Norwich Theatre’s Post

A recent post from the Sydney Symphony Orchestra: ‘Do you know why orchestral musicians usually wear black formal wear⁉’ provides the following reasons: ‘In the 18th century, orchestras were usually part of the household staff of famous noble families …The musicians would perform at lavish events and would need to be dressed to match the occasion - and the tradition has stuck with us ever since.’ While I appreciate this is an explainer piece of content designed to give more context to an established convention, doesn’t this rationale provide the perfect reason why orchestras should be more innovative in all aspects of their concert presentation? In general, orchestras hold on to too many rules, conventions and behaviours - when to clap, what the musicians should wear, what the audience should wear, conductors not talking from the stage etc. The traditions, whilst part of the heritage of orchestras, can have the net effect of turning away new audience members. Threshold anxiety is a very real phenomenon for orchestras - uninitiated concertgoers tend to feel inferior and intimidated; consequently, this can contribute to them not going - simple as that; people will, unsurprisingly, avoid feeling uncomfortable and inadequate. Not to say that a sense of occasion and the heritage of the orchestral concert should be thrown away; this is part of the richness and depth of the art form. But - as a sector -  can we try and think more proactively about how and why we present our artform in a way that gives as many people as a chance to experience it? At a time when orchestras should be relentlessly building new audiences, we need to break down as many barriers as possible. #culturalleadership #futureorchestras

Have you ever pondered the possibility of your houseplants swaying to the rhythm of Beethoven's Symphony or the soothing tunes of neoclassical piano? This thought might seem whimsical, but scientific research suggests there might be more truth to it than you think. This article will delve into the fascinating world of music for plants and explore how it affects plant growth. #AmbientMusic #Neoclassical #PianoMusic https://lnkd.in/ec_4iZpE

What a positive result and a welcome relief for our sector. Well done to all those at Museums Association, AIM - Association of Independent Museums, Society of London Theatre & UK Theatre , Manchester Camerata and many others who have lobbyed to achieve this. The new permanent rate covering theatres, museums and galleries - 45% for touring productions and 40% for non-touring shows - is below the current rates of 50%/45%, but well above the pre-pandemic rates of 25%/20%, which had been due to come back in over the next two years. As well as this, £26m of funding has been provided to the National Theatre in London, to upgrade its stages and infrastructure. There was "levelling up" funding for a number of cultural venues: •£15m for the National Railway Museum in York •£10m for National Museums Liverpool •£10m for British Library North in Leeds •£10m for Venue Cymru in Llandudno, north Wales •£5m for the Poetry Centre in Leeds •£2.6m for the V&A Dundee The Budget also included funding for a major TV and film studio complex in Sunderland through a devolution package for the north-east of England. Crown Works Studios is expected to create more than 8,000 jobs in the region and generate £336m a year for the local economy, its operators said.

If you can, please read this powerful piece in today's NYT about Daniel Barenboim's East-Western Divan Orchestra and how music can respond to challenging conflict... https://lnkd.in/eQ-nZ4f6

Here's our review of the #SalzburgWindPhilharmonic's latest #Beethoven recording: The Symphony of Fate "is performed less dramatically than what one has become accustomed to. Despite the obvious absence of strings, the orchestra’s sound is clear, yet the symphony is fully complete. This in itself requires significant musical mastery, which Conductor Hansjörg Angerer displays as his recording demonstrates absolute fidelity to the composer’s vision...The recording of the Pastoral Symphony is equally true to Beethoven’s vision." https://lnkd.in/dex3egVS

⚡️This is the energy we're bringing into the week: NEC kicked off our concert season with a live performance featuring an all-star faculty ensemble from the Contemporary Musical Arts department, with music from Persian, Appalachian, Middle Eastern, African, and Jewish traditions as well as jazz, avant-garde, new works, and more. In this performance, we hear the group perform Balla Kouyaté's electric composition, "Democracy." https://lnkd.in/gRwy4x2C

Latin Jazz: This subgenre combines jazz elements with rhythms from Latin America, particularly Afro-Cuban rhythms. Artists like Dizzy Gillespie and Tito Puente were instrumental in its development. #jazz #jazzmusic #latinjazz #didyouknow

Best advice a world class musician can give a young leader: "If you are a singer, sing. If you are a commedian, be funny. If you are a magician, do magic. Failure and mediocrity usually come when singers try to tell jokes and comedians try to sing. Unless you are Dean Martin - stick to what you do best." My father was Benny Goodman's lead trumpet player on his Asia and European tours in the '50s. He was a young man who knew what he did well. From his perch in the orchestra, around the world and then for 30+ years at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas, he saw thousands of performers. While finding the parallels between his life in music and my career as a Naval Officer and a Business Executive was a challenge, one day Dad hit gold with the above quote. Questions for all of us - 1. What are you really good at and can even be better? 2. What should you leave to others so they can shine in their own way? You don't have to be great at anything, but if you want to be, find your brilliance. Video is from 1958 in Brussels. Billy Hodges, my father, is in the back row next to the drummer. BTW: I chose to work with leaders to 'Help humans be heroes in the age of Automation and Ai". https://lnkd.in/ghmriUpn

These days, I've been pondering this thought: Being a CEO is much like conducting a classical music orchestra: you select the best musicians, but it's your responsibility to convey instructions for them to execute each piece flawlessly. 🎼 The entirety of that harmony is profoundly influenced by communication. It's about conveying to your "musicians" how to interpret each piece to achieve the perfect symphony. ✨ #CEO #Leadership #EffectiveCommunication #ArtOfConducting

🚀 Embracing the paradox of quantity and quality in creativity! Contrary to the common belief that doing less yields better results, generating original ideas often thrives on quantity. Thomas Edison's diverse inventions, beyond the light bulb, exemplifies it. 🛠️🔍 In the realm of music, maestros like Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach further emphasized this principle. Mozart, with over 600 compositions, Beethoven with nine symphonies, and Bach with an astounding output, prove that greatness often arises from prolific creation. Some symphonies, initially overlooked, later became iconic, showcasing the transformative power of quantity in musical innovation. 🎼✨ The lesson?Dive into quantity, filter through feedback and analysis to cherry pick the most exceptional ideas. In the realm of creativity more often leads to better. #Innovation #Originality #Creativity #QualityOverQuantity #MusicalGenius