Classically Inspired

Thoughts, musings and ideas about Classical music in London and Hull 
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23 November, 2011
 

Outreach: questions on need.

I have been thinking recently about the whole concept of outreach within classical music. The biggest fear I guess is the thought that whatever you are trying to do, no matter what your best intentions are; you fail and all you are doing is flogging a dead horse. Who wants one of those, nobody; as everything you have done has been a big waste of time.

Therefore, from this perspective before you can fail you must know that it is possible to achieve your aims. So some research must have been done before committing to it. Locating your nearest deprived borough or city is one option, the other is leaving your concerts open to anyone from any part of town to attend.

My personal preference is to leave the concerts open, given all an opportunity to attend, however I do realise that many may be reluctant to attend unless a concert can be catered towards their needs. In this regard focusing on a specific area could help remove any stigma felt by a person in attending a concert by making it a collective community event.

These are just guesses, opinions and really if something is to really happen, it can’t be done before research has been collected. I mean: what does Hull want? does it want (need) classical concerts/outreach? In what form should it be, if so? Maybe the fact that there is nothing much available already is the answer (I hope not). Questions need to be asked and answers digested, however difficult they may be.

I’d like there to be some concerts available for children to attend to enjoy classical music, have some fun and go away inspired. And I don’t want to restrict these to those learning an instrument, but to every child and any family, therefore publicly available and advertised as such.

Filed under  //   Hull   London   outreach  

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26 October, 2011
 

A Little Something...

Despite the fact that in a previous post I stated I would not be posting on a regular basis until November, I could not resist posting a little something.

Tomorrow I'm planning on attending part one of a two day #changefest Changemakers' Fayre at the new Hub Westminster  on Haymarket. I'm hoping that attending will spark my creativity and give me ideas on how to shape this blog. This is what it's all about: making a change through creative means, on a social scale. Right now I've just got ideas, but these are only any good if can bring any to fruition and this is where the problem lies: doing something about it.

I recently attending a forum by Westminster Business Council on Social Enterprises at the Hub, which was extremely insightful on a topic that is relatively close to where I want to develop this blog. So I can only see that from where I am right now, working at Hub Westminster on my blog is a good idea. I hope to do this starting November, along with attending far more concerts than I have been previously. 
I'd like to open peoples eyes to possibilities, of enjoying something they never thought they would. To give things a chance and change the way they see music. 

Filed under  //   London  

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16 October, 2011
 

What makes you want to go to a concert?

Personally speaking, it’s a combination of things really. Excluding the desire to go to a concert of a favourite artist, the most important aspects for me are ticket price, location and availability. I quite often do not plan to go to a concert, choosing to go is more spur of the moment, doing things this way has its disadvantages though.

I aim for the reasonably priced tickets, for the vast majority of the time these suit my needs, I get a seat to hear and be able to see the concert to the amount that I am prepared to pay.  It seems I’m not alone in wanting to buy cheap(er) tickets, for these can be the first to sell out. If the seats I’m willing to pay for have gone, then I simply won’t see that particular concert, after all there are plenty more concerts to see in London.

Within London such opportunities to pick and choose exist, allowing myself the right to choose a concert with a fair ticket price. How lucky I am to have such choice.

In Hull with naturally fewer concerts taking place, demand for a good priced ticket to see a Professional Orchestra is decidedly more restricted. Of course many would argue that prices are fixed according to demand and that the demand is sufficient to warrant a minimum price of £20.50. However I would argue that demand would improve if prices were made fairer and more friendly towards those who aren’t made out of money, are not unemployed, over the age of 60 or a full time student, but that they simply cannot afford to pay such prices on a concert, that for them may be the very first classical concert they have been to.

It is expensive, but there are further options such as attending a Hull Philharmonic Concert for example which has tickets priced at £5 or more. I only wish more of these concerts could be put on.

By pricing a ticket too highly, classical concerts send out a subtle signal to all that it is elitist and those afraid of not being a particular part of society need not attend, this seems particularly so with Hull City Councils Master Series (£20.50).

Filed under  //   Hull   London   concerts  

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16 April, 2010
 

Ayrton Senna: The Opera ?

Quite frankly I'm not sure what to make of this. When I first heard about this production it was being called a "musical" the thought of which horrified me. However as it's going to be an opera after all, and with both the ENO and The Metropolitan Opera commissioning it, I am somewhat more confident of the outcome (which I presume has been sanctioned by the Ayrton Senna Institute). This is going to be something to keep an eye out for, even if the logistics of an opera based on F1 seem mind-boggeling . Due for 2012 apparently. Found on BBC Formula One website

Amendment after thinking some more about this:

The concept of an opera about Formula One seems quite strange, as stated below, the two do not usually mix. So I began thinking about why the ENO and the Metropolitan Opera would even commission such an opera. One possibility, and one more likely to be sanctioned by the Ayrton Senna Institute is for the opera to be more about the man, Ayrton Senna as apposed to his life as a racing driver. Yes Senna was three times F1 World Champion, yes he died in a race accident which shocked the world, but now his life has more meaning to many people than just these racing facts.

Charismatic, determined to win, supremely talented behind the wheel, with an aggressive streak. His death lead to certain facts of his life being made public for the first time such as the large charitable donations he made (kept secret so as not to attract publicity). The Cartoon Seninhna in Brazil, about a boy racing driver styled on Senna, organised by Senna (all proceeds going to charity) just before he died is still very popular for children who never saw him race. Shortly after his death, his family decided to set up the Ayrton Senna Institute, to help poor children in Brazil aim for a better life, through funded projects involving Sport, Health and Education. Today the ASI has helped millions of children in Brazil and this has become Ayrton Senna's legacy. 

"Wealthy men can't live in an island that is encircled by poverty. We all breathe the same air. We must give a chance to everyone, at least a basic chance." Ayrton Senna.

There is more to Senna than just racing, and what there is more of, I personally think will be focused on in the production of an opera.

 Wednesday, April 14, 2010 3:54 PM

Des-Watch: McAnuff working on Formula 1 opera, Dr Zhivago musical

J. Kelly Nestruck

Des McAnuff, artistic director of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, spends a lot more time working on freelance gigs outside of Stratford, Ontario, than his predecessors.

Here at Nestruck on Theatre, we are extremely in favour of McAnuff's jet-setting lifestyle, but mainly because we get to pitch work trips to Australia to review musicals based on Dr. Zhivago. (No go on Zhivago, alas.)

Yes, that's one of the projects on McAnuff's plate for 2011 according to a recent interview with Grey Gardens songwriter Michael Korie.

What else is coming up on McAnuff's plate, which perhaps is more of a giant serving bowl? Well, we now know the title and subject matter the new opera he's shepherding to stage for the Metropolitan Opera and English National Opera. Senna, as it is called, will have music by post-minimalist composer Michael Torke and libretto by Korie; the opera concerns the Brazilian Formula 1 world champion Ayrton Senna da Silva, who was killed in a crash during the 1994 Grand Prix.

Says Korie to Playbill: "I was so intrigued by the whole idea of opera and speed. They're not things that you usually associate together."

Surely a contender for understatement of the year.

via theglobeandmail.com

 

Filed under  //   London   Opera  

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15 April, 2010
 

How can classical music become 'cool'?

Well the simple answer to this is: I don't think it really can.
This point shouldn't be taken negatively for plenty of things, people and places aren't 'cool' but they are successful. A lot of orchestras have been accused of trying too hard to play the cool card, instead of playing to their natural strengths. Gimmicks don't fool anyone, least of all those they are trying to attract, which in turn risks alienating loyal audience members.

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Filed under  //   London   classical music   outreach  

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6 April, 2010
 

Terminal

Tomorrow night I shall be attending an interesting recital of sorts at The Hospital Club in Covent Garden. The contemporary Cellist Peter Gregson will be showcasing his new album "Terminal" in a live performance of electronic cello (and maybe acoustic). The evening will be the starting point for a series of monthly performances by Gregson entitled "alt-classical", at the Hospital Club to coincide with his appointment as 2010 Creative in Resident in Music. The Title "alt-classical" speaks for itself as a different kind of classical music. And that really is Gregson to a tee, utilising technology to give his music a bit of an edge.

I'm looking forward to this event, it will be interesting to see how all the technical jiggery-pokery aspects of the album will be adapted to fit in a live session. I remain intrigued and will report back my findings.

ps Peter's album Terminal is available to buy now via Bowers and Wilkins.

Update:

Here's a helpful hint about travelling in London: Leave earlier than you think you will need to. Unfortunately for me I got snarled up in a "person under a train" AND a fire evacuation tube line closure. Due to these mishaps I have not been able to attend "Terminals" public unveiling tonight. What I did get instead was a proper workout walking up a tube stations emergency stairwell (not recommended, if you're not prepared for seemingly endless stairs!).

Filed under  //   London   contemporary music  

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22 March, 2010
 

The (un)cultured classes

Lynsey Hanleys recent article in the 'Comment is free' section of The Guardians website, "The cultured classes" (19/2/10) paints a rather depressing situation in our schooling system. The implication being that unless you are from a middle class background, the presumption by teachers is that pupil have very few cultural extra-curricular activities. I would really love to refute this, and argue that teachers look on every child as an individual open to all possibilities, however my own personal experience from my time at school finds the opposite true.

If a child does not take instrument lessons at school, can that child be said to have an aptitude towards music? Maybe that child does, but doesn't know how to ask for lessons, or did ask and was politely told no (that is my case, and yes I'm still a bit bitter that the teacher thought I couldn't do it and told me "it was a nice idea..but.."). You don't even have to have lessons just to enjoy music, but many presume instrumental lessons are a pre-requisit to enjoyment.

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Filed under  //   Hull   London   classical concerts   family concerts   outreach  

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17 March, 2010
 

Contemporary Classical Music - Adès and Chilcott

Over the past couple of weeks I have seen two concerts featuring new works by Thomas Adès and Bob Chilcott, at the Barbican (5/3/10) and Cadogan Hall (16/3/10) respectively. It seems I'm entering new territory here, for contemporary classical music has been up until now something I have not sought out. I can honestly say that the music I have recently heard has changed that. Though the pieces I had were in essence very different including scope, Adès delivering a more abstract, modernist piece and Chilcott taking Beethoven as his inspiration, both have shown me that the perception of classical music being a dying art, is very wide of the mark. 

I have to admit Chilcott's work stands out more for me, it was truly sublime, sweeping you along with the music, largely thanks to the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Oxford Bach Choir. Adès piece was more of what I would call a thinking persons piece, technically brilliant yet requiring some thought to appreciate fully, I enjoyed it immensely, Emanuel Ax, the Pianist on the night really brought this work home.

Needless to say my somewhat reluctance towards contemporary classical music has been replaced by a need to explore more modern works; some I will like others not, but the fun is in finding the gems, and potentially feeling what listening to Bach, Beethoven and Mozart for the first time must have been like. The fun of being the first to listen to something and finally appreciating that if we do not support contemporary composers, the only modern classical music left will be left for film scores, not for audiences.

Filed under  //   Contemporary music   London   concerts  

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14 March, 2010
 

How many London based Orchestras have played in Hull since 1980? - part two

Last month I submitted a question to Hull City Council on the What do they know site, a site which allows anyone to request information held by a public body. I asked Hull City Council to provide me with the names of London based orchestras who have played at Hull City Hall (the main concert venue in Hull, run by the council) since 1980. They had until 22nd March to respond with the information requested. 

I received the information on 9th March and am grateful that they responded before the deadline. I was however told that Hull City Council do not hold records before 2000, so all the information I received is dated after this date.

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Filed under  //   Classical concerts   Hull   London   orchestras  

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11 March, 2010
 

Alex Ross "Inventing and Reinventing the Classical Concert"

On Monday 8th March, Alex Ross the author of The rest is noise gave the annual lecture of the Royal Philharmonic Society at Wigmore Hall, London. I was in the audience, hoping to hear how classical music could guarantee its future. In the end I was disappointed, not utterly but his talk certainly left me wondering. 

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Filed under  //   London   classical concerts  

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