From Collaboration to New Business Models

November 2, 2020 In: Sound Bits

A common thread of the last eight months has been the opportunity for new and unique collaborations. While the damage to our profession from physical isolation is still unknown, what was lost has also spurred innovative and compelling work. From a virtual opera created by a team of fifty across four continents, to the New […]

Opera: Isolation Inspires Collaboration

October 19, 2020 In: Sound Bits

Since March, Opera news has focused primarily on what has been lost. Most notably, on September 23, 2020, the Metropolitan Opera announced the cancellation of its entire 2020-21 in-person season, a crippling blow to the musicians of the company and Opera community as a whole. While live, in-person Opera may be on-hold in the short-term, […]

Effective Leadership: What’s At Stake

October 12, 2020 In: Sound Bits

As arts organizations, large and small, work to navigate the adversity, uncertainty, and complexities of our new arts ecosystem, the necessity of compelling arts-leadership has been thrust front and center. What is fascinating about the current climate is the all-encompassing nature of the challenge/opportunity—leaders must possess both the “hard” and “soft” skills necessary to successfully […]

Performing OUTSIDE the Box

September 28, 2020 In: Sound Bits

The New York Philharmonic’s pick-up truck concert series is just one of a number of innovative programming and performance initiatives the organization is launching this fall. With the recent launch of Ellen Reid SOUNDWALK, the organization continues to use the shuddering of its traditional performance space to integrate itself into the fabric of the City.  […]

PRJC Grant Program: Applications Due October 1

September 21, 2020 In: PRJC News, Sound Bits

Applications for the Paul R. Judy Center Grant Program are due by 11:59pm on October 1, 2020. As we approach the deadline for the October 1 grant cycle, below are a few resources to assist with developing a compelling proposal. 12 Quick Tips for Better Grant Writing by Jay Wilkinson How to Write a Music […]

Adversity Inspires Innovation

September 14, 2020 In: Sound Bits

In our SoundBit last week, we highlighted how Yo-Yo Ma and a team of community organizers collaborated to produce pop-up concerts for essential workers in Western Massachusetts. This innovative work was a realization of one of the overarching themes from this past summer’s Virtual Visionaries collaboration with the University of Michigan’s Excel Lab. Shortly after […]

Yo-Yo Ma, Hula Hoops, and a Flatbed Truck

September 8, 2020 In: Sound Bits

This past summer, a common tone of the Virtual Visionaries Series, a collaborative project between the University of Michigan EXCEL Lab, the Eastman School of Music’s Institute for Music Leadership, and a cohort of seven co-sponsors was that out of adversity comes innovation. Each week of the series featured guest artists sharing insight into how they were reacting […]

New Season, Same Challenges, Different Solutions

August 31, 2020 In: Sound Bits

September is typically the month when symphony orchestras across the country embark on a new season of performances. The ongoing threat and challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic continue to limit how orchestras can engage their audiences. Announcements by symphony orchestras in the the last week have highlighted the wide spectrum of ways that arts […]

Follow-Up: From Program Pivot to Program Creation

August 24, 2020 In: Ahead of the Beat, Sound Bits

On May 11, we published a Sound Bit detailing lessons learned from the contingency planning process of a Summer Music Festival preparing for the summer 2020 season. The festival is now complete, with the organization ultimately making the the decision to run an entirely virtual festival. The entire process, from the initial questioning of the […]

PRJC Grant Program Announcement

August 18, 2020 In: PRJC News, Sound Bits

The Paul R. Judy Center for Innovation and Research announces the 2020-2021 Grant Program The Paul R. Judy Center for Innovation and Research is a division of the Institute for Music Leadership at the Eastman School of Music. The Center’s research and programming emphasizes the 21st Century evolution of the innovative ensemble, influenced by both the symphony […]