American Idol finalist trials for US orchestras
mainThe annual general meeting and ,lunch of the League of American Orchestras was sponsored by an artists agency. As part of the deal, one of the agency’s artists got to sing to us after the AGM business was done. The artist was Melinda Doolitle, who came third in 2007 American Idol. Simon Cowell said she should have won.
Melinda told us of her pride in having been chosen to perform at the nearby Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She is not by any stretch of the imagination a classical soloist.
But American orchestras have many strings to their well-bent bow, and many of them stage variety shows around the year, especially at holiday seasons. So Melissa was there to pitch us her act at lunch. And pitch it she did, fully amplified. After that, we went back to contemplating why classical music was losing traction in the USA.
I said it 1,000,000 times and I’ll say it a billion More. The industry will survive, the orchestras will be there, but what they will play will be as ‘classical’ as FEDEX is ‘Federal’. 99% of the artform is a museum piece.
George Carlin once said: when you are born in this world, you get a free ticket to the freak show. When you are born in America, you have a front row seat.
Enjoy the week at LAO, Norman. If you guys get to RAP again, I expect you on stage yelling “MAHLER, HALLA!”
She’s talented! And a real character. But she has nothing to do with our loss-making “business.”