Blog: Page 20

It seems everywhere you look, there is an orchestra or chamber music group performing in an unusual venue, perhaps at an unusual time, hoping to connect with audiences near and far.  Concerts are being live streamed on the internet, and performed in people’s living rooms. It is in many ways an exciting time for concert […]

When I hear about a particular ensemble, musician, or artist, the first thing I do is…you guessed it…google them. I go to their website to learn more about them and explore their work. If the website is clunky, dated, slow, or hasn’t been updated in a while,  I’m probably going to spend about 30 seconds looking […]

The New Bedford (MA) Symphony Orchestra (NBSO) has a remarkably creative education program, led by Terry Wolkowicz, a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music and Harvard University. Recently, the NBSO completed a year-long education project that engaged over 55 schools and used the concept of gravity as a theme for the year.  Students had […]

You may have heard it called the creative economy, the sharing economy, or the gig economy. What these names refer to is a growing trend of workers who are pursuing career paths dictated by their own unique set of skills and services, as well as their preferred work schedule. In other words, they are building […]

In this short video clip from the October 2016 INNOVATE. LEAD. MUSIC. Conference, Paola Prestini, Composer and Director of National Sawdust discusses the importance of authenticity and thinking one step ahead. It’s a little boost of inspiration, and maybe the nudge we need this week to make sure we are not getting too comfortable!

Musicians are typically very creative people, and often those who choose to work in the arts as administrators are also creatively inclined. But it is easy to fall into rhythms of work and life where we don’t give our creative muscles the chance to work and stay active.  We are busy with emails, practicing, and […]

In this video from the 10/8/16 INNOVATE. LEAD. MUSIC. Conference at Eastman, Managing Director Peter McDowell of Eighth Blackbird discusses an innovative collaboration that was forged between the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art, and Eighth Blackbird, a renown contemporary chamber music ensemble.  Over the course of a year, Eighth Blackbird rehearsed in the museum, providing […]

Regardless of whether your ensemble is one year old or embarking on its 20th season, the summer is a great time to set some goals and get things done.  Sure, it is also a great time to relax a bit.  But summer offers an opportunity for many ensembles to spend some dedicated time on current and […]

As musicians, we are frequently in the position of evaluating opportunities to decide if we want to accept them or not.  Sometimes we have a strong feeling very quickly about a particular opportunity, and the decision is easy.  But what about those times when the decision isn’t quite so clear? Here are ten questions to […]

Volume II just released! The Eastman Case Studies is a groundbreaking publication that examines real world situations in musical arts organizations, helping readers to gain knowledge and skills that they can apply to future scenarios of their own.  Teacher notes are also available for each case study, which aim to help educators use the case studies […]