Finishing — for now — with the many, many suggestions I've gotten from readers. If I missed anyone (maybe a Facebook comment, or something on Twitter, or whatever else might have escaped my dragnet, forgive me! This isn't over. We'll resume in the new year. And then keep doing this! Because what we've done here is something badly needed. We're compiling a list of classical music alternatives — of the many new things that people have done, to change the face of this art form, and give it a new birth. From Andrew Lyon: I am … [Read more...]
More mavericks
More suggestions from the many I've gotten, after I asked who in classical music is doing things in new ways. I'll post all the suggestions I get, though not all at once. The suggestion I posted: Ad Hoc, a chamber ensemble in Rochester. (I'll have more) One thought, before going further. Many people mention performances in clubs. Nothing wrong with that. Classical musicians have been playing in clubs for more than a decade, and clearly they're bringing classical music closer to everyday life. But because this has been going on for so … [Read more...]
“What if we call it what it is?”
I raved yesterday about the stories readers tell me about their adventures as entrepreneurs. So, to help start 2012 on a happy note, here's another one, from Rebecca Smithorn, a conductor in Rochester, NY. I love what she emailed, which I'm posting here with her permission. And at the beginning, where Rebecca thanks me -- no, I'm not preening, when I pass even that part of her email on to you. The point isn't that I gave her what turned out to be good advice. No, the point is that any of us, when we reach out to someone else, might hit the … [Read more...]
Support for commerce
Steve Ledbetter posted a comment I thought I'd share here in the blog. He's responding to my thoughts (in yesterday's "Relaunch" post) about classical music commerce, which will be my theme on the blog in October: You're on the right track considering commerce -- anyone who wants to make a living in music, whether as a sole practitioner or as a member of an ensemble needs to realize that being able to continue the work long enough to be worthwhile also means finding that market, which seems to have become so elusive. Seth Godin is a terrific … [Read more...]