SFist Tonight
Week Around the Ists
SFist Tonight
"'Classical' music does not need gimmicks OR marketers/managers," hrumphs an SFGate commenter.
Oh, but it does.
Joining the likes of Gavin Newsom with this here YouTube craze your father just heard about, Michael Tilson Thomas, director of the San Francisco Symphony (arguably the best symphony on the planet), is getting in on the online video scene. MTT announced Monday that he will be a part of something called the YouTube Symphony Orchestra.
In collaboration with the London Symphony Orchestra, Carnegie Hall and composer Tan Dun, the YouTube Symphony Orchestra project invites musicians, classical or otherwise, from around the world to audition for the YouTube Orchestra. Video entries will be "combined into the first ever collaborative virtual performance, and the world will select the best of you to perform at New York City's Carnegie Hall in April 2009."
That is to say, classical music has gone the American Idol route. Which is a good thing.
If you want to try being a part of this orchestra, check out submission requirements. Oh, and good luck.
Image: AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews
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MTT and others like him are the only ones who can save classical music and show that it's relevant in this day and age.
"..classical music has gone the American Idol route. Which is a good thing."
As long as you have zero expectations to quality, yes. I suppose there is merit to the "Get them excited and they'll like shelling out at least one bill for a seat at the symphony," mentality, but to my way of thinking, bringing seat prices down and every once in a while featuring a composer who is maybe still alive are better ways of finding a longer-lasting audience for classical music.
Are you serious?? Most people would rather hear music by dead composers than living composers. I bet the average American can't name ten living "classical" composers aside from Philip Glass, John Adams, and John Williams (and that last one is up for debate...).
I will agree that most non-attendees would probably be more inclined to attend symphony concerts if the ticket prices were a little lower, but I don't think it would make a huge difference.
It's actually a cultural thing---classical music isn't part of the American experience for most people. That's something you just can't change.
Brock: yes, no, maybe.
Consider yourself duly warned :-)
Shameless plug: sarah cahill, my blog
And how the hell is that utub video linked under MTT's name not pirated?
You know something I don't?
Cement, points all well taken. My 14 years of piano study are coloring my view, no doubt.
Hey, I'm right there with you, KatyG although I am/was of the woodwind variety, not the keyboard variety...