Posts Tagged ‘mark clague’

  1. Podcast – Chapter Three: Considering Technology

    No conversation about music—about any art form, for that matter—gets very far these days without addressing the impact, potential and pitfalls of technology. From high- definition broadcasts of live performances, to an audience tuned in to Facebook, Twitter and other social media, classical music must find its place in an increasingly digital community. This podcast was developed from our October 2011 live event.

    Chapter Three: Considering Technology, Part 1

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  2. Podcast – Chapter Two: Personal Stories, featuring Gustavo Dudamel

    The second chapter in our podcast series is about personal stories, those intimate connections between a student and a teacher that, like a pebble in a pond, send waves radiating outward. Few stories are more compelling or influential than that of Gustavo Dudamel, the Venezuelan-born conductor—and now Music Director of the Los Angeles Philarhmonic—who found his own pebble-in-the-pond experience in his home country’s visionary music education and social program, El Sistema. This podcast was developed from our October 2011 live event.

    Chapter Two: Personal Stories

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  3. Event video: Roundtable discussion and audience Q&A

    One last video from our October 23rd event in San Francisco is now available for viewing — the roundtable discussion and Q&A featuring our six Spotlight Conversation participants.

    From left to right that’s Steven Winn, San Francisco arts journalist and critic; Amos Yang, Assistant Principal Cellist, San Francisco Symphony, and alumnus, San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra; Neil Harris, Professor of History and Art History, University of Chicago; Jesse Rosen, President/CEO, League of American Orchestras; Afa Sadykhly Dworkin, VP/Artistic Director, Sphinx Organization; Mark Clague, Professor of Music, University of Michigan.

    One of my favorite moments is near the end, when a woman prefaces her question by saying she has attended symphonic concerts for 75 years. The audience bursts into applause but then gasps as she continues on to her question saying, “If you’d permit me to opine about music… sound without melody is noise.” In regards to programming, “where does the person who buys the ticket get to have a say?” I really hope she comes back for our next event Talking About Creativity.


  4. Event video: Spotlight Conversation #1

    On Sunday, October 23, Jesse Rosen, President/CEO, League of American Orchestras, Neil Harris, Professor of History and Art History, University of Chicago, and Mark Clague, Professor of Music, University of Michigan opened our “Talking About Community” event.


  5. Talking about Community: Things I’m Hoping to Learn at Today’s Event

    In this post, Mark Clague, co-moderator of today’s live event, shares some of what he’s hoping to learn from each of our speakers. If you can’t join us in San Francisco, you can follow the conversation on this blog, on Twitter and view complete videos from the event later this week.

    Things I’m Hoping to Learn… (more…)


  6. A Pioneering Educational Partnership: the University of Michigan and the San Francisco Symphony

    Participating in all three American Orchestra Forum events will be a group of eleven graduate students from University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance. These students are enrolled in “Musicology 650: The Ensemble in America,” an upper-level doctoral research seminar organized by musicology professor Mark Clague, author of this post. The class examines the history of orchestras, choirs, bands (concert, rock, and marching), and chamber groups in the United States.

    The fundamental hypothesis of “The Ensemble in America” is that the history of music in the United States is not just a story of talented individuals (composers or musicians), but of cultural organizations, such as the San Francisco Symphony—encompassing its audience, staff, donors, and civic leaders, as well as its musicians. Generally we think of “Art” as the product of individual genius, but making music really requires collective action and these collectives can also be creative. The San Francisco Symphony centennial only highlights this pervasive phenomenon. (more…)


  7. The Power of Community

    The Michigan Pops Orchestra puts on only a few concerts a year, yet regularly draws over 1500 paying audience members. Mark Clague, co-moderator of our live events and professor at the University of Michigan, takes a look at how community makes it possible:

    When orchestras are deeply integrated with their communities, the authentic connections that motivate listeners to action become increasingly likely. Today, I think these connections are likely more powerful person-to-person than institution-to-customer, so it’s vital that those involved with an orchestra share news of their love of the ensemble and its music… Read article.