http://www.polyphonic.org The Orchestra Musician Forum Copyright 2008 Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:00:02 -0400 http://www.polyphonic.org http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://www.polyphonic.org/images/polyphonic_icon.gif http://www.polyphonic.org I received an interesting email recently from Marvin Warshaw, Principal Violist and Personnel Manager of the New Haven Symphony, asking if I'd be interested in being in a movie with the NHSO and Robert DeNiro. Well, that's a no-brainer... http://www.polyphonic.org/article.php?id=156 http://www.polyphonic.org/article.php?id=156 Sun, 22 Jun 2008 17:52:45 -0400 info@polyphonic.org (Ann Drinan) Articles The Toledo Symphony has grown from a core group of twenty-two part-time musicians to a regional orchestra that employs nearly eighty professional musicians. The TSO employs nine musicians on staff, participated in the Mellon Foundations' Orchestra Forum, and has a healthy endowment. http://www.polyphonic.org/spotlight.php?id=13 http://www.polyphonic.org/spotlight.php?id=13 Fri, 06 Jun 2008 19:09:14 -0400 info@polyphonic.org (Orchestra Spotlight) Orchestra Spotlight This is a terrific book, well written, thoroughly researched, full of anecdotes. If you're interested in dance, you'll enjoy the chapter on Balanchine. If you love classical music you'll want to read about Stravinsky and Schoenberg. http://www.polyphonic.org/article.php?id=151 http://www.polyphonic.org/article.php?id=151 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:23:09 -0400 info@polyphonic.org (Yvonne Caruthers) Articles This slim volume is not going to be a bestseller at Barnes and Noble but if you're interested in how “Asians” find their way to the US to pursue a career in music, or the sorts of cultural stereotypes Asian-Americans encounter, you might find this book of interest. http://www.polyphonic.org/article.php?id=150 http://www.polyphonic.org/article.php?id=150 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:12:06 -0400 info@polyphonic.org (Yvonne Caruthers) Articles Recently (March 2008) there was an article on Orchestra-L about the London Symphony having to play a concert of Mahler 7th in Dijon using borrowed instruments because their truck was held up due to a strike. My first thought was, “Where was Jeen Fedelich?” http://www.polyphonic.org/article.php?id=149 http://www.polyphonic.org/article.php?id=149 Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:58:34 -0400 info@polyphonic.org (Jeen Fedelich) Articles While only time can tell what the ultimate outcome will be of the New York Philharmonic's concert in North Korea during our recent Asian concert tour, I think that it will be difficult to overestimate the symbolic importance of what this cultural exchange will ultimately portend for the United States' relationship with this extremely secretive society. http://www.polyphonic.org/article.php?id=148 http://www.polyphonic.org/article.php?id=148 Thu, 20 Mar 2008 20:18:54 -0400 info@polyphonic.org (Charles Rex) Articles Yvonne Caruthers and I are co-moderating this discussion about musicians as entrepreneurs, and we want to let you know the sort of entrepreneurial things we do, when we're not playing our instruments in our respective orchestras.

Editor in Chief Ray Ricker has written an excellent overview of the topic, so we'll let him introduce the concept of entrepreneurship (below). But first a brief explanation of the title of this VDP: Someone was interviewing Ray about entrepreneurship and she asked him whom he considered to be the first musician entrepreneur. According to Ray, he "pulled a rabbit out of his hat" and replied, "Mozart" — because he was the first major composer who didn't work for a court or a church. Maybe this was because Mozart was too wacky to get a court gig, but he certainly was entrepreneurial.

Yvonne's entrepreneurial experience: Yvonne sat through one too many symphonic children's concerts that she thought could be better done so she's been involved for the last fifteen years in doing just that. Her Connections series (relating music to a classroom subject such as history or math) has been very popular at the Kennedy Center, and in states where the National Symphony has visited during residencies. She also teaches classes on music-related subjects for the Smithsonian Associates, the educational arm of the Smithsonian museums.

Ann majored in music in college but suffered a viral paralysis of her left wrist, so thought she'd never be able to play professionally. After grad school in Int'l. Relations at Yale, a colleague introduced her to Sam Kissel, a Dounis method teacher, so she went in search of a job to support taking lessons and relearning how to play. She ended up at the Artificial Intelligence lab at Yale and helped form an AI startup, Cognitive Systems. Later she started her own business as a technical writer for software companies. Meanwhile, Dounis method had worked and she joined the Hartford Symphony in 1980, but she still works as a tech writer. Working with Polyphonic as Senior Editor is a joy, and she recently started writing grants for the HSO, so finally her technical writing is now focusing on music as well as software. She and her husband Algis Kaupas are also designing websites for musicians and artists: check out panelist Kate O'Brien's Moxie website! http://www.polyphonic.org/panels.php?id=15 http://www.polyphonic.org/panels.php?id=15 Mon, 17 Mar 2008 23:04:12 -0400 info@polyphonic.org (Ann Drinan) Virtual Discussion Panel The Arizona Opera Orchestra Musicians Association (AZOOMA) had a bit of an identity problem. We regularly perform in a semi-closed pit under the stage and are heard but not seen by the public. When asked, our audience members presumed that we were either the Phoenix or Tucson symphony orchestras. For years this issue was just a small nuisance and only a minor concern, until our collective bargaining agreement expired and negotiations lingered on for months under new management. What was at first only a minor annoyance was now a huge concern. We really needed public support to secure our jobs but our public didn't really know who we were. http://www.polyphonic.org/article.php?id=147 http://www.polyphonic.org/article.php?id=147 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:32:16 -0500 info@polyphonic.org (Bruce Hembd) Articles The concept of worker involvement in governance is not a new managerial concept, although its implementation has been sporadic throughout the 20th century. http://www.polyphonic.org/article.php?id=146 http://www.polyphonic.org/article.php?id=146 Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:45:04 -0500 info@polyphonic.org (Barbara Nielsen) Articles "It is unlike any other labor/union relationship that I know of; the musicians' movement was a labor relations revolution among professionals." Labor lawyer I. Philip Sipser (1919—2001), known to ICSOM members as “the Heifetz of negotiators” http://www.polyphonic.org/article.php?id=145 http://www.polyphonic.org/article.php?id=145 Sun, 24 Feb 2008 18:14:39 -0500 info@polyphonic.org (Julie Ayer) Articles Musician involvement in orchestra governance has evolved through several diverse paths. The most frequent scenario for enabling such involvement occurred in the 1980s when the door was opened slightly to allow musicians to participate in certain aspects of orchestra governance. The most common scenario, musician representation on boards, started in the 1980s. http://www.polyphonic.org/article.php?id=144 http://www.polyphonic.org/article.php?id=144 Sat, 23 Feb 2008 17:30:41 -0500 info@polyphonic.org (Barbara Nielsen) Articles The American symphony orchestra is threatened with drifting into obscurity in the 21st century. How can this 19th century institution revitalize itself? One theory is to increase the involvement of symphony musicians in the governance process of the orchestra. Historically, symphonic musicians have been proactive at protecting their rights and promoting their orchestra. However, can musicians be effective leaders and managers of a non-profit organization? There are compelling examples as to why musicians can not only play the music, but also effectively help manage a symphony orchestra. http://www.polyphonic.org/article.php?id=143 http://www.polyphonic.org/article.php?id=143 Fri, 22 Feb 2008 19:47:53 -0500 info@polyphonic.org (Barbara Nielsen) Articles Bob Lauver, hornist in the Pittsburgh Symphony, is one of the favorite voices on the PSO's blog, which includes blogs by musicians and staff as well as others outside the organization. I asked Bob how he got involved with the symphony's blog and video projects. http://www.polyphonic.org/article.php?id=142 http://www.polyphonic.org/article.php?id=142 Fri, 22 Feb 2008 17:34:06 -0500 info@polyphonic.org (Rebecca Krause-Hardie) Articles The Toronto Symphony is in the middle of what may turn out to be one of the great comebacks in orchestra history. Although it had a long history, a distinguished list of former music directors, a large discography, and a home city that is to Canada what New York is to the US, it came very close to folding in 2001. Its return from the brink is a story with lessons for many orchestras. http://www.polyphonic.org/spotlight.php?id=11 http://www.polyphonic.org/spotlight.php?id=11 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:24:44 -0500 info@polyphonic.org (Orchestra Spotlight) Orchestra Spotlight For many months Polyphonic has been planning to hold a February discussion about freelance musicians who play in multiple orchestras in different cities — the "Driving for Dollars" musicians. Imagine our surprise and pleasure when we read of a new documentary about Driving for Dollars musicians, The Freeway Philharmonic, released just last Sunday (January 27, 2008). www.freewayphil.com

I contacted the filmmaker, Tal Skloot, who not only agreed to participate in our panel, he also put me in touch with several of the musicians featured in the film. We also have musicians from the LA, Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Northeast freelance pools on the panel.

The traffic patterns are different in each city but the stress of juggling multiple schedules, driving long distances for rehearsals and concerts, having lots of down time between services — or none at all when doing 3-service days in 3 different cities — can be overwhelming. Why would anyone decide to pursue such a career? I'll let our panelists explain it for themselves. http://www.polyphonic.org/panels.php?id=14 http://www.polyphonic.org/panels.php?id=14 Sat, 02 Feb 2008 20:40:51 -0500 info@polyphonic.org (Ann Drinan) Virtual Discussion Panel