There is a fairly famous story about a young violinist who studied with one of the world's noted pedagogues that chronicles the violinist's first semester of lessons with his new teacher. Apparently, every week the student would go in with loads of repertoire, asking the teacher what he would like to hear. The teacher's response: "Kreutzer 2, quarter bows, each note at 40 on the metronome."
I'm sure that we have all felt this or experienced this in some way, and all that I can say now is "Hello, I'm Samuel Thompson, I'm 38 years old and have played concerts all over the United States - and still have very strange problems with my bow arm."
Today I had my first private lesson at the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute. During this lesson, violinist Christina Zacharias was incredibly gracious and encouraging - and THOROUGH - while going through the paces of "building a better bow arm." I have to laugh a bit as the exercises that she used, although with a baroque bow (as baroque and 'early' music are the focuses of this particular course), are the SAME that I did years ago with Kenneth Goldsmith while a student at Rice University and also while studying with Marina Brubaker for a year in Houston.
Yes, it's all the same...and oddly, I'm finding myself feeling more encouraged and ready to "do the work" than feeling "hopeless", as I and I'm sure many of us have upon encountering going back to square one. So..."Hi, I'm Sam - and I have a problem with my bow arm."
Class: "Hello, Sam."
Perhaps we should start a twelve-step group of some kind for those of us who are older and still focusing on "fixing the problem". =)
More soon - orchestra rehearsal is soon and I want to spend some time in front of the mirror...
Sam
June 9, 2009
June 8, 2009
Toronto - and Tafelmusik
Why this entry starts with a bit of house music may be a question....on Saturday, the third day of this workshop, I left a chamber music rehearsal and followed the sounds of some amazing African drumming - which came from Queen's Park, one block away from the University of Toronto's Faculty of Music. Stumbling upon a small international drumming festival - complete with Orisha music being played onstage - I realized that this is definitely an exciting time to be in Toronto, with many things happening including the Luminato Festival and the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute.
Now into day five of the Institute, I do find myself fascinated, amazed, inspired, and of course, humbled - the latter not only because I'm here and because of having received such generous support from both the Haight Bursary Fund and the Alternate ROOTS Artistic Assistance Program, which is made possible by funds from the Ford Foundation, but also because I am now truly becoming aware of the extent of Tafelmusik's reach across the globe and the growing number of musicians who are actively studying Baroque performance practice worldwide. Students have come to this institute from the United States, Canada (of course), Puerto Rico, Honduras, and Russia (and I was just told that there has been a Baroque performance program at the Moscow Conservatory for the past fifteen years).
There is a LOT of work to be done on my end: while I was aware of that before coming here I do have to say that playing with neither a chinrest or a shoulder rest is definitely a challenge; however, what I'm discovering is that to play without these devices one has to be very aware of one's body, and very "free" (that freedom meaning not falling into the physical traps that can, should one not be aware of one's physical apparatus, come with modern violin playing).
Nevertheless, while dealing with those challenges I have to say that I do feel that I've done the right thing by coming here for these two weeks.
On Friday night we were able to attend a concert by the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, tenor Rufus Muller and soprano Ann Monoyios. This concert took place at Trinity-St. Paul's Centre, an historic church in the Annex neighborhood of Toronto, and while it was indeed enlightening and fantastic, I have to say that I was incredibly impressed by the fact that there was a line at the door for this one - a line that went back about two city blocks on each side...
More from the road,
Sam
May 29, 2009
Tafelmusik Baroque Performance Seminar
Well...I will be heading north again next week, to Toronto, to attend the Tafelmusik Baroque Performance Institute, which takes place from June 4-17 on the campus of the University of Toronto. Attendance at this workshop is made possible through grants from both the Haight Bursary Fund and the Alternate ROOTS Artistic Assistance Program, which is made possible by funds from the Ford Foundation.
Having played programs of works for unaccompanied violin over the past three years and written about solo Bach works for Strings Magazine, I am humbled to have received these awards and very excited to have an opportunity to learn Baroque performance practice from one of the most important organizations working in this genre.
More from the road,
Sam
Having played programs of works for unaccompanied violin over the past three years and written about solo Bach works for Strings Magazine, I am humbled to have received these awards and very excited to have an opportunity to learn Baroque performance practice from one of the most important organizations working in this genre.
More from the road,
Sam
May 1, 2009
Humanity - and the End of an Era
"A crossroads of maestros and tyros, the venerable Joseph Patelson Music House in Manhattan has been like a living room for the classical music world.
For more than six decades its shelves bulged with the fruit of Mozart and Bach, Stravinsky and Strauss, to be plucked by shoppers who wore its wooden floors black and sought counsel from expert and sometimes cantankerous sales clerks.
Yes, you know it is coming: Goodbye, Patelson’s."
-Daniel J. Wakin, New York Times
Yes, it was from this article in the New York Times that I and many in the world found out that Patelson's Music House was closing its doors.
I have been to Patelson's only twice - an odd thing to many, I'm sure, considering that I AM a classical musician, but I studied at Rice University in Houston and my trips to New York were rare. It was in 1995 that first traveled to the city with violin in hand (for my Mannes College of Music audition - grad school auditions, those were the days, no?) and it was during that trip that I ventured into Patelson's Music House and bought Bartok's Second Violin Concerto.
My second visit to Patelson's was yesterday.
A friend and I went into the city with the intention of filling holes in our respective music collections. This was simple for me: a few orchestral parts and perhaps some chamber music and other things that I absolutely need. Choosing those things was easy - it was deciding which small composer prints to purchase that became difficult!
"At the store the atmosphere is sad and lonely. The holdings are a shadow of what they once were. On the wooden shelves heavy cardboard dividers with composer and work names written neatly in felt-tip pen line up with little music between them."
Although written two weeks ago, Mr. Wakin's description of the store is more than accurate - the place is bare. Apparently the plan is that the store will remain open until either all or most of the remaining inventory is gone, there is no set final date.
While I was happy to have had the opportunity to replace some things (yes, it's still going on), I had a very strange feeling during the entire visit, and I shared it with one of the salespeople: "I kind of feel like I'm looting," I said as I placed my small stack of violin parts from Beethoven and Brahms symphonies on the counter.
There were conversations with other patrons as well as the salespeople - the two men working yesterday seemed to be handling this transition with grace, preparing themselves for new ventures as we all have at times. A piano teacher (who looked conspicuously like a long-lost relative) and I spoke about the remaining retail options for buying sheet music and supplies in the city. Nevertheless, while everyone was in good spirits there was a sadness in the air, a reminder of the ephemeral nature of this life.
During that first trip to Manhattan in 1995, I found myself feeling oddly protective of a half-eaten bagel while on the subway when, during the ride, a homeless person came into the car asking for assistance. I'm somewhat ashamed to admit this, as well as to share my thoughts from that moment ("His backpack is in better shape than mine", I thought as the man moved slowly and desperately through the crowded subway car in 1995).
Fourteen years later - after a few profound changes in my own life, including Hurricane Katrina and these years that have followed - I can only hope that I'm a bit more human and compassionate. While walking back to Grand Central Station my friend and I passed a homeless man on Fifth Avenue. Unlike the man on the subway fourteen years ago, this man sat on the corner, sign in his lap, saying nothing - and the world passed him by, pretending not to see.
I went back to share what I had - I do wish that it could have been more - and took his hand...
...I think he smiled. At least his eyes did...
More from the road,
Sam
For more than six decades its shelves bulged with the fruit of Mozart and Bach, Stravinsky and Strauss, to be plucked by shoppers who wore its wooden floors black and sought counsel from expert and sometimes cantankerous sales clerks.
Yes, you know it is coming: Goodbye, Patelson’s."
-Daniel J. Wakin, New York Times
Yes, it was from this article in the New York Times that I and many in the world found out that Patelson's Music House was closing its doors.
I have been to Patelson's only twice - an odd thing to many, I'm sure, considering that I AM a classical musician, but I studied at Rice University in Houston and my trips to New York were rare. It was in 1995 that first traveled to the city with violin in hand (for my Mannes College of Music audition - grad school auditions, those were the days, no?) and it was during that trip that I ventured into Patelson's Music House and bought Bartok's Second Violin Concerto.
My second visit to Patelson's was yesterday.
A friend and I went into the city with the intention of filling holes in our respective music collections. This was simple for me: a few orchestral parts and perhaps some chamber music and other things that I absolutely need. Choosing those things was easy - it was deciding which small composer prints to purchase that became difficult!
"At the store the atmosphere is sad and lonely. The holdings are a shadow of what they once were. On the wooden shelves heavy cardboard dividers with composer and work names written neatly in felt-tip pen line up with little music between them."
Although written two weeks ago, Mr. Wakin's description of the store is more than accurate - the place is bare. Apparently the plan is that the store will remain open until either all or most of the remaining inventory is gone, there is no set final date.
While I was happy to have had the opportunity to replace some things (yes, it's still going on), I had a very strange feeling during the entire visit, and I shared it with one of the salespeople: "I kind of feel like I'm looting," I said as I placed my small stack of violin parts from Beethoven and Brahms symphonies on the counter.
There were conversations with other patrons as well as the salespeople - the two men working yesterday seemed to be handling this transition with grace, preparing themselves for new ventures as we all have at times. A piano teacher (who looked conspicuously like a long-lost relative) and I spoke about the remaining retail options for buying sheet music and supplies in the city. Nevertheless, while everyone was in good spirits there was a sadness in the air, a reminder of the ephemeral nature of this life.
During that first trip to Manhattan in 1995, I found myself feeling oddly protective of a half-eaten bagel while on the subway when, during the ride, a homeless person came into the car asking for assistance. I'm somewhat ashamed to admit this, as well as to share my thoughts from that moment ("His backpack is in better shape than mine", I thought as the man moved slowly and desperately through the crowded subway car in 1995).
Fourteen years later - after a few profound changes in my own life, including Hurricane Katrina and these years that have followed - I can only hope that I'm a bit more human and compassionate. While walking back to Grand Central Station my friend and I passed a homeless man on Fifth Avenue. Unlike the man on the subway fourteen years ago, this man sat on the corner, sign in his lap, saying nothing - and the world passed him by, pretending not to see.
I went back to share what I had - I do wish that it could have been more - and took his hand...
...I think he smiled. At least his eyes did...
More from the road,
Sam
April 26, 2009
Captured on Canvas
In August 2009 I had the pleasure of doing a photo session with Yvonne Rabdau, a photographer/visual artist who lives in the Hudson Valley. I met Yvonne in 2007 shortly after playing the Mendelssohn Concerto with the Cortlandt Chamber Orchestra, and she proposed the shoot in 2008 - her intention being to create an oil portrait from the photos.
Three hours of free-floating shooting passed on a Sunday afternoon, and the painting was just completed! Hope that you like it!
More from the road,
Sam
Three hours of free-floating shooting passed on a Sunday afternoon, and the painting was just completed! Hope that you like it!
More from the road,
Sam
April 24, 2009
Moving Forward, Going Deeper - Reaching Higher
Dear Friends and Colleagues:
Another season is coming to an end, and during this transition I find myself remembering the words of many teachers, speakers, colleagues and friends while looking ahead with many feelings, including optimism, concern, and gratitude.
Despite the ongoing economic downturn - one that has had a tremendous effect on millions across the globe and specifically to arts organizations and individuals in the United States - this has been a very fortunate time. Thanks to the diligence and support of many dear friends and associates I have managed to ride these waves and also to have begun work on some very exciting new projects that will be announced shortly.
RECENT EVENTS
In March, 2009 I was profiled by Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization based in New York City. You can read that interview here.
In April I received an invitation to attend the Tafelmusik Baroque Performance Institute which takes place from June 4-17, 2009 on the campus of the University of Toronto. The seed that has led to participating in this workshop was planted in 2006, when I first delved deeply into performance practice research both for my performances at the 2006 New Haven International Festival of Arts and Ideas and an article that appeared in Strings Magazine in May 2007 , and I am both humbled and honored to be able to take this next step: the Tafelmusik program will afford me a great opportunity to continue my study, which will in turn benefit future performances.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2008-2009 SEASON
Opening concert of the Kent State-Ashtabula Classical Concert Series
Performances of Carpetbag Theatre’s Between A Ballad and A Blues in Durham (NC), Knoxville(TN), and at the National Performance Network Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington.
As I think of gratitude - a deep sense of gratitude for all that is good - it has occurred to me just how fortunate I have been in these past four years, and how it is only through the combination of personal diligence and the support that we as humans and artists provide for each other that we will all not only survive this tremulous time, but also thrive in future years.
AN APPEAL
To continue the work that I began in 2005, that being to participate in international competitions, I joined Fractured Atlas in 2006 and have raised over $500 to date to assist with the costs involved in participating in these events. My goals over the next three years, in addition to the creation of new projects, include participating in both this year's Haverhill Sinfonia Competition as well as other events of this nature.
Understanding that these are indeed tremulous and uncertain times, I very humbly ask for and thank you for your support of these endeavors. I have set a goal of $3000 in my sponsorship fund by the end of 2009. Fractured Atlas is a non-profit arts service organization, and all contributions made payable to Fractured Atlas in behalf of Samuel Thompson are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. If every one of you receiving this were to donate between $10 - $50, I would be able to reach that goal and help guarantee participation in the upcoming Tafelmusik Institute, the Haverhill Sinfonia Competition and other events as well as to maintain good artistic and fiscal health for the years to come.
Would you be so kind as to make a contribution? To contribute online, please visit https://www.fracturedatlas.org/donate/832 and follow the instructions posted.
To make a contribution by check, please make your check payable to “Fractured Atlas” with “Samuel Thompson” in the subject line, and mail to:
Samuel Thompson
15 Exeter Circle
Beacon, NY 12508
Thank you again for all of your support and good wishes, and please stay tuned for the announcement of new projects to come in the next few months.
All best for a relaxing and peaceful spring and summer,
Sam
Another season is coming to an end, and during this transition I find myself remembering the words of many teachers, speakers, colleagues and friends while looking ahead with many feelings, including optimism, concern, and gratitude.
Despite the ongoing economic downturn - one that has had a tremendous effect on millions across the globe and specifically to arts organizations and individuals in the United States - this has been a very fortunate time. Thanks to the diligence and support of many dear friends and associates I have managed to ride these waves and also to have begun work on some very exciting new projects that will be announced shortly.
RECENT EVENTS
In March, 2009 I was profiled by Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization based in New York City. You can read that interview here.
In April I received an invitation to attend the Tafelmusik Baroque Performance Institute which takes place from June 4-17, 2009 on the campus of the University of Toronto. The seed that has led to participating in this workshop was planted in 2006, when I first delved deeply into performance practice research both for my performances at the 2006 New Haven International Festival of Arts and Ideas and an article that appeared in Strings Magazine in May 2007 , and I am both humbled and honored to be able to take this next step: the Tafelmusik program will afford me a great opportunity to continue my study, which will in turn benefit future performances.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2008-2009 SEASON
Opening concert of the Kent State-Ashtabula Classical Concert Series
Performances of Carpetbag Theatre’s Between A Ballad and A Blues in Durham (NC), Knoxville(TN), and at the National Performance Network Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington.
As I think of gratitude - a deep sense of gratitude for all that is good - it has occurred to me just how fortunate I have been in these past four years, and how it is only through the combination of personal diligence and the support that we as humans and artists provide for each other that we will all not only survive this tremulous time, but also thrive in future years.
AN APPEAL
To continue the work that I began in 2005, that being to participate in international competitions, I joined Fractured Atlas in 2006 and have raised over $500 to date to assist with the costs involved in participating in these events. My goals over the next three years, in addition to the creation of new projects, include participating in both this year's Haverhill Sinfonia Competition as well as other events of this nature.
Understanding that these are indeed tremulous and uncertain times, I very humbly ask for and thank you for your support of these endeavors. I have set a goal of $3000 in my sponsorship fund by the end of 2009. Fractured Atlas is a non-profit arts service organization, and all contributions made payable to Fractured Atlas in behalf of Samuel Thompson are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. If every one of you receiving this were to donate between $10 - $50, I would be able to reach that goal and help guarantee participation in the upcoming Tafelmusik Institute, the Haverhill Sinfonia Competition and other events as well as to maintain good artistic and fiscal health for the years to come.
Would you be so kind as to make a contribution? To contribute online, please visit https://www.fracturedatlas.org/donate/832 and follow the instructions posted.
To make a contribution by check, please make your check payable to “Fractured Atlas” with “Samuel Thompson” in the subject line, and mail to:
Samuel Thompson
15 Exeter Circle
Beacon, NY 12508
Thank you again for all of your support and good wishes, and please stay tuned for the announcement of new projects to come in the next few months.
All best for a relaxing and peaceful spring and summer,
Sam
April 18, 2009
Masochism - or Health?
In the November 2002 edition of Strings Magazine, violin soloist Nikolaj Znaider speaks of his "idealistic pursuit of artistic merit":
"I think we as instrumentalists, in a certain masochistic way, enjoy the practicing, the slaving over details, the scales, the relentless scales and exercises," Znaider explains.
The definition of "masochist" being "someone who obtains pleasure from receiving punishment", I wonder - DO we as violinists, when practicing hours of Ševčík, Kreutzer and Flesch, feel that there is some strange, almost sick pleasure in a routine that can seem punishing, dreadful in a way? Or do we accept that a steady diet of these things does indeed contribute to our continued technical and musical health?
Hard for me to answer this one - but I have to say that over the past few weeks I have been on a steady diet of Ševčík, and feel much "healthier" because of it. Then again, this is no mean price to pay...
...off to Philadelphia today, where I will be hearing the Philadelphia Orchestra live for the first time...
Sam
"I think we as instrumentalists, in a certain masochistic way, enjoy the practicing, the slaving over details, the scales, the relentless scales and exercises," Znaider explains.
The definition of "masochist" being "someone who obtains pleasure from receiving punishment", I wonder - DO we as violinists, when practicing hours of Ševčík, Kreutzer and Flesch, feel that there is some strange, almost sick pleasure in a routine that can seem punishing, dreadful in a way? Or do we accept that a steady diet of these things does indeed contribute to our continued technical and musical health?
Hard for me to answer this one - but I have to say that over the past few weeks I have been on a steady diet of Ševčík, and feel much "healthier" because of it. Then again, this is no mean price to pay...
...off to Philadelphia today, where I will be hearing the Philadelphia Orchestra live for the first time...
Sam
April 13, 2009
Post-Script
In the days following the publication of Mr. Dobrin's Philadelphia Inquirer article, there were many responses written by people in the industry. While I do not consider myself to be as knowledgeable as many, I did write the commentary below and received some pretty interesting responses at www.violinist.com - as well as a wonderful new connection. More about that later...
....the two commentaries that have been the most informative as well as the most thoughtful have come from very well-known and extremely knowledgeable men in the orchestral world. The first is by Drew McManus - orchestral consultant and author of Adaptistration.com - and the second, which I have to quote here, is by violist Sam Bergman of the Minnesota Orchestra:
"Such articles usually contain a lot of scary but isolated numbers (an orchestra CEO who makes $1 million a year!! a stagehand who makes north of $400K!!! a newly minted orchestra musician right out of school making $130K!!!!) designed to drive home the idea that orchestral finance is completely out of control, thus relieving the author of actually having to prove his thesis with real economic data that applies across the broader industry."
"So taken in a broader context, pronouncements of the unsustainability of our business model (and if history is any guide, there will be many more of these in the coming months) are more or less entirely contradicted by the self-evident ability of most orchestras to adapt to changes in our specific economies. The headlines trumpeting layoffs and salary givebacks aren't evidence of the failure of a business model. They're a demonstration of how the model bends without breaking."
Mr. Bergman's entire article can be found through this link. Enjoy, and please share your thoughts.
....the two commentaries that have been the most informative as well as the most thoughtful have come from very well-known and extremely knowledgeable men in the orchestral world. The first is by Drew McManus - orchestral consultant and author of Adaptistration.com - and the second, which I have to quote here, is by violist Sam Bergman of the Minnesota Orchestra:
"Such articles usually contain a lot of scary but isolated numbers (an orchestra CEO who makes $1 million a year!! a stagehand who makes north of $400K!!! a newly minted orchestra musician right out of school making $130K!!!!) designed to drive home the idea that orchestral finance is completely out of control, thus relieving the author of actually having to prove his thesis with real economic data that applies across the broader industry."
"So taken in a broader context, pronouncements of the unsustainability of our business model (and if history is any guide, there will be many more of these in the coming months) are more or less entirely contradicted by the self-evident ability of most orchestras to adapt to changes in our specific economies. The headlines trumpeting layoffs and salary givebacks aren't evidence of the failure of a business model. They're a demonstration of how the model bends without breaking."
Mr. Bergman's entire article can be found through this link. Enjoy, and please share your thoughts.
April 10, 2009
Back from the Abyss, and Back to the Meaning
Hello, all - I'm back. The past few weeks have consisted of much practicing and much WRITING, but not writing of this sort: it's both tax time and grantwriting time, and while I am one of the many that is still working on his 2008 IRS 1040s I did, after a forty-eight hour lockdown (that consisted of slaying some personal dragons as well as many takes of Bach and Ysaye), get a grant application out before the deadline. While I have done this before, I have to say that I now have an even deeper respect for those who work in Development and fundraising for our arts organizations. Thank you all so much for doing what you do!
In a recent article in the Philadelphia Enquirer, Peter Dobrin speaks of the state of America's orchestras and the (if I may) draconian measures being taken to survive the economic downturn. For those who are unaware, many orchestras are cancelling tours, laying off employees in administrative positions, freezing salaries, shortening both summer seasons and the number of concerts to be given during the 2009-2010 season - and many music directors are taking salary cuts. While this has happened before (in an earlier blog I mentioned the cataclysmic period between 2001-2003), this round of "chopping" is sounding greater alarms due to the fact that these measures are being taken by large cultural institutions including the Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, Atlanta Symphony and the Metropolitan Opera.
In his article, Mr. Dobrin does make a very valid point, that being that both business and artistic plans across the nation were based on market speculation - we can all look at the years between 1996-2008 to see some of the amazing growth and expansion that has taken place in the United States. However, with the stock market shrinking, many endowments have lost up to half of their value, which of course creates problems when interest from those endowments is allocated for operations costs.
However, Mr. Dobrin takes a very disturbing turn in his article when he begins to speak of some of the salaries earned by top orchestral executives and the musicians who make up the membership of these orchestras. "Is it really a good thing that Deborah Borda, president of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, made well over $1 million for the year that ended in September 2007? Or that a hornist in the New York Philharmonic made $300,000, an oboe player in the Philadelphia Orchestra $249,000?" he asks.
He then speaks of the fees commanded by international soloists and follows with: "Then there's the regular payroll. When a hundred or more applicants audition for a section violin spot, is it necessary to offer a starting salary of $130,000 for a player just out of school? Would the same audition draw less stellar talent if the job were offering, say, $80,000 the first year on a multiyear schedule to reach $130,000 in some year thereafter?"
My first argument with Mr. Dobrin is that in listing these salaries he is in effect ignoring the reality of most musicians and most orchestral musicians in the United States, as very few orchestras in this country provide those salaries. Secondly, speaking of these salaries does a great disservice to the public's perception of all musicians, particularly those who perform in two or more groups - which is, I think, the case with the majority of classical musicians in the United States.
There have, for years, been many who have predicted "the death of America's orchestras", and it always seems that in tremulous economic times - the tremors ranging from a contract negotiation to the seismic shocks being experienced today - that the question of orchestral musicians' salaries is raised alongside the dubious statement that while orchestras and arts institutions should be "run like businesses" they cannot be because they do not "produce anything".
Is it not safe to say that the aforementioned "philosophies" are moot, considering what we have seen take place in the "productive" business sector since 2001 (Tyco, WorldCom, Enron, AIG, Merrill-Lynch, Bank of America, Countrywide, et cetera ad nauseum)?
*sigh* *exhale*
I must ask your forgiveness - believe you me, I am WELL aware (painfully aware) of what's happening in this country and how arts organizations and artists are being affected. It's almost frightening. However, if the conversations continue to consist of questioning the cost of what we do, the VALUE of what we produce will continue to be maligned and that could result in great loss - particularly if the world's economic situation take an even sharper nose dive.
And what IS the value of a symphony orchestra, a soloist, an art museum, a ballet company, a theatre company? How do you measure that?
That value is something that cannot be measured in dollars and cents: it can only be measured by the soul and the senses - and with that, I share with you a clip from the 1939 movie They Shall Have Music, during which an audience (including a young man who would for all purposes be called a "troubled child") listens intently to a performance of Saint-Saens' Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso played by Jascha Heifetz.
"It's a MOVIE! They're ACTING!" you may say. Regardless - we as artists and everyone who has attended a concert has had the experience that makes itself visible on the faces of those in that audience - and the value of those transcendent experiences should NEVER be questioned in terms of "pocket change".
More from the road,
Sam
In a recent article in the Philadelphia Enquirer, Peter Dobrin speaks of the state of America's orchestras and the (if I may) draconian measures being taken to survive the economic downturn. For those who are unaware, many orchestras are cancelling tours, laying off employees in administrative positions, freezing salaries, shortening both summer seasons and the number of concerts to be given during the 2009-2010 season - and many music directors are taking salary cuts. While this has happened before (in an earlier blog I mentioned the cataclysmic period between 2001-2003), this round of "chopping" is sounding greater alarms due to the fact that these measures are being taken by large cultural institutions including the Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, Atlanta Symphony and the Metropolitan Opera.
In his article, Mr. Dobrin does make a very valid point, that being that both business and artistic plans across the nation were based on market speculation - we can all look at the years between 1996-2008 to see some of the amazing growth and expansion that has taken place in the United States. However, with the stock market shrinking, many endowments have lost up to half of their value, which of course creates problems when interest from those endowments is allocated for operations costs.
However, Mr. Dobrin takes a very disturbing turn in his article when he begins to speak of some of the salaries earned by top orchestral executives and the musicians who make up the membership of these orchestras. "Is it really a good thing that Deborah Borda, president of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, made well over $1 million for the year that ended in September 2007? Or that a hornist in the New York Philharmonic made $300,000, an oboe player in the Philadelphia Orchestra $249,000?" he asks.
He then speaks of the fees commanded by international soloists and follows with: "Then there's the regular payroll. When a hundred or more applicants audition for a section violin spot, is it necessary to offer a starting salary of $130,000 for a player just out of school? Would the same audition draw less stellar talent if the job were offering, say, $80,000 the first year on a multiyear schedule to reach $130,000 in some year thereafter?"
My first argument with Mr. Dobrin is that in listing these salaries he is in effect ignoring the reality of most musicians and most orchestral musicians in the United States, as very few orchestras in this country provide those salaries. Secondly, speaking of these salaries does a great disservice to the public's perception of all musicians, particularly those who perform in two or more groups - which is, I think, the case with the majority of classical musicians in the United States.
There have, for years, been many who have predicted "the death of America's orchestras", and it always seems that in tremulous economic times - the tremors ranging from a contract negotiation to the seismic shocks being experienced today - that the question of orchestral musicians' salaries is raised alongside the dubious statement that while orchestras and arts institutions should be "run like businesses" they cannot be because they do not "produce anything".
Is it not safe to say that the aforementioned "philosophies" are moot, considering what we have seen take place in the "productive" business sector since 2001 (Tyco, WorldCom, Enron, AIG, Merrill-Lynch, Bank of America, Countrywide, et cetera ad nauseum)?
*sigh* *exhale*
I must ask your forgiveness - believe you me, I am WELL aware (painfully aware) of what's happening in this country and how arts organizations and artists are being affected. It's almost frightening. However, if the conversations continue to consist of questioning the cost of what we do, the VALUE of what we produce will continue to be maligned and that could result in great loss - particularly if the world's economic situation take an even sharper nose dive.
And what IS the value of a symphony orchestra, a soloist, an art museum, a ballet company, a theatre company? How do you measure that?
That value is something that cannot be measured in dollars and cents: it can only be measured by the soul and the senses - and with that, I share with you a clip from the 1939 movie They Shall Have Music, during which an audience (including a young man who would for all purposes be called a "troubled child") listens intently to a performance of Saint-Saens' Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso played by Jascha Heifetz.
"It's a MOVIE! They're ACTING!" you may say. Regardless - we as artists and everyone who has attended a concert has had the experience that makes itself visible on the faces of those in that audience - and the value of those transcendent experiences should NEVER be questioned in terms of "pocket change".
More from the road,
Sam
April 8, 2009
Coming Soon to a Blogosphere Near You!
Please forgive me - there has been much to "tend to" since posting the last entry, including taxes...like springtime, they will come...
...thanks for staying tuned in. There's much coming, as there has been much to read and about which to write!
...thanks for staying tuned in. There's much coming, as there has been much to read and about which to write!
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