Articles: Page 19

This is Polyphonic.org’s tribute to those of our colleagues and co-workers who left us in 2006. 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.

Aaron Dworkin, Founder and President of The Sphinx Organization, explores a few avenues that could assist in diversifying the American symphony orchestra. Citing statistics from the American Symphony Orchestra Leagues’s annual survey of orchestra membership, he makes the case that orchestras do not reflect the ethnic make-up of American society — not only among the musicians but also among music directors, executive directors, artistic administrators, and even among the composers of the repertoire we perform.
Aaron explores some fairly radical suggestions — “thinking outside the box” — regarding typical orchestral audition and tenure policies. He offers a new perspective on marketing the orchestra, where subscription programming materials would express a commitment to diversity. And finally, he suggests that orchestras explore the possibility of holding the majority of their concerts in community venues. It\’s an interesting view of the diversity situation in symphonies and will hopefully spark some debate, especially as we plan for the Diversity Virtual Discussion Panel in February.

Lucinda Lewis, Principal Horn with the New Jersey Symphony and author of Broken Embouchures, explores the symptoms and treatment of embouchure overuse syndrome. She explains how the basic mechanical structure of the embouchure works while playing, and how it can become damaged and disabled by an episode of overuse.
Cindy lists the hallmark physical symptoms of embouchure overuse, and denotes the most common playing problems that result from overuse. One of the most important issues to consider is sensory feedback, which is critical to brass playing. Finally, she offers a list of clues that can indicate that you are developing embouchure overuse syndrome. The only treatment is mechanical rehabilitation, which can be frustrating but, if done correctly, can restore the embouchure to proper functioning.

Musicians are always pressed for time, and in need of practice time – often a precious commodity. In her next health tip, Janet Horvath stresses the importance of taking the time to warm up BEFORE you start in on that horrible passage you have to learn by tonight, in order to prevent injury.

Kim Hartquist, Music Librarian with the Rochester Philharmonic, explains the varied backgrounds and career paths that musicians follow on their way to becoming an orchestra librarian. She offers some very practical, common-sense advice on how to get to know your orchestra librarian, and how to find out what the library policy is in your orchestra. And she explains how you can make certain that the librarian is in your corner when it comes time to ask for a favor.

In the first installment from this feature, Lyric Opera of Chicago Principal Horn, Jon Boen, just completed the premier performance of a new horn concerto he commissioned from composer, Jan Bach. This second, and final, article details the momentous challenges involved with producing a professional recording of the work featuring Jon and the Chicago Philharmonic.
Furthermore, in addition to the embedded audio clips from the finished CD, this article is enhanced with clips from the recording session and even a trio performance from a fundraising event designed to help subsidize the project’s cost.
By the time you finish this article, you will have a crystal clear picture of exactly how much a project like this costs, how much personal risk is involved, and the amount of effort required to produce a professional orchestral recording. Sometimes, even inspiration can feel daunting, but the rewards speak for themselves.

“Life would be so much better if only I had artistic control…”
It would be difficult to find a musician who hasn’t had this thought cross their mind at one point or another in their career, and Lyric Opera of Chicago Principal Horn, Jon Boen, is no exception. However, in Jon’s case he discovered that developing the initiative to capture artistic control is accompanied by a great deal of personal risk. Furthermore, the amount of that risk increases proportionately with the size of the project.
This article is the first of two where Jon recounts the details related to the costs – both economic and personal – of commissioning, performing, and recording a major concerto for French Horn and orchestra.

About the orchestra Listen to l’Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal The first, and most important fact to know about the Montreal Symphony/Orchestre de Montréal (OSM) is that it’s a wonderful orchestra. I heard them during a recording session a number of years ago and was blown away, both by the beauty of the sound and the […]

What exactly are the similarities and differences between Canadian and U.S. orchestras? Ensembles in both countries employ musicians to perform classical music via a collective bargaining agreement while performing in large dedicated or multi-purpose concert venues.
Nevertheless, there are some fundamental differences in how organizations in each country operate that have influenced how they develop. Mark Tetreault, Director of Symphonic Services for the AFM Canada and Toronto Symphony Principal Tubist, serves as your guide while wandering through the Canadian orchestral scene.

Should orchestras include a component within the audition process that measures a candidate’s education/outreach abilities? Should audition advertisements include language notifying candidates that a significant percentage of required services are for in-school activities?
AFM Symphonic Services Division Negotiator, Nathan Kahn, examines these questions and more by presenting arguments on both sides of the issues. Additionally, Nathan presents a number of questions on this topic for your consideration and invites you to contribute your voice to the discussion by submitting a comment (registration required).