Re: End of Concerts Possible??

[Elmer Elevator <bobmer@JAVANET.COM>]

"I'm just a boy whose intentions are good
"Oh Lord please don't let me be misunderstood"

Okay okay yeah I'm always telling jokes, okay, but I was COMPLETELY SERIOUS
about this one.

Smaller musical ensembles particularly need help, not just money, but a
hovering swarm of devoted helpers and volunteers to keep the orchestra's
nose above water.

Because of the most delightful coincidence of an old school tie, my adopted
orchestra is a wonderful, energetic, innovative ensemble in New Haven,
Connecticut USA called Orchestra New England. They're about 25 years old,
and their concerts are at the most architecturally wonderful venues in and
around Yale University.

I went to high school with the conductor, James Sinclair ("Jimmy" to me
:-)  ), who is also the President of the Charles Ives Society. (He almost
had a stroke at the high school reunion when I told him I was crazy about
Charles Ives. He doesn't run into a lot of that.)

Hanging with Orchestra New England over the last few years has been such a
treat -- not just the great concerts, but I've been allowed to go to social
events and meet the musicians and subject them mercilessly to a million
nosey questions about the guts and nuts and bolts of performing orchestral
music.

There's a musical ensemble near you that needs and would love your "angel"
help as well. And you'll be rewarded for your help in the most delightful
ways.

It's a tradition as old as music itself -- The Patron. It helps keep live
performance alive in a world that's never been particularly kind or generous
to musicians. And as I ranted, it's a particularly valuable way to put fine
music into the lives of kids. There's room enough in their little brains for
Destiny's Child and Rimsky-Korsakov too.

Bob

-----Original Message-----
From: Jacqueline Colombier <jpc171@HOTMAIL.COM>
To: F_MINOR@EMAIL.RUTGERS.EDU <F_MINOR@EMAIL.RUTGERS.EDU>
Date: Thursday, October 04, 2001 4:19 AM
Subject: Re: End of Concerts Possible??


>Bonjour F minor,
>Elmer with his usual sense of humour says serious things on a matter
brought
>to our attention by Mary Jo. It's a terrible question. In France the crisis
>started by the cinemas = many had to close...
>I would like to add two points :
>- first, the need for gathering is still very important but it has shifted
>from live concerts to sportive crowds, or artistic exhibitions such as
>paintings or live concerts of another style of music ;
>- second, I feel there should be some effort to imagine new settings for
>collective listening to music, at more differentiate times (not always in
>the evening after a day work, and not only on sundays... ). In France we
>have many Festivals in Summer in very odd places (in open air)and people
>come!
>In fact, for Gould it was an ethical choice. But if audiences could behave
>respectfully for the music and for the performers and if politics could
>build adequate places at adequate price and times, I am sure people would
>enjoy gathering with others to share a moment of musical interest and
beauty
>with any orchestra.
>About Toronto, my question would be : where do people go to now
collectively
>?
>                            Cordially,
>                            Jacqueline