A great comment, submitted to Portland Arts Watch blog by Jamey Hampton of BodyVox – I’ll repost it here in its entirety: There are a few key measurable that define a vibrant, thriving and desirable community. A government structure that attracts and facilitates business growth; a variety of spectator and individual sports and recreation opportunities;
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I just noticed that I passed the 1,000 post mark a day or so ago. I was meaning to mark the occasion in some relatively meaningless way, but it just slipped past my notice. It’s been fun, and here’s to 2,000 posts!
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If you’re looking for good seats, you’ll be paying plenty – at least if you go on eBay to do your purchasing: [click photo to enlarge]
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Word from Elaine Calder is that the series of three Pink Martini concerts this coming week (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday evenings) have sold in excess of $500,000 worth of tickets. Amazing! It really is a tremendous gift to the Oregon Symphony that Thomas Lauderdale decided to use the Oregon Symphony to make this live recording, rather
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David Stabler has put together a video feature about this weekend’s upcoming Oregon Symphony/Pink Martini live concert recording sessions for an album due out in 2010. David Stabler: Pink Martini’s live recordings
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Design details for a beautiful new hall for the Montreal Symphony Orchestra have been released. Ground has already been broken for a portion of the project (a parking facility). Read the complete article and see a slideshow here.
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A great video of a pair of musicians playing two movments of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition: The Old Castle, and Ballet of the Chicks in their Shells. Thanks to Sarah for pointing this out!
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If you’re a supporter of the arts in Portland (either as a loyal audience member or as a donor), you owe it to yourself to attend their extraordinarily important benefit DANCE UNITED. The benefit takes place on June 12, 2009 at 7:30pm Keller Auditorium. Performances will be given by members of the New York City
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A harrowing and sobering article in today’s Oregonian about the beyond precarious financial position of the Oregon Ballet Theatre (OBT). They need to raise $750,000 by June 30 or they may have to shut down. Completely. This on the heels of jettisoning the OBT orchestra for next season, which apparently did not reduce their expenditures
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Well, here’s an update of sorts: my info was completely wrong (that’s what you get for trusting rumors, even if they seem to be from a good source) – I’ll have some real information as things move along. Mea culpa. There hasn’t been any press on this as of yet, but I’ve been hearing rumblings
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Congratulations go to Marc Rovetti (with whom OSO principal cellist Nancy Ives and I and former OSO violinist Denise Dillenbeck played a quartet concert in Astoria this spring), who has won the job of Assistant concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra! He was already a member of the Philly Orchestra for several years before moving up
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[click photo to enlarge] After reading this extraordinary review of the new pianist phenom Yuja Wang with the San Francisco Symphony, I now am fairly desperate to see her in performance. I hope that we can get her for an OSO series in an upcoming season. I’d heard rumors that she was like Lang Lang
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Here’s some more news from around the orchestra world as organizations attempt to stem the tide of red ink as contributed and earned income continue to fall across the nation: Phoenix cuts all salaries 17% across the board. Charlotte gets arts funding cut 50%, told to improve financial plan. Chicago Symphony cuts musician pay 2.5%
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Last night was the final concert of our classical series for the 2008-2009 concert season. The performances by Joshua Bell in the Mendelssohn violin concerto were amazing and inspiring each and every night, and the Bruckner Seventh Symphony was powerful and yes, very long, too. Audience response was great, and each night was very nearly
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This scorching (but oh so appropriate) post from conductor Bill Eddins is required reading for every arts administrator out there in these times of “right-sizing” (or bottom-line-sizing, more accurately put): I know that you’re supposed to be wedded to the bottom line but do keep in mind that the people who you are about to
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