Articles: Page 10

The April issue of Allegro, local 802’s monthly newspaper, focuses on the state of the AFM pension. Attorney Harvey Mars, a local 802 member and counsel to the local, writes a regular “Legal Corner” column for Allegro. In this issue, he describes in detail but plain language the legal ramifications of the AFM-EP fund being in the red zone.
See the companion article by Mikael Elsila, editor of Allegro, where he describes how the current economic situation impacts pension benefits for individual AFM members.

Bruce Adolphe is a leading American composer, educator, author, performer, and radio personality. He is Resident Lecturer and Director of the Family Concerts for the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, host of Piano Puzzlers, the weekly radio quiz show presented by Performance Today, and founding Creative Director of The Learning Maestros, a music and interdisciplinary education initiative run jointly with Orpheus Chamber Orchestra founder Julian Fifer. Bruce has taught at Juilliard, New York University, and Yale, and has published several books. His compositions include an array of fun, educational pieces for youth as well as concert works that have been recorded on Telarc, Naxos, CRI, Delos, and Koch labels, and performed by Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Sylvia McNair, the Brentano and Miami String Quartets, and countless orchestras and chamber ensembles. For a complete biography, please visit www.bruceadolphe.com.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Bruce about his wealth of experience in the field of education and outreach. In the interview that follows, Bruce shares his knowledge and background in educational performances – including 18 years in the Education Department at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Full of tips and insights on engaging contemporary audiences of families and school children, Bruce’s thoughts will surely help inspire and guide any performer interested in outreach and education – from seasoned professionals to emerging young artists and conservatory students.
To watch Bruce in action at a family concert for La Jolla’s SummerFest, click here. A brief interview with Bruce from the 2009 Music@Menlo festival can be viewed here.
– Kirsten Jermé

Christopher Stager, of CRStager marketing & audience development, was amazed to learn that the Milwaukee Symphony’s two October performances of Bartok’s opera Bluebeard’s Castle, were sold out events. He had thought that they would sell moderately, at best. However, stunning set designs by renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly and a special grant from the Wisconsin Department of Tourism helped them turn the concerts into an event.
So in November, Chris met with Susan Loris, VP Marketing & Communications, and Sarah Hogan, Associate Director of Marketing, to learn more about their marketing plan and how they engineered such a successful outcome. The following are edited excerpts from their conversation.

In 2009 the Spokane Symphony created an endowed chair in memory of two members of their violin section: mother/daughter Evelyn Ayer and Jane Ayer Blegen. Julie Ayer, violinist with the Minnesota Orchestra, has written a loving tribute to her mother and sister, describing their involvement with the orchestra and how the endowed chair came to be. She also gives us an overview of the history of women in North American symphony orchestras.

This is Polyphonic.org’s tribute to those of our colleagues and co-workers who left us in 2009. By its nature it is almost certainly not a complete list. We apologize for any omissions, and will make corrections if you post them in the “Comments” area.

Once again Robert Levine shares his considerable knowledge and experience with Polyphonic readers, this time with a quick tutorial on the responsibilities of musicians who may find themselves the treasurer of his orchestra or union local. Easy to read and understand, Robert’s words of wisdom will keep you out of hot water and possibly jail.

Melissa Rogers is Assistant Librarian at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Head Librarian for the Aspen Music Festival and School. After another hectic summer at Aspen, Melissa agreed to share with Polyphonic readers her insights into just how hectic it can be for herself and the six other librarians who prepare all the music for the myriad of activities and concerts that make up a large summer music festival. Thanks to Karen Schnackenberg for encouraging Melissa to write this article for us.

Russ Girsberger is the Ensemble Librarian at the Juilliard School, and has written an interesting insight into the differences in duties between a college/conservatory librarian and a professional orchestra librarian.
Russ is well-known in library circles, due to his many writings, including what is quickly becoming a standard resource for those new to the profession: A Manual for the Performance Library.
Thanks to Karen Schnackenberg for asking Russ to write this article for us.

Charles Rex, violinist with the New York Philharmonic, sent his friends and colleagues some detailed email descriptions of his trip to North Korea in 2007. A mutual friend told me about them, I contacted Charles, and he graciously agreed to edit his email musings into a fascinating article about that trip.
When I saw Charles at a NY Philharmonic concert in May, 2009, I asked him to do the same for his upcoming trip to Vietnam with the orchestra. His insights are particularly interesting because he traveled to China in the early 1970s with the Philadelphia Orchestra, another major cultural and diplomatic overture on the part of the United States. Charles also sent us quite a few photographs to accompany his thoughts about their trip to Hanoi, and how it compared to his previous tours in China and North Korea.

I attended the May 2, 2009 Young People’s Concert of the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall in order to visit with my friend and colleague David Gier and his wife Angela (who now live in South Dakota). My husband Algis accompanied me, though he really wasn’t up for a “kiddie” concert, having heard me lament the lack of imagination in so many of those I’ve played over the years. We were, however, both totally blown away and delighted by what we heard and saw.
Four actors, representing New York, Paris, Vienna, and St. Petersburg from four different historical periods, appeared throughout the hall and were obviously in the midst of an ongoing contentious debate about which city’s music was most important. David, as conductor, was completely a part of the actors’ script, the Philharmonic played several substantial Russian masterpieces, including the Finale of Pictures at an Exhibition, and the concert ended with all four actors dancing to Mozart’s 40th in four very different dance styles – an electrifying sight!
At the wrap party after the concert, after congratulating them profusely, I asked David and Tom Dulack, the director and scriptwriter, to share with me their experiences of and thoughts about putting together such a complex concert series for children and their families.