Articles: Page 20

“It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.” – Winston Churchill.
Perhaps the same could be said for the modern audition process utilized by professional orchestras throughout North America. Regardless, serving as the Administrator for the AFM Symphony Audition Complaint Hotline, Nathan Kahn has come across nearly every conceivable audition situation you could imagine, and maybe even some that you couldn’t.
Drawing from his vast experience, Nathan relates some of the occurrences that have found their way to his desk over the years. He also outlines what he has identified as the predominant challenges facing audition candidates and audition committees as well as dispelling a few well-traveled myths about what orchestras do and do not have to allow at their auditions. Make sure you take the time to visit the final page in the article where Nathan thoughtfully includes a copy of the AFM, ICSOM, and ROPA approved Code Of Ethical Audition Practices.

Take two symphonic marketing professionals (Christopher Stager, consultant, and David Snead, NY Philharmonic), sit them down to a good lunch in Manhattan, and turn on a tape recorder. The result is a fascinating look into the minds of two marketing experts as they discuss strategies, market trends, ticket sales, and developing new marketing campaigns.

The future technology that will affect orchestral scores and parts is a topic that encourages lots of speculation for all of us in the orchestral world. In order to begin an examination of the possibilities, Karen Schnackenberg presents a concise yet detailed account of the current world of printed music and describes the five categories most often used: public domain, copyrighted, Pops charts, commissions, and self-published works.

Orchestra musicians improvising? How could that be? We read. We play in tune. We are consistent. We usually don’t do our own thing. Well–for a couple of hours last October (October 25, 2005) they did. Here’s how it came about.
The Pittsburg Symphony Orchestra may be unique among orchestras, in that it offers professional development sessions to its musicians. The overall goal is to provide practical suggestions for implementing concepts into various educational settings that will help for better connections with their audiences. Session offerings are posted backstage. Tenured musicians are encouraged to attend, and those new to the orchestra are required to go to one professional development seminar in their first year of employment.
During the 2005-06 season, Christopher Azzara was asked to do a session on improvisation and creativity. From all reports the workshop was enthusiastically received. Here is what one musician had to say. “Azzara’s discussion of the basic elements of music, which when understood can help a musicians achieve maximum freedom in performance (or likewise, which can help a listener achieve full involvement in the performance) was truly eye-opening.”
Chris’ account of the day and his take on developing musicianship through improvisation is presented in this article–good things for all musicians to remember and consider.

Bill Hunt’s next installment tackles one of the most common questions symphony musicians have when determining what legitimate tax deductions to take – when can I deduct the clothes I buy to wear at concerts? And what about dry-cleaning costs? Bill presents some thoughtful guidelines to help you stay on the good side of the IRS.

Practicing is something all we musicians have done since we were little kids, so we’re all experts, right? Not exactly. Whichever scale method, etude book, or repertoire you prefer during your daily practice time, Janet Horvath reminds you about the importance of taking care of your body as well. She presents five rules you should practice that will help prevent injuries while you practice.

The importance of symphony musicians’ developing a positive PR campaign is often overlooked during preparations to renew a CBA (collective bargaining agreement). But presenting a carefully-crafted message to the community about the role the symphony musicians play in the arts life of the community can be a very effective tool to garner public support. Tom Reel, bassist with the Virginia Symphony and long-time Orchestra Committee member, explains in detail how he and his colleagues in Virginia went about designing a PR brochure and creating an in-house website.

Nearly all orchestra musicians are familiar with in-school education programs implemented by their respective education departments. But what options do players have if they want to become more active with in-school education programs or are not satisfied with their current options?
Until recently, players have explored that wilderness on their own. Fortunately, organizations such as the New England Conservatory have developed programs such as Learning Through Music (LTM). This article will provide an overview of the LTM program by its developer, Dr. Larry Scripp. Following this initial installment, we’ll examine how Minnesota Orchestra violist Kenneth Freed has implemented the program for the past two years in Minneapolis as well as how Lyric Opera of Chicago violist Frank Babbitt will begin implementing the program this fall in Chicago.

The second installment in this series of articles about how individual musicians can become vested in a program of ongoing in-school education initiatives is an article from Minnesota Orchestra violist, Kenneth Freed.
Kenneth describes how he found the Learning Through Music curriculum and assessment frameworks and how he has been able to effectively implement them to build a partnership between a Minneapolis based arts magnet school and the civic orchestra where he serves as music director. His article conveys a successful personal example of how an individual musician can transform frustration into self-determination resulting in the creation of a worthwhile by partnership between an educational institution and a performing arts organization.

The final installment in this series of articles about how individual musicians can become vested in a program of ongoing in-school education initiatives, is an article from Lyric Opera of Chicago violist, Frank Babbitt.
Frank guides readers along each step of the path he traveled to design and implement an in-school educational program modeled on the Learning Through Music curriculum and assessment frameworks developed by Dr. Larry Scripp at New England Conservatory’s Research Center. With the Research Center’s help, as well as guidance from musicians that have already implemented the program, Babbitt is putting his inaugural season into place this fall.