Conclusion of Aspen and Fellowship Info

It’s official, we are currently in the 9th and final week of the music festival here in Aspen and everything is coming to a close. Last week, the orchestra I manage (Aspen Festival Orchestra) was conducted by maestro Jahja Ling and played, among other things, Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony (this happens to be my favorite symphony). This week, the AFO concert wraps up the ’04 season with the season finale to end the 200+ events hosted by the Aspen Music Festival this summer. We will perform Verdi’s Requiem led by Music Director David Zinman and accompanied by four star vocalists and the 150+ member Colorado Symphony Orchestra Chorus imported from Denver.

After the dust settles on Sunday, the Fellows have a half day off on Monday and will begin a two day leadership seminar in Aspen led by Hilary Field (League Program Director) and John McCann (leadership guru), on Tuesday. This leadership seminar is the first of three such events that take place over the course of the year.

From there, I plan on road tripping out to LA, finding an apartment (AHH!!), enjoying a solid week off, and starting my assignment with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra on September 7th.

On another note, as my “site statistics” admin page tells me, tsailog.com has had an increasing number of visitors as of late. This is due to the extra PR I've received from the League’s website in an effort to further educate the public and promote the Fellowship.

I can hardly believe that the year has already come full circle and next year’s applicants are gearing up for the January deadline. This year, a slough of new materials is available to applicants that I only wish I had at my disposal a year ago. This info includes extended informational interviews, a frequently asked questions page, more alumni listings, and much more (all available on their website).

In an effort to help the League get the word out and demystify the whole selection process, I will begin a new multipart series of blogs, once I get settled in LA, called “Considering the Fellowship?” Pending distinction between what the League wants to remain confidential and what can be made public, this series will supply details from general overview info to specific play by plays of the finals in New York back in March. So…if you’re interested in launching into a career in orchestra management, stay tuned to hear all about how I’ve had my start so far and as always, e-mail me with any questions or comments.

Shostakovich, Stalin, and Jack Nicholson…oh my!

This past week we tried something more than a bit off the beaten path. It would be safe to say that the week 7 Aspen Festival Orchestra concert was definitely a risk. Our guest conductor for the week was Murry Sidlin, currently serving as dean of the school of music at the Catholic University of America and formerly Artistic Director of the Oregon Symphony. While at the Oregon Symphony, Murry took over the “Nerve Endings” concert series. “Nerve Endings,” now called “Illuminations,” is a very unique set of programs designed to attract new audiences by changing the format of the traditional concert. These programs often focus on a single conductor or work and integrate various forms of media including live and recorded music, acting, video, and ensembles of all types and sizes. This past Sunday, Murry brought such a show to Aspen.

Anyone who understands the deep rooted traditions and etiquette of modern classical music can very well see how big of a risk performing these kinds of shows is. The bottom line is that people in this industry, more than almost any other, are afraid of change. Change, however, is necessary for the survival of the art form. After all, how long can a cultural institution stay relevant to society if it does not constantly change and adapt to reflect/lead it? I can say with significant confidence that this past Sunday’s AFO show, “Russian David…Soviet Goliath!,” took on this risk and succeeded.

“Russian David…Soviet Goliath!,” written and conducted by Murry Sidlin, tells the story of the relationship between Stalin and Shostakovich with specific focus on Shostakovich’s 5th symphony. The show consisted of dialogue between two actors playing the parts of Stalin (John Rubinstein, actor and son of famous pianist Arthur Rubinstein) and Shostakovich (Michael York, of popular fame as Basil in the Austin Powers movies). Interspersed before, between, and after the dialogue were various arias sung by vocalists, excerpts from Shostakovich’s 8th String Quartet played by the Jasper Quartet, and excerpts from Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra as well as Shostakovich’s 5th and 7th Symphonies. The dialogue served the music by giving “live program notes” of sorts that really explained various themes in the music and how they related to the suppressive social climate in Russia at the time. The concert finished with a full performance of Shostakovich’s 5th symphony which, by that time, had been fairly thoroughly explained to the audience by the actors.

Despite the long length of the concert (2hr 30min), the house was quite packed from beginning to end and now, three days after the fact, we continue to hear shining comments from the community regarding this risky endeavor. I predict that in the years to come, these kind of events will increase in number as the survival of classical music demands more risk taking. In fact, as I prepare to become the Executive Director of a symphony over the couse of this year, I plan on taking these and many other risks when the time comes.

On a lighter note, this concert set also helped to expand my celebrity sighting list. In addition to having the opportunity to work directly with John Rubinstein and Michael York, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was in town and became good friends with Michael York during the week and Jack Nicholson, a personal friend of Michael, was also present at the concert. Jack’s presence at the event drew just about as much attention as the concert itself as musicians and audience members alike lined up during intermission to get their t-shirts and other movie memorabilia autographed. Myself? I was content to people watch as word of his arrival spread like wildfire.

A fitting tribute to a significant man

Robert Harth 1956-2004

During my last set of individual interviews for the Fellowship back in March, I was asked an interesting question. The question went something like this: “In regards to orchestra management, how have you been mentored in your career so far?” I explained that thus far, I have received two kinds of mentorship: mentorship by direct observation of my superiors at the Chicago Symphony and Ravinia Festival during my summer internships and mentorship by indirect observation of leaders in the field. The second type of mentorship involves reading articles written by and about industry giants such as Larry Tamburri (president of the Pittsburgh Symphony, my last residency) and Henry Fogel (League president and former Chicago Symphony CEO).

Since arriving in Aspen, this dual mentorship approach has continued. I have been directly mentored by Hilary Field (League program director), Jim Berdahl (General Manager at Aspen), Don Roth (President at Aspen), and others. Of particular note, however, my philosophies have been indirectly guided by one very unique individual. Sadly, I will never have the opportunity to meet this man face to face.

Just over six months ago, the music world lost one of its greatest leaders. Robert Harth, then president of Carnegie Hall, died of a heart attack in his New York apartment. Robert, more than any other of my mentors, provides me with a glimpse of what a young and passionate leader in this industry can achieve.

Robert, the son of two Aspen Music Festival faculty members, grew up around classical music but never seemed really pressured to enter the field. He majored in English Literature at Northwestern, played the guitar in a folk band, and was a huge fan of classic rock (he supposedly knew the lyrics to every existing Beatles tune, how many classical musicians can make that claim?). Growing up at the Aspen Music Festival as a kid, he worked odd jobs over the summer from guarding the old music tent to working stage crew. It may not have seemed a huge leap to him at the time but while studying at Northwestern, at the young age of 19, he was hired as production manager of the 1975 Ravinia Festival season and continued on as their associate manager until 1979. Then, at the age of 23, he was recruited as the general manager of the Los Angeles Philharmonic…23 years old! The next 10 years in LA have been referred to as his “growing years” and when he finally left that post in 1989, he had become somewhat of a legend in the organization. He left the GM position in LA to return to his Aspen roots as president of the festival. He was then 33 years old. Robert took the struggling festival and inspired dramatic improvements including moving its offices from New York to Aspen full time, overseeing the creation of a new music tent as well as the underground Harris Hall which allows for the festival to produce its art year round, and multiplying the financial foundation by over 20 fold! In 2001 Robert decided it was time to move on and accepted an offer to become the head honcho at Carnegie Hall. His first day of work was Sep. 8th, 2001 just days before the national tragedy still so fresh in our minds. He guided Carnegie through those difficult times and still managed to oversee the opening of a new hall and educational institute despite the overwhelmingly harsh financial climate.

As one can clearly see, Robert left a tangible legacy with every organization he had touched. His intangible legacy, however, is what has truly been the deepest inspiration. Hilary Field, who worked with Robert as Director of Operations in Aspen, said it best, “A composer leaves a piece of music, Robert left a way of life.” Robert’s “way of life” created a comfortable yet vibrantly productive cultural climate that is still alive and well in Aspen, years after his departure. To me, that is the true mark of a leader. Just about any dictator with a vision can force positive change during his/her temporary tenure but it is a rare leader that sets the interests of the organization first, puts this vision to work in each and every co-worker, and leaves a lasting impression long after he or she is gone. Robert has helped teach me this.

Last Thursday, the Aspen family paid official tribute to Robert with a collage concert that mixed classical music, Dave Matthews Band, a video interview with Robert, and testimonies of faculty as well as community members. Old poker buddies, family friends, drinking partners, and co-workers (often the same people) came out in good form to honor the man. I sat in the back of the tent, silent, reflecting on the enormous impact this one individual had from such an early age on our industry. He has been, is, and will continue to be my mentor over the years to come. Thank you Robert.

Week 6 in Aspen

I can’t believe that the summer is passing by so incredibly quickly. The final note of tonight’s Festival Orchestra concert marks the official end of the 6th week of the music Festival (in reality I have been here closer to 8 weeks). This week, my orchestra was conducted by James Conlon and played host to guest pianist Peter Serkin. The concert opened with Dvořák’s Scherzo capriccioso. Then came a contemporary work about a mythical bird by Peter Lieberson called Red Garuda. Finally the show came to a close with a phenomenal performance of Dvořák’s Eighth Symphony in G major. There was something extra special about tonight’s concert however. James Conlon, throughout the week, had managed to connect with the students on a heightened level that produced results, in my opinion, way above that of any conductor thus far. This is not to say that the orchestra did not sound wonderful under the baton of greats such as James DePreist, David Zinman, or Robert Spano, but tonight was just…extraordinary, truly breathtaking.

The conclusion of week 6 brings the harsh realization that only three more weeks of concerts remain. After the students leave, the Fellows have another week in town with League program director Hilary Field, Aspen president Don Roth, and leadership guru John McCann before we disband and head our separate ways for the first of three remaining residencies at major orchestras around the States. As you may already know, I will be heading to Los Angeles at that time to work with the LA Chamber Orchestra and this means that I NEED to find housing fast. Any suggestions?

Let’s see…what else? Over the past week, I have finally been able to find some spare time to relax. When I’m not in the office or at rehearsal these days you can usually find me on the golf course desperately trying to improve my game, listening to a concert at the tent, reading, or planning some kind of a social activity for staff and students (we just had a nice potluck the other night). Tomorrow morning I will be joining a group of about 5 people to hike up the ski trials of Aspen Mountain. This should be lots of fun as well as a great workout. After tomorrow’s day of relaxation and only a half day in the office, I will continue to plan for the final three AFO concerts. Final three concerts…where does the time go?