickly lose the sense of higher purpose that is so important to producing meaningful results.

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It’s that time of the week again.  Here’s this week’s Best of the Web list.  Enjoy.

• How Modern Classical Music Could Still Succeed
• Classical Music Linked to High Intelligence
• How Do We Fix Classical Music? Here’s What You Told Us

And here are a couple of bad news stories about finances:

• Banks want DSO’s $54M loan repaid
• SF Opera logged $1.5 million deficit

Please let me know about any other stories or web items you think would interest the KillingClassicalMusic.com community.

It’s not quite a broadcast, but this new effort at the New World Symphony is worth taking notice of. It’s a simulcast of the concert outside, projected on the exterior of the concert hall. Here’s a video of it that Alex Ross made:

Wouldn’t this be a trip in Los Angeles?!? What do you think of this idea? Is it worth while? Initially, I rather like the idea that it could catch passers by. It might be even better if this was simulcast to walls all of the city.

My favorite part of this video happens right when the conductor raises his baton. I would love it if I could take my dog with me to the symphony. Just look at her. Wouldn’t you be more likely to attend a concert if you knew you would run into this cute punim?

Thanks to Alex for sharing this on his blog.

I have written several times about the need for music organizations to truly be a part of their communities. Staying on the edges without integrating with the people whom an ensemble serves is a risky way to run an organization in these days of declining donations and threatened government funding. There are myriad ways in which a group can do more to be a part of its community, but today I want to draw your attention to a new program launched by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra - the Citizen Musician Initiative - and share some thoughts on why music is so important for civic engagement.

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It’s been another slow week for blogging due to all kinds of work. Luckily, in addition to being the first work of this site’s new partnership with Delos Productions, this week was a good one for all things classical music on the Web. So here’s this week’s Best of the Web, including some great blog posts, articles, and a video. Enjoy.

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This week is important here at KillingClassicalMusic.com. So many of you have come to enjoy the weekly Drop the Needle contest, and it is always fun to administer.  Each week it is an opportunity to learn a new piece of music (or maybe reminisce with a familiar friend) and have a bit of fun at the same time. It’s even a great way to challenge your friends and test your knowledge against theirs.  Today, I am pleased and excited to announce that this Wednesday will start a new tradition as a part of the contest.

In partnership with Delos Productions, Drop the Needle will have an added element of interest on the last Wednesday of each month: The winner will receive a complimentary recording of the piece in question.

It is very exciting to announce this partnership with Delos, one of the United States’ finest classical music record labels. Please take some time to learn more about them here. In addition to Delos’ fine reputation for producing excellent recordings, it is also encouraging that they are so active and engaged with the classical music community around the world through social media.  It is a pleasure to be able to provide such a group with a new outlet and opportunity to share its music with classical music lovers around the world.

So, here’s how this will work…

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