Uncategorized: Page 18

One fine day, a sailboat (not the M/V Minnow, although their experience was relevant) set sail from port with its trusty crew for a nice sustainable sail across the ocean. The weather was beautiful. As the crew gained confidence in their ship and the conditions, they raised more sail until their trusty S/V AmericanOrchestra was […]

Tony Woodcock gave us a classic example of the “dinosaurs falling from the sky” genre of industry analysis on this blog last week. Before I try to dismantle his analysis, I should say that I don’t think he’s entirely wrong. Certainly the field has faced an unprecedented challenge since the beginning of recession in 2008. […]

–following up on my promise to keep interested readers up-to-date on my class, Arts Entrepreneurship.  Recall that I posed 2 major assignments.  The first of these was to identify an existing arts organization, study it deeply, then pose one…

This YouTube video features several of my colleagues from the New Haven and Hartford Symphonies as they participate in a “flash mob” at the train station in New Haven on Friday afternoon, April 29th at 6:10. The purpose was to advertise the upcoming performance of Bach’s Mass in B Minor in late April by the […]

“I am convinced that if the rate of change within an organization is less than the rate of change outside, the end is near.” – Jack Welch  In the last twelve months the Honolulu, Syracuse, and New Mexico Symphonies have … Continue reading →

This past week I realized that I really could have used the L3C model in each of my professional leadership positions, and that in doing so, i would have alleviated pressure on the annual balance sheet.  I must admit to feeling a bit “slow” when I…

This business about cheap Russian touring orchestras is getting out of hand: The Web site photograph depicted an elegant array of orchestra musicians in a glowing hall. A video clip showed an earnest young conductor leading players in a Tchaikovsky symphony. Below the picture, an official biography described the “Tschaikowski” St. Petersburg State Orchestra as […]

With thanks to Andrew Taylor for initiating and planning this session, please join Nina Simon, Andrew and me on Monday (details below) for a discussion of new, innovative and old business models in the arts and culture sector.  I hope to see you …

[This is the second in a series of posts in which I will talk about the current, troubled, state of professional musicmaking and offer some glimpses of possible solutions for the future.] The first time I heard the London Symphony … Continue reading →

We did a kiddie concert with the Platypus Theatre today. The show, Emily saves the Orchestra, had a very timely feel to it, being a show about a monster by the name of Boardus Dismemberus Cacophonus who hates music and wants to put an end to the orchestra. I wasn’t the only person on stage […]