Say hello to my little iPod friend

Ask anyone from family and friends to my colleagues at the LA Chamber Orchestra what single gizmo I have been drooling over for the longest time and they will all chant in harmony:

"An iPod, an iPod, tell him to get it and shut up already!!!"
Unless you have been living in some hole for almost a decade now, you must realize that like video did to the radio star (good song), digital media is steadily converting our massive collections of CDs into nothing more than a bunch of shiny drink coasters. Like it or not, it is true.

So yes, not long ago, I finally caved in and shelled out the cash for a 40 Gigabyte bundle of audio bliss (with file storage to boot). This love affair with Apple’s principle moneymaker has not been without personal (obviously) and professional justification however.

After draining my wallet at the Apple store in suburban Chicagoland, the first thing I did was import my CD collection into iTunes and onto my little buddy (while I was at it, I also backed up my whole hard drive, boo yeah 40 Gigs). Then, beginning with the five in NYC, I made a vow to compile a playlist for every single concert I attend either drawing the pieces from my existing collection or purchasing available music via iTunes. Obviously, any concert/playlist with unrecorded music is incomplete (my playlist for the 1.7.05 New Jersey Symphony concert only has one song on it when four were performed). These playlists help me not only build my collection of music (easily and conveniently) but they also help me expand my knowledge of repertoire.

Like any proud parent, I am now looking into several accessories including the remote control, sweet speakers, and FM transmitter. And so the obsession continues…well at least I haven’t named it…yet.

Today’s playlist: Tonight’s Memphis Symphony Orchestra Chamber Concert

• Mozart: Divertimento, K. 136
• Mozart: Overture and Ballet Music from Idomeneo
• Mozart: Horn Concerto No. 4 | Sam Compton, horn
• Mozart: Symphony No. 34

(Yesterday was Mozart’s 249th birthday.)

Blue Suede Shoes, BBQ, the Blues, and…Beethoven?

Editor's note: if you are coming to this blog from Adaptistration, check out my response to Drew's post

Welcome to tsailog.com/thememphisdays. After returning home to Chicago for a weekend after NYC, I drove into town just over a week ago to start my seven weeks with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra.

What is the first thing that pops into your mind when somebody mentions Memphis? Usually, people tend to answer "the Blues", "Elvis" (Graceland), "BBQ", or "rock-n-roll". Classical music and the arts, however, play a vital role in this small city, big town.

I officially hit the ground running last Monday meeting staff by day, board members by evening, and musicians by night. In the past week alone, I attended most of the orchestra’s events: several rehearsals, three concerts, a ball, board meeting, strategic planning session, etc. This pace, especially in regards to rehearsals and performances, was much more than I had anticipated. The orchestra’s budget size is only about 1.5 times that of the LA Chamber Orchestra and both are ROPA organizations, mostly consisting of musicians that also hold other jobs (this used to say "part-time musicians" but was misinterpreted by Drew) Over this past week, the MSO has been just as busy as any large-budget ICSOM orchestra like the Chicago Symphony. The MSO actually utilizes an interesting hybrid labor agreement for its musicians that begins to explain this madness (an interesting topic that I will explore in another blog).

During my short time here, I will focus on just a couple of specific tasks. This allows me to back away from the breadth and increase the depth of projects compared to my LACO days. My new Executive Director mentor is Ryan Fleur, a man who was in my shoes as a Fellow about nine years ago. His style is quite different from Ruth’s (in LA). Differing styles are just what I need to observe and I am confident that I will learn much from him as I did from Ruth.

How is Memphis you ask? Memphis is great. Pat, a wonderful woman in the office helped me secure free…yes free…housing for my seven weeks here. Like many Fellows before me, a kind family invited me to stay in their fully furnished guest house for the duration of my residency. I cannot thank them enough. It is an extremely welcome change from my Best Western days.

That is the abridged update for now. I am off for a run at the local YMCA. Keep an eye out in the top corner of your screen…I promised Hilary a photo update after I make it over to Graceland.

NYC wrap up

The Newark International Airport is not fond of Jeff Tsai. On my way in to NYC from Chicago two weeks ago, my luggage was lost and now, on the return trip, UA flight 655 has been delayed by two hours. It could be worse however. Kevin’s flight to Chicago was completely cancelled. Hopefully he can piggyback on my delayed flight but from what I hear, it is already overbooked.

Fortunately, this run of bad luck has not spilled into my experience in New York these past two weeks. The second half of my NYC meetings was much like the first.

During the days, we met with a sundry mix of personalities connected to the orchestra management field in one way or another. Some of the more notable meetings include Jim Oestreich at the NY Times; Greg Sandow music critic extraordinaire (check out his artsjournal blog); Len Leibowitz, seasoned musician negotiator; VPs at both ASCAP and BMI; Mary Lou Falcone, classical music Public Relations veteran; Michael Fine, record producer; a host of VPs at the League; the list goes on and on. In all, over these two weeks, us Fellows met with representatives from over 40 organizations associated with this business.

During the nights, we continued to bask in the concert glory of the Big Apple. On Tuesday, the Philadelphia Orchestra, led by Music Director Christoph Eschenbach, performed Mahler’s 9th Symphony at Carnegie Hall and on Wednesday, the NY Phil was led by both Lorin Maazel and Xian Zhang at their Lincoln Center home.

Before coming to NYC, I had not realized what a tradition we were walking into. These New York meetings go way back to the very first class of Fellows so as you can imagine, many of these managers are used to meeting the Fellows like clockwork each and every year. They know what our predecessors have accomplished and have high hopes for our futures. This cultivates a sense of both pride and humility as the torch of responsibility and change gets handed down to the next generation.

It is funny because these past twelve days seem to have been rolled into just one single whirlwind event. Without my schedule lying in front of me, I doubt I would remember half of what we did. Thank goodness I took notes nonstop. That notebook is pure gold and will be so helpful when I look back from time to time.

In just about an hour (hopefully), I will board a plane, head back to Chicago, and make my way to Memphis to continue on the second half of this unforgettable year. Next stop, Graceland!

NYC Update

This afternoon I attended one of the best concerts of my life. The performance, part of Carnegie Hall’s Sunday MET Orchestra series (the orchestra for the Metropolitan Opera), featured Gil Shaham on Brahms’ Violin Concerto (Gil also played with my orchestra this summer in Aspen). Other highlights of the evening included a new-to-me work entitled Amériques (a HUGE work that took 126 musicians to perform); a lively overture by Weber; and a jaw dropping best-ever (to me) performance of Gershwin’s An American in Paris.

This was seriously one of the top five concerts I have ever experienced. The programming and execution left me beaming well into the night. Adding to the excitement, the League arranged for the Fellows and participants of the Essentials of Orchestra Management seminar to meet with the famous MET Orchestra Music Director James Levine after the performance. We listened and asked questions as Jimmy talked about programming, orchestra management, and his new appointment as Music Director of the Boston Symphony.

Speaking of concerts, I will listen to five of them performed by four of the world’s premier orchestras in three venues over these two weeks in New York. So far, I have heard the NY Phil, New Jersey Symphony, and the MET Orchestra. In the days to come, I will also have the privilege of listening to the Philadelphia Orchestra at Carnegie and the NY Phil once again. Thank the Lord for New York City and its thriving cultural scene!

Outside of the concerts, the League has been keeping us Fellows quite busy with meetings day in and day out. Among these have been meetings with Henry Fogel, League President and former Chicago Symphony President, over a tasty Chinese meal (Henry is quite the Chinese food connoisseur); some of the senior staff at the musician empowered and conductorless Orpheus chamber orchestra; George Steel, Executive Director at the Miller Theatre on the campus of Columbia University; Ara Guzelimian, Artistic Advisor at Carnegie Hall; senior executives at G. Shirmer, ICM Artists and the AFM; gosh the list goes on and on plus we still have one week to go.

Meeting with these folks has really been a treat. In addition to learning more about what they do and how their respective businesses relate to orchestra management, I am also walking away with new perspectives on challenges facing the field and fresh ideas on how to tackle them in my career.

There has been one major downside however. This can be broken down into a simple equation: more meetings = less sleep. Thankfully, our day begins a little later than usual tomorrow morning so maybe this means a normal night’s rest tonight…maybe.

Ahoy from the League offices in NYC

Happy new year everyone! I hope the holiday season was one of relaxation and enjoyment with family and friends. Personally, these past several days have been an absolute joy. Most importantly, I spent quality time with loved ones in the Chicagoland area. Also, I was able to visit some Music Festival colleagues in Aspen, ski down a few slopes, and even catch a couple of movies at the Aspen Academy Screenings.

Then, just yesterday, the Fellowship pace kicked back into full force as I packed my life into a very heavy bag and flew into New York City for a series of meetings, of which today is Day 1.

This series of NYC meetings, a staple of the Fellowship program for well over 20 years, has a few major purposes. First, we open these two weeks with the second of three leadership workshops led by John McCann of EMC.Arts. This workshop helps us reflect on lessons learned so far and teaches us how to focus on our core values as leaders moving forward the rest of the year and on into our careers. Next, we have several meetings lined up with top guns at orchestra management affiliate organizations such as publishing companies, musician unions, newspapers, presenting organizations, etc. From these meetings with affiliates, we will gain a better view of their practices and how those practices relate to orchestras. Also, over these two weeks, we three Fellows will attend and participate in several sessions of the League’s Essentials of Orchestra Management Academy which brings in a slough of top level management talent to give attendees a broad overview of the field. Finally, benefiting from both the presence of Essentials faculty and the culture magnet that is NYC, we will meet with several of the field’s orchestra management giants either over meals or in more formal settings.

Needless to say, these two weeks are absolutely packed and will be, from what I am told, the most intense and exhausting yet beneficial days of the entire year. Today, at the offices of the NY Philharmonic, Gary Hanson, Executive Director of the Cleveland Orchestra came and spoke with us through the lens of his vast experience about challenges facing today’s managers as part of our leadership workshop. Tomorrow after our daylong workshop with John, we will join Ari Solotoff (Fellow grad and ED of the Pensacola Symphony) and Peter Pastreich (arts consultant and former ED of the San Francisco Symphony) for dinner and conversation. Starting Wednesday, the madness really begins as we travel all over the city to meet with several people each day as well as catch concerts here and there. This then continues pretty much nonstop until next Friday when I fly back to Chicago and make the move to Memphis for assignment #2.

Well, that is the update for the moment. Stay tuned for more over the next two weeks!