I’d gotten a couple really good responses to the semi-rant that I posted a couple days ago, and one of them came back to having orchestra members coming out to the foyer after concerts (it’s a practice that we instituted a few years back, but the number of players going out has diminished to nothing in the past couple months).
Now comes this article from the New York Times which talks about a new Juilliard program to make graduates effective outreach participants as well as top orchestral players. This is an excellent idea in theory, but I’d love to see a program that could be offered to currently employed or post-graduate musicians as well. It’s something that we really need to leverage for greater connection with our audiences.
My problem with this article: the best player doesn’t get the job, at least that’s what is suggested in the article’s first three paragraphs. Hiring shouldn’t solely rely upon one’s verbal skills or ability to help fundraising efforts, should it? I’d rather see a program to train new hires in how to do outreach than make it a prerequisite to hiring which has more import than one’s standard of musicianship and playing. Period. Discuss.
One reply on “orchestral citizenship”
Definitely musical skill, bedside manner instruction. We would love to talk with orchestra members but our bus runs so infrequently. I’ve told others of your blog and how much I’ve learned. Perhaps one or more of you could do a before concert talk. It would be much appreciated. Best, L & B