Chicago Classical Music

The Kronos Quartet’s Sidney Chen on the Open Internet

Today's guest blog was co-written by Jean Cook, Deputy Director and Casey Rae-Hunter Communications Director; both of of The Future of Music Coalition

When you think of classical music listeners, you might not picture web-savvy youth firing off blog posts about the great recital they just attended, or flitting through social networks to interact with their favorite contemporary ensemble. But according to Sidney Chen, Artistic Administrator of the avant-classical ensemble Kronos Quartet, all that and more is currently happening online, thanks to a cool little concept called net neutrality.

Net neutrality is the principle that protects the open Internet. It allows musicians to distribute their work in any way they want, without interference from gatekeepers and middlemen. It also provides fans with a plethora of legal ways to get their musical fix, often directly from the artist. But big telecommunications and cable companies want to change the fundamental structure of the internet by charging those who put content on the web — artists, filmmakers etc. — a fee for the faster delivery of their sights and sounds. If they couldn’t afford to (or didn’t want to) pay this toll, they’d be forced into in the information superhighway’s slow lane.This would be devastating to artists like Kronos Quartet, who depend on the Internet to reach potential audiences. “Our projects don’t normally fit neatly into genres,” Chen says. “The Internet allows us to reach those people who aren’t reliant solely on mainstream media and other information gatekeepers.”

Exploration celebration
According to Chen, Kronos fans come from a wide variety of backgrounds, ages, and locations. “The consistent thread that ties together all of our fans is that they’re adventurous listeners,” he relates. “The Internet has allowed us to find people who are just out there exploring and looking for new and interesting sounds. It’s allowed us to have a direct, two-way connection with our existing fans and also uncover new audiences.”

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A Director’s Perspective: Kenny Leon talks about the differences between directing theatre, film, and opera.

Today's blog is written by Kenny Leon, Artistic Director True Colors Theatre Company

As a Director, I have been blessed to work in many different venues with much varied material.  I’ve directed from classic theatre, to drama, to comedy, to musical reviews, to film, and to opera.  While they all share some aspects in common, each genre presents new challenges and opportunities to explore the artistic realm.  In a film, for instance, the musical score is added at the end of the movie in post-production.  In opera, you begin with the music and work to fit the story into the music. 

I’ve directed from classic theatre, to drama, to comedy, to musical reviews, to film, and to opera.  While they all share some aspects in common, each genre presents new challenges and opportunities to explore the artistic realm.  In a film, for instance, the musical score is added at the end of the movie in post-production.  In opera, you begin with the music and work to fit the story into the music. 

In theatre, the focus is on the storytelling and the acting.  In opera, the focus of the production is for the singers to hit the notes and sing to the best of their ability.  The challenge that I faced in doing my first opera was that most of the singers had been trained to have the music and vocals be the most important (and really, only) priority of the show.  They had a tendency to “park and bark,” if you will.   

But the idea behind having more stage directors do opera is to get more of the acting into the singing, which creates a more fluid story.

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Margaret Garner - New American Opera!

Today's guest blogger is Brett Batterson, Executive Director of the Auditorium Theatre.  This is the first in a series of postings about their November 2008 production of the opera, Margaret Garner.

"NEW AMERICAN OPERA BY TONI MORRISON AND RICHARD DANIELPOUR STARRING DENYCE GRAVES MAKES CHICAGO DEBUT!"

"AUDITORIUM THEATRE CONTINUES TO FIND NEW, EXCITING WORKS THAT RESONATE WITH CHICAGO!"

The headlines to this, the first entry in a series of blog posts about the Auditorium Theatre’s upcoming production of Margaret Garner that ChicagoClassicalMusic.org is graciously hosting, could go on forever. There is just too much to be excited about with the Chicago premiere of this great American work this November: the story, the music, the performers, the collaborators, the educational programs... like I said, the list goes on and on.

How, you might ask, did this come to be? Why is the Auditorium the location for Margaret Garner’s Chicago debut? The answer actually goes back to when Toni Morrison and Richard Danielpour were writing the opera for Denyce Graves. They were also looking for an opera company to commission and produce it.

How, you might ask, did this come to be?

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FREE TICKETS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS WINNERS!

Thanks to everyone who logged in to ChicagoClassicalMusic.org during our relaunch for the last couple of weeks. Below is the list of randomly selected winners of our free ticket and subscription giveaway. If you are a user on this list, please expect an email from me with more information on how to claim your prize. If you haven't won a prize, keep checking back on ChicagoClassicalMusic.org for future giveaways and more!

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Top Classical Pieces

No matter what people are talking about these days -there is always something to rank. 1,000 places to see before you die, 25 sexiest men alive, the 50 greatest athletes that ever lived, the 100 best movies ever made - the list goes on and on.

So what about the best classical pieces of music ever written? I thought it might be fun to compare what others think about this. But don’t let it stop there! What do you think? Any favorites? Anything that might surprise us?

NPR's Performance Today presents its list of fifty essential classical music CDs, selected by classical music critic and PT commentator Ted Libbey.

About.com’s Aaron Green on his classical Top Ten

Classical CD’s Guide to the top 10 cds

I thought this was a fun little insight into the music we hear all the time… works you know, but don’t think you know. Do any of these fit into the top 10?

If you want to find some piece that hasn’t yet found its way into your collection. Here is a great resource. Arkivmusic.com is an online CD store that has a wonderful selection of music and a well categorized CD search method. You could honestly find everything you are looking for. Enjoy!

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Cultural Vandalism

Gustav Mahler. Composer, conductor, graffiti artist?

I first read about this online, saw it on Alex Ross’ blog, Torontoist.com and am frankly quite curious about the whole thing. I don’t know what this graffiti is supposed to represent, if it is in fact supposed to say something about Mahler, or if it is just a mindless joke.

What is this all about? What does it mean to you? Is it just vandalism or is this person trying to say something? Any thoughts?

As a side note, I found a really interesting contextual historical timeline of what was going on in the world while Mahler was composing. Check it out.

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Sex in the Symphony - Is it Hot and Heavy?

I was looking around on Portfolio.com the other day and read the  following sentence.

“A hot-and-heavy marketing campaign tries to sell classical music to the masses—in Mormon country.”

Interesting, different, Mormon country? The headline did its job in catching my eye.

As you can read for yourself, the Salt Lake City Orchestra is experimenting with a new marketing campaign, directed at a younger, more sexually charged audience. No white haired grannies here!

An example of the current campaign is as follows:

Dangling from the lingerie in Salt Lake City department stores are tags bearing the slogan “Removes easily—after an evening in the balcony.”

This isn’t the first time sexually charged musicians have exposed themselves to the world of classical music. Artists such as violinist Vanessa Mae, trumpeter Alison Balsom, the Ahn Trio, and string quartet - bond (with a lowercase b!) are all examples of musicians that place significant importance on their image as well as their music.

These solo and chamber artists are successful, quickly producing cds, increasing their audience base world wide and selling out concert halls.

But can that success transfer to the orchestra? Can these spicier, pumped up marketing campaigns really work? Are people going to be attracted to the musical experience itself or is it just part of an evening’s foreplay?

Ideas anyone?

I’m not sure what to think. I like the idea of reaching out to new people, but it seems like a lot of work for one time ticket buyers.

Other food for thought. There are a lot of women musicians out there ready to play it and shake it but where are the men!?

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Diary of a Young New Professional

In the same vein of having aspirations of being an astronaut or a princess, when I was young, I dreamed that one day I would perform on Orchestra Hall’s stage.

Fast-forward twenty years later. I will be playing my trumpet with the Chicago Sinfonietta for the first concert of their 2007-2008 season this coming Sunday and Monday. Yes, it is my professional Chicago debut and I will be playing at one of my favorite venues - Orchestra Hall. Not bad, not bad at all. 

Its just one of those things - you go through life trying to steer in the right direction, but you never really know where it’s going to take you. I’m very encouraged; I feel like the musical possibilities in this city are endless and doors keep on opening. 

For the September 17th concert, the Sinfonietta is presenting “Salute to Sir Duke” with the Chicago Jazz Ensemble. This should be a great collaboration. How often does an audience member get to hear the original orchestral Peer Gynt Suite by Grieg and then get another shot at listening to this piece in a swinging rendition by the Duke? With this A and B musical comparison, electric energy will flow through these wonderful pieces. In addition to Peer Gynt, the Sinfonietta is performing a rhythmically riveting Timpani concerto by Russell Peck with Timpanist, Bobby Everson. The program will close with Harlem by Duke Ellington. It should be great fun.

So of course, I am very excited about this concert and the whole season that the Chicago Sinfonietta is performing this year. Each concert is fresh and out of the ordinary. This orchestra is pushing the norm for classical concerts, but still sticking to quality orchestral experiences.

I’m so glad to be part of a group that offers an exploratory approach to music. Each concert is so different that it just can’t be heard (and in some cases seen) anywhere else in the world.

So check out Concert One - Salute to Sir Duke at Orchestra Hall. And if you see a short, brunette trumpet player- wave! It’s me!

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They Can't Take That Away From Me

George Gershwin had it wrong.

They can take it away. And by “it” I mean funding for the arts and by “they” I mean the government. So what does this mean? Well, I suppose we simply can’t rely on the government for arts support. We have to live in “hope” that the changes aren’t too catastrophic and that somewhere, some kind hearted funders will extend their hand to make up the shortfall. 

I hate talking about politics. I get too mad. Inadequate decisions are made under the guise of intelligence and these decisions are basically out of our control until the next four years roll around. I’m not proposing that anarchy is the next best option; I just feel that our government doesn’t offer much support or acknowledgment for the arts. What ever happened to our nation’s cultural responsibility?

That is why I retreat to my happy little bubble where I can easily forget about these pesky issues.

My bubble is nice. It is a world without the problems we hear about so often; it is a world with cooperation, understanding, reasoning and sense.

POP.

Unfortunately for musicians, arts organizations, the audience going public and myself, some members of our state government wants to make $463 million in budget cuts and in effect, veto more than 1,500 projects and programs that are characterized as "pork." Pork includes arts funding.  Pork now also seems to extend to the Illinois Arts Council – the major arts funding arm of state government that is about to lose 30% of its budget – and supports every organization affiliated with this website.

So this is what we do. We speak up and act. Write letters to the government. I am writing my letters and making my calls. If you care - act and speak up. That’s the only way they can’t take it away from you. 

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The Kids Aren't Alright...Yet

Today’s blog is written by Angela Golden, age 22.  She is working for the Chicago Sinfonietta as an intern but hopes to run her own not-for-profit organization someday.

I just graduated from Indiana University in May 2007 with a degree in Trumpet Performance. A lot of people were surprised or excited when I told them what I studied in college. I even got to hear a few jokes like this one…

 “What do you say to a trumpet player at your door?”

 “How much for the pizza?”

Ultimately, I don’t really pay attention to jokes like that. I’ve got a lot of things to think about other than jokes about poor musicians.

I want to make a difference. Everybody says that, but I mean it. Things must change. With technology today and easy access to entertainment, saving live music is a huge necessity.

When I see a ten year old with a new cell phone in one hand and an iPod in the other, listening to Lil’ John or Pink or some newly packaged Hollywood-party-girl-turned-singer I have to wonder: when did kids grow up so fast? Can we really expect them to give live music, let alone classical music a chance when they aren’t exposed to it and are already at the age of 10 living in a fast-paced world with instant gratification?

Kids and people in general, are not going to willingly walk into a concert with a bunch of “stuffed penguins” on stage playing Mozart. Music – just like everything else, has to be promoted in a new way. It has got to have a hook that catches someone’s attention. 

I want to tell you about an old black and white movie from the 1940’s called “Going My Way”. I bet a lot of people today haven’t heard of the movie and I bet some haven’t heard of Bing Crosby or even heard him sing. And I bet a lot of people probably don’t know that in his prime, he was a lot bigger than Elvis. 

There is something about this movie that is wonderful. It has good music, it has warmth, it has comedy, it has heart and character- it has innocence. It reflects a different time. A time we can still possess in today’s day and age.

The movie is about a different kind of Father/Priest, played by Bing Crosby who leads a boy’s church choir. He leads them to sing and they end up becoming quite good. They aren’t interested in singing at first, but they come to realize how fun it is. The absolute best song in the movie is “Swingin’ on a Star.” The expressions and humor of the singing kids are priceless. I could watch that scene over and over again. Kids are seen for what they are - funny, bright, happy people who are not yet embittered or cynical from the relentless stresses of life.

This movie is almost a microcosm of what needs to happen today. Kids need to discover the joys of music. They need to know that it is out there and that it can bring fulfillment and peace.

I have hope for the future. I know that kids can respond to see the different side of life- they just have to see it.

I read a very interesting and worthwhile commencement address for Stanford University by Mr. Dana Gioia, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts.

He wrote. “Art is an irreplaceable way of understanding and expressing the world—equal to but distinct from scientific and conceptual methods. Art addresses us in the fullness of our being—simultaneously speaking to our intellect, emotions, intuition, imagination, memory and physical senses. There are some truths about life that can be expressed only as stories or songs or images.”

Nowadays, pop culture and the general entertainment marketplace put a price on everything. Art must go beyond that.

Kids must know about the arts. And I hope that soon, we can all help expose them to it.  

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