El Sistema fever
Day 3, and it's the day of Abreu. For the League delegates, getting two
bites of the Maestro is a real privilege. and what is clear from the mood
at both gatherings is the sense of possibility El Sistema offers. You can
feel orchestras swooning at the prospect of a fully-funded youth orchestra
programme, delivering on social objectives as well as musical.
Not surprisingly, Britain too has been swept by El Sistema fever. The
performance by the Simon Bolivar National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela at
last year's BBC Proms (which just happens to be this month's featured
concert on British Airways' in-flight entertainment) caused a sufficient
stir for even the politicians to take notice. Commitments have been made
to experiment with El Sistema style pilot projects in both England and
Scotland. But what is lacking is long term commitment and money. There is
a fantastic project being piloted on the Raploch estate in Scotland. But
just one year's funding has been committed. El Sistema has taken over 30
years to be integrated into every fabric of Venezuelan society. What do
the politicians and arts mandarins think can be achieved in just one year?
The other development of the day was spending time with my counterpart at
Orchestras Canada, Katherine Carleton, sharing experiences and chewing
over the problems we share. The League is a phenomenal organisation - well
funded, well resourced and capable of delivering on a range of services
for its extensive membership. In contrast, Orchestras Canada, with 48
members, and the Association of British Orchestras, with 65, have limited
capacity in terms of finance and staff. We are proud of what we achieve,
punch above our weight, but look enviously at the infrastructure you have
been able to develop here.
From a small nation to a big one, it's ta ta for now. Nixon in China
beckons - and if the review in this morning's Financial Times is anything
to go by, we are in for a treat.
posted by Mark Pemberton.
bites of the Maestro is a real privilege. and what is clear from the mood
at both gatherings is the sense of possibility El Sistema offers. You can
feel orchestras swooning at the prospect of a fully-funded youth orchestra
programme, delivering on social objectives as well as musical.
Not surprisingly, Britain too has been swept by El Sistema fever. The
performance by the Simon Bolivar National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela at
last year's BBC Proms (which just happens to be this month's featured
concert on British Airways' in-flight entertainment) caused a sufficient
stir for even the politicians to take notice. Commitments have been made
to experiment with El Sistema style pilot projects in both England and
Scotland. But what is lacking is long term commitment and money. There is
a fantastic project being piloted on the Raploch estate in Scotland. But
just one year's funding has been committed. El Sistema has taken over 30
years to be integrated into every fabric of Venezuelan society. What do
the politicians and arts mandarins think can be achieved in just one year?
The other development of the day was spending time with my counterpart at
Orchestras Canada, Katherine Carleton, sharing experiences and chewing
over the problems we share. The League is a phenomenal organisation - well
funded, well resourced and capable of delivering on a range of services
for its extensive membership. In contrast, Orchestras Canada, with 48
members, and the Association of British Orchestras, with 65, have limited
capacity in terms of finance and staff. We are proud of what we achieve,
punch above our weight, but look enviously at the infrastructure you have
been able to develop here.
From a small nation to a big one, it's ta ta for now. Nixon in China
beckons - and if the review in this morning's Financial Times is anything
to go by, we are in for a treat.
posted by Mark Pemberton.
About
Be sure to check in all week for continuous blogging from NPAC. Attendees from across art forms and job functions report on their conference experiences. Comments from the convention and beyond are welcome!
Reporting from NPAC:
Amanda Ameer - web manager, NPAC
Sarah Baird - media and public relations executive, Boosey & Hawkes
Joseph Clifford - outreach and education manager, Dartmouth College Hopkins Center for the Arts
Lawrence Edelson - producing artistic director, American Lyric Theater
James Egelhofer - artist manager, IMG Artists
Jaime Green - literary associate, MCC Theatre
James Holt - composer; membership and marketing associate, League of American Orchestras
Michelle Mierz - executive director, LA Contemporary Dance Company
Mark Pemberton - director, Association of British Orchestras
Mister MOJO - star, MOJO & The Bayou Gypsies
Sydney Skybetter - artistic director, Skybetter and Associates
Mark Valdez - national coordinator, The Network of Ensemble Theaters
Amy Vashaw - audience & program development director, Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State
Scott Walters - professor, University of North Carolina at Asheville
Zack Winokur - student, The Juilliard School
Megan Young - artistic services manager, OPERA America
Please note: the entries posted by the attendees above represent their personal impressions, not the viewpoints of the organizations they work for.
About this blog From April 1 through June 9, 2008, weekly entries were posted here by some of the performing arts community's top bloggers. This 10-week intensive series served as a unique forum for digital debate and brainstorming, and both the entries and comments were archived for use at the live NPAC sessions in June.
Jaime Green - Surplus
Nico Muhly
Kristin Sloan - The Winger
Jason Grote
Jeffrey Kahane
Eva Yaa Asantewaa - InfiniteBody
Greg Sandow
Hilary Hahn
Tim Mangan, Paul Hodgins, Richard Chang - The Arts Blog
Andrew Taylor - The Artful Manager
During the convention (June 10 through June 14, 2008), attendees from across art forms and job functions reported on their conference experiences.
Amanda Ameer - web manager, NPAC
Sarah Baird - media and public relations executive, Boosey & Hawkes
Joseph Clifford - outreach and education manager, Dartmouth College Hopkins Center for the Arts
Lawrence Edelson - producing artistic director, American Lyric Theater
James Egelhofer - artist manager, IMG Artists
Jaime Green - literary associate, MCC Theatre
James Holt - composer; membership and marketing associate, League of American Orchestras
Michelle Mierz - executive director, LA Contemporary Dance Company
Mark Pemberton - director, Association of British Orchestras
Mister MOJO - star, MOJO & The Bayou Gypsies
Sydney Skybetter - artistic director, Skybetter and Associates
Mark Valdez - national coordinator, The Network of Ensemble Theaters
Amy Vashaw - audience & program development director, Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State
Scott Walters - professor, University of North Carolina at Asheville
Zack Winokur - student, The Juilliard School
Megan Young - artistic services manager, OPERA America
Please note: the views expressed in this blog are those of the independent contributors and participants, not the National Performing Arts Convention or the organizations they represent.
NPAC - the National Performing Arts Convention - will take place in Denver, Colorado on June 10-14, 2008. "Taking Action Together," NPAC will lay the foundation for future cross-disciplinary collaborations, cooperative programs and effective advocacy. Formed by 30 distinct performing arts service organizations demonstrating a new maturity and uniting as one a sector, NPAC is dedicated to enriching national life and strengthening performing arts communities across the country. Click here to register, and we'll see you in Denver!
The Authors Jaime Green, Nico Muhly, Kristin Sloan, Jason Grote, Jeffrey Kahane, Eva Yaa Asantewaa, Greg Sandow, Hilary Hahn, Tim Mangan, Paul Hodgins, Richard Chang and Andrew Taylor!
Contact us
Blogroll
Surplus
Nico Muhly
The Winger
Jason Grote
InfiniteBody
Greg Sandow
Hilary Hahn
The Arts Blog
The Artful Manager
Nico Muhly
The Winger
Jason Grote
InfiniteBody
Greg Sandow
Hilary Hahn
The Arts Blog
The Artful Manager
AJ Blogs
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Program Notes
the blog of the National Performing Arts Convention
culture
the blog of the National Performing Arts Convention
About Last Night
Terry Teachout on the arts in New York City
Terry Teachout on the arts in New York City
Artful Manager
Andrew Taylor on the business of arts & culture
Andrew Taylor on the business of arts & culture
blog riley
rock culture approximately
rock culture approximately
CultureGulf
Rebuilding Gulf Culture after Katrina
Rebuilding Gulf Culture after Katrina
diacritical
Douglas McLennan's blog
Douglas McLennan's blog
Flyover
Art from the American Outback
Art from the American Outback
Mind the Gap
No genre is the new genre
No genre is the new genre
Rockwell Matters
John Rockwell on the arts
John Rockwell on the arts
Straight Up |
Jan Herman - arts, media & culture with 'tude
Jan Herman - arts, media & culture with 'tude
dance
Foot in Mouth
Apollinaire Scherr talks about dance
Apollinaire Scherr talks about dance
Seeing Things
Tobi Tobias on dance et al...
Tobi Tobias on dance et al...
jazz
Jazz Beyond Jazz
Howard Mandel's freelance Urban Improvisation
Howard Mandel's freelance Urban Improvisation
ListenGood
Focus on New Orleans. Jazz and Other Sounds
Focus on New Orleans. Jazz and Other Sounds
Rifftides
Doug Ramsey on Jazz and other matters...
Doug Ramsey on Jazz and other matters...
media
Out There
Jeff Weinstein's Cultural Mixology
Jeff Weinstein's Cultural Mixology
Serious Popcorn
Martha Bayles on Film...
Martha Bayles on Film...
classical music
The Future of Classical Music?
Greg Sandow performs a book-in-progress
Greg Sandow performs a book-in-progress
On the Record
Exploring Orchestras w/ Henry Fogel
Exploring Orchestras w/ Henry Fogel
Overflow
Harvey Sachs on music, and various digressions
Harvey Sachs on music, and various digressions
PostClassic
Kyle Gann on music after the fact
Kyle Gann on music after the fact
Sandow
Greg Sandow on the future of Classical Music
Greg Sandow on the future of Classical Music
Slipped Disc
Norman Lebrecht on Shifting Sound Worlds
Norman Lebrecht on Shifting Sound Worlds
publishing
book/daddy
Jerome Weeks on Books
Jerome Weeks on Books
Quick Study
Scott McLemee on books, ideas & trash-culture ephemera
Scott McLemee on books, ideas & trash-culture ephemera
theatre
Drama Queen
Wendy Rosenfield: covering drama, onstage and off
Wendy Rosenfield: covering drama, onstage and off
lies like truth
Chloe Veltman on how culture will save the world
Chloe Veltman on how culture will save the world
Stage Write
Elizabeth Zimmer on time-based art forms
Elizabeth Zimmer on time-based art forms
visual
Aesthetic Grounds
Public Art, Public Space
Public Art, Public Space
Artopia
John Perreault's art diary
John Perreault's art diary
CultureGrrl
Lee Rosenbaum's Cultural Commentary
Lee Rosenbaum's Cultural Commentary
Modern Art Notes
Tyler Green's modern & contemporary art blog
Tyler Green's modern & contemporary art blog
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