We often hear these days about orchestras' budgetary constraints, forcing to make abrupt decisions, which sometimes heavily affect either its repertoire choice or personnel issues - in short it endangers its identity.
A couple of days, however, the news was published that Riccardo Muti was appointed the new Chicago Symphony Orchestra director. Not that new director appointments are very unusual (yet interesting to follow), but it was exactly the news analysis by John von Rhein of the Chicago Tribune that followed, which made my day: It is exactly here, where John von Rhein is hitting the nail on the head, why a conductor (and maestro Muti is definitely not a rebate-priced conductor, who would be desperately in need of any available gig; he did turn down the New York Philharmonic before). Von Rhein correctly points out in his analysis that
In my view, choosing for reputation may perhaps affect your budget in the short term, but it is an investment that can be in the end paying off. Needless to say, not every orchestra in the world is able to afford a prominent conductor like Muti, Abbado or Haiting, but it is necessary to seriously reconsider the current trend in making choices. It requires a great deal of a businessman's spunk to dare such approach, which I unfortunately do miss a lot in the orchestra world (a few exceptions aside, of course).
Hopefully, this will give a positive signal to the orchestra world. Let's not be too defeatist and dare to show, that classical music is alive and kicking!
MS
A couple of days, however, the news was published that Riccardo Muti was appointed the new Chicago Symphony Orchestra director. Not that new director appointments are very unusual (yet interesting to follow), but it was exactly the news analysis by John von Rhein of the Chicago Tribune that followed, which made my day: It is exactly here, where John von Rhein is hitting the nail on the head, why a conductor (and maestro Muti is definitely not a rebate-priced conductor, who would be desperately in need of any available gig; he did turn down the New York Philharmonic before). Von Rhein correctly points out in his analysis that
The city's world-class orchestra could not afford to tarnish its reputation, or that of Chicago as a major cultural center, by settling for someone second-rate.It nicely illustrates, that the already 'seemingly dwindling importance' of orchestras in society (which everyone seems to believe) is "forcing" orchestras to settle for less prominent (read: cheaper) choices. But isn't such choosing-trend, in fact, cexactly contributing to this very waning of importance? As if prestigious car manufacturers like Volvo or Mercedes, would suddenly start using inferior cheap components to make their cars cheaper, losing their reputation and image of quality. Would they still be a successful brand? Perhaps maybe available to a bit more consumers, but in the ling run?
In my view, choosing for reputation may perhaps affect your budget in the short term, but it is an investment that can be in the end paying off. Needless to say, not every orchestra in the world is able to afford a prominent conductor like Muti, Abbado or Haiting, but it is necessary to seriously reconsider the current trend in making choices. It requires a great deal of a businessman's spunk to dare such approach, which I unfortunately do miss a lot in the orchestra world (a few exceptions aside, of course).
Hopefully, this will give a positive signal to the orchestra world. Let's not be too defeatist and dare to show, that classical music is alive and kicking!
MS
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