US orchestras erase music from their annual conference
OrchestrasOur hawk-eyed observers at the forthcoming League of American Orchestras conference in Pittsburgh have been ploughing through the LOA’s new strategy document.
In 14 closely spaced pages, we found just six references to ‘music’ as a singular noun.
It’s not relevant to LOA priorities these days. The LOA’s stated aims are these:
– Service: We support our members and those who contribute to the orchestral experience.
– Equity, diversity, and inclusion: We embrace equity, diversity, and inclusion as fundamentals,
valuing the richness of difference, centering marginalized voices, and creating a supportive
environment for all.
– Advocacy: We champion the orchestral field and tell the story of its impact.
– Leadership: We lead bravely, with transparency, integrity, and authenticity.
– Respect: We welcome divergent views, assuming others’ good intent while considering the
impact of our words and actions.
– Creativity: Inspired by the artistry in our field, we strive for innovation and continuous
improvement in our programs, practices, and culture.
– Accountability: We set ambitious expectations and we deliver on what we promise.
– We work together for a common cause.
Music? Nowhere.
You’ve hit the nail right on the head. Bravo! (Full disclosure…I’ve been a member of the League since 1984.)
Pathetic but not surprising. Surprised DEI isn’t no. 1.
It is, they just changed the order.
Queue the false outrage.
I don’t know that there needs to be a discussion of the merits of Beethoven etc.
I do know that audience building, fundraising, and community engagement are important issues for orchestras that want to survive and thrive these days. And so strategically thinking about how to advance those goals makes good sense.
Pushing DEI agendas in a condescending manner to both non-minority audience AND ethnic minorities is certainly not the answer. For critics such as Alex Ross, their goal is to eliminate common standards (“these standards reflect a racist way of thinking”), so that people like Alex Ross alone (overwhelmingly white men who went to ivy league universities) can be arbiters of what is worthy. They could not care less that many ethnic minority musicians will suffer in perception among the general concert-going audience because of their tactic. People like Alex Ross genuinely believe what we consider to be “masterpieces” is completely due to critics’ politicking in the past, and everyone that came after just acquiesced, so of course they believe they could and should attempt the same today. This authoritarian and egotistical display needs to be recognized and vigorously resisted.
But… but… if you take such a sensible position, you won’t be one of those who write all of these racist and sexist comments on this comment section. What do you think this is, a place for sensible people? /s
I mean, really. Isn’t it obvious. They support people who help to make the music possible. It’s an association of orchestra managers, basically. Snooze.
That’s pretty much the way Opera America went down the rabbit hole. And we see how that worked out.
You’re all (disingenuously) missing the forest for the trees if you don’t see that this is about addressing declining ticket sales.
Let me tell you an anecdote: A year or so ago I attended a Philadelphia Orchestra concert at their hall. I counted five advertisements in the Playbill for assisted senior living communities. That pretty much tells you everything you need to know about who is attending their concerts, and why there have been news stories posted on this site about the Orchestra struggling to fill even 70 percent of their hall.
No orchestra is going to drop the core repertoire — Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler, etc. — but younger listeners, who are more diverse and care about diversity, want something besides dead white guys.
News flash: Audiences have been dominated by grey-heads and blue-hairs since forever.
If you didn’t see a plethora of senior living center advertisements in playbills “back in the day,” it was because those establishments didn’t exist back then. Take a look inside classical concert program booklets from 50 or 70 ago and what’s in them are advertisements for upmarket apartment buildings featuring their own restaurants, upscale clothing stores and furriers, jewelry stores, and ads for Buicks, Cadillacs, Lincoln Continentals and Chrysler Imperials. Not the kind of stuff that would interest your average young consumer.
We’ve heard the dire warnings about the end of classical music audiences for decades now. But even COVID couldn’t deliver the death-knell.
Big difference here: 30 years ago old people went to the concert hall to fart and cough while sleeping through a 3 hour Wagner thing.
Nowadays they are in a cruise and in a Rolling Stones concert.
The grey hairs are either dead or don’t care anymore. Might as well start thinking about something else for these venues.
Disclaimer: all this stupid move towards making classical music something its not is the last desperate attempt at relevance.
The swan song of many an orchestra will be some sort of “Reggaeton/Mariachi/R&B at the symphony” spiel…..
Audiences literally don’t care about this.
A good move would be to dissolve most of these poorly run “organizations” and sell the venue while Real Estate prices are still high…
Spot on there! Just ask yourself who is likely to be able to attend a classical concert. Yes of course, it’s those of more senior years who don’t have to worry about childcare, might just, with luck, have some more disposable income and finally have the time to enjoy it.
That’s not to say that orchestras shouldn’t be trying to find ways of getting more and younger bums on seats but the above scenario is bound to be the norm.
Wrong.
And today (yesterday actually)was Hilary Hahn’s 44th birthday! She’s letting her hair go gray but the general consensus is that her artistry and musicality continue to deepen. Of course she has been performing since she was 4. And 40 years is plenty of time to hone your craft especially if you are brilliant and a sublime being.
Except that the same Philadelphia Orchestra has arduously embraced the new agenda. The results are as you described.
As used to regularly go to Philly to attend a few concerts each season. This past season however, I only attended the Blomstedt concert, and in the new season I see no reason why I should make the journey.
And I am not saying that with any pleasure. Rather, with deep regret. The orchestra sounded fabulous under Blomstedt. But with their programming agenda, there is nothing that justifies spending my money.
The San Francisco Symphony also sounded glorious under Blomstedt, but the chattering class of SF decided he wasn’t glamorous enough, so he was out and Michael Tilson Thomas was in. During MTT’s first season, the orchestra was playing so loudly my ears hurt. The wretched choices of new pieces didn’t help either. I gave up my season ticket in favor of an occasional treat. Blomstedt may not glitter, but he is the gold standard on unified and thoughtful orchestral playing.
What is Philly playing that you don’t like?
I said that I like Philly’s playing. I don’t like their programming.
That’s why Mr. Rogers wrote “what” and not “how!”
Thats the same thing. What are they performing/programming that you don’t like?
No one criticizes a theatre company for doing Shakespeare, no one criticizes a ballet company for doing Swan Lake, nobody criticizes a museum from showing Rembrandt, but as soon as an orchestra plays Beethoven, we’re accused of favoring “dead white guys.”
Not “as soon”. Literally its the only things orchestras play. Year in- year out.
But maybe you missed all that while you were sleeping in your seat….
To quote Junior Soprano: “Some people are so far behind in the race that they think they’re winning.”
Ballet companies have long been much more adventurous in embracing contemporary works and choreographers than orchestras with contemporary composers. And nobody has ever complained that they’re alienating their core audience. In fact, if you ever go to the ballet, you’ll see that audience tends to be much younger and diverse than orchestras.
All the major museums spend huge amounts of money on commissioning and acquiring new art. They don’t ignore living artists. And many make it a point to increase their collections by nonwhite male artists.
Shakespeare companies perform much more than Shakespeare. In fact, you may want to reinforce your fainting coach for what I’m about to tell you: This fall the Royal Shakespeare Company is performing a play described as a “queer cowboy show.”
Your ignorance about other art forms embracing diversity and contemporary voices just illustrates my point about the bubble that the classical music world lives in.
Thank you Larry for making this point so well.
Theaters and ballet companies are indeed criticized for these things.
As a matter of fact, there are extensive debates in museums over DEI, scope, perspectives. But indeed, you are right – museums still show Rembrandt, and orchestras still play Beethoven, the sun still rises in the morning and sets at night. And there is no anti-Beethoven crusade as you seem to imagine.
Yes, they do. That’s why Oregon Shakespeare Festival will be bankrupt by the fall. Radical CRT/DEI killed it.
Please explain how CRT factored into this.
Oh, you can’t? I didn’t think so.
https://open.substack.com/pub/marymcdonaldlewis/p/the-decline-and-fall-of-oregon-shakespeare?utm_source=direct&r=7y4uo&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Thank you very much. This article fully reinforces the truth axiom….go woke and go broke.!
“You’re all (disingenuously) missing the forest for the trees if you don’t see that this is about addressing declining ticket sales. but younger listeners, who are more diverse and care about diversity, want something besides dead white guys.”
I don’t know of a single person that loves classical music that won’t go because “old dead white guys”
If it’s new music you’re talking about….that’s another conversation. Ticket sales declined because they don’t like orchestral music. Not because the orchestral music was written by a certain race.
Who cares what listeners that aren’t interested in classical music think old or young
You’re right. Younger listeners want free tickets. Diversity? It’s available in spades on orchestra concerts. Easy to say diversity is important but not so easy for younger folks to pull out their credit cards and pay the price. The people who say they’ll only attend concerts that are DEI centric are all talk.
The only concerts that sell out in Cleveland are mozart, brahms, and beethoven, and mahler. Literally no one goes to anything else. A modern ‘diverse’ program will have 300 people there. The orchestra is rooted in tradition and performance practice. Maybe if some of the diversity an innovation was actually any good people would go.
I was on the fence about whether or not to attend the League of American Orchestra conference this week, but after closely reading through their agenda and schedule it seemed to not be worth it. It appears that all they care about is equity, inclusion, diversity, and social justice issues but not music. Maybe one day they will realize that they are driving away the core audience of classical music lovers especially among the majority of us who are not minority.
That core audience won’t be alive that long. So they incorporate the work to also attract new audiences.
Per John McWhorter ; what makes the Dei phony’s think there’s a desire for diversity in classical music.
I do agree with you. We are in a mess. Luckily, there are still a few music schools that educate musicians to keep heart and souls
In their mind. Forget the East Coast
Mafia from Boston to Philadelphia.
Whats driving the core of classical music lovers away is that they’re all dying of old age.
How to tune a Viola
And now Apple is trying to gin up excitement over their new classical music channel, or was it Spotify. Well whenever the ones who primarily are in it for the loot (tool spelled backwards btw) they are eager to pick your pocket.
You don’t need a crystal ball to see the further demise of orchestras and retirement of those who perform, especially when the current crop of know nothings and Luddites don’t have a clue between the angry iambic pentameter, and a Shakespeare sonnet.
It’s all about cash on the barrel head and beating empty plastic buckets at Columbus Circle in NYC. They call it music and the media call them artists.
Sounds like I’m having a bummer moment ? Well the current state of affairs calls for the dissection of the corpse.
Well, it’s a bit like complaining that a chef’s recipe book does not include the noun “cooking”. When you buy a cookbook, that’s sort of the baseline expectation – you’ll see talks of tomatoes, grilling, seasoning, spices, but probably very little “cooking”. Same with a conference by the “League of American Orchestras” – you’d expect participants to go beyond the most generic noun possible.
The inclusion statements are apparently all they think they need. Stupidity. Where will marketing be leveraged and funding? People will breathe a sigh of relief based on reassurance thanks to virtue signaling? Admittedly they may discuss all these in their meetings but presenting this public face is pallid and pointless.
League Of American Administrators is more apt. They seem to often forget that it’s the musicians who constitute the pinnacle of the orchestras, not the administrators.
This is all just very sad.
“We welcome divergent views.”
For those of you in the orchestra business, I wouldn’t count on this one, particularly if you diverge in any way from DEI. First thing you know, you’ll be out on your ass.
The music world in the US will be a much better, healthier place when the League of American Orchestras no longer exists.
The old acronym fit better. ASOL
Decades of this group of orchestral admins gathering for a week to breath their own exhaust in pity-party format has not produced significant increases in butts-in-seats. Just another example of the lack of reality that permeates this niche.
Let’s get real! The “strategy document” like a political party’s “platform” is just an operational-guide for the sake of the conference! When everybody goes home, nobody will remember it anyway!!!
Yes they will as the attendees nauseatingly report back on all of their alleged learnings at the first board meeting therafter. But alas, after said bored members fail to demonstrate any real buy in, it goes into the abyss of yet another week of organized stupidity. And audiences are spoon fed nonsense along with bad programming whilst haviing ticket prices increase and donation solicitations / fund raising events and propoganda thrust upon them.
Here’s the thing. I get the need to diversify programming within the context of the tried-and-true core repertoire that everyone loves (or would love, if given the chance). I think we’ve all read the memo on inclusion, support it, and embrace the changing world we live in.
But I’m just tired of being preached to.
When I receive an e-mail from the League, I no longer bother to even scan the subject line, let alone open it. It goes straight into the bin.
Change the track, people. It’s getting really boring.
“Inspired by the artistry in our field. . . .”
Think about the phrasing of that. They seem to regard artistry as good to have, but not necessarily what they’re about.
The strategy document contains references to supporting those who contribute to the orchestral experience and to championing the orchestral field, which somehow seems on point, since this is, after all, the League of American Orchestras. Other statements in the strategy, document reference artistry, programming, and culture, which strikes me as appropriate and encompassing of the work of orchestras, and the interests of those who support them as ticket buyers and funders. Given that the business of orchestras is presenting music, and that orchestral music is amazingly diverse, and spans many cultural experiences, the focus of the article seems a bit nitpicking, and the headline, that the league erased music, is petty and misleading. I’m left with the impression that the authors of the article aren’t happy with the diversity and inclusion language of the strategy document and took backhanded swipe at the league without really stating their concern. There are many rightly focused statements in the strategy document that they might have emphasized, if the authors of the article wanted to give a balanced perspective. Sadly, they chose a negative approach.
Wasn’t the acronym of the League a few decades ago ASOL?
None of this is about audiences for orchestral music — old or new. The executives of big symphony organizations in the US are all about public subsides and concessions, and big city political machines demand these grotesque displays of identity politics (among other thing). Great for executives who get bigger budgets and more autonomy. Bad for everyone else.
May I suggest that you read the plan rather than NL’s mischaracterization of it. The very first focus area stated in the plan is about broadening audiences.
Public subsidies in the US are negligible in size, so if that’s what the execs were “all about,” orchestras would have foundered a long time ago.
“We welcome divergent views, assuming others’ good intent while considering the
impact of our words and actions.” Sounds to me like calling for self-censorship.
Sounds to me like a call for civility, which unfortunately, we can no longer assume people understand or intend to practice.
The League of Middle Managers. Creatively attaching themselves to the orchestra industry, inventing conceptual issues that “must” be addressed, and employing each other to fix the problems they have almost singularly created.
The cultural elite classes have many professionalized parasites. The League is the most obvious, large group of grifters in this industry. Well-intentioned! But actually very destructive.
As a Black American Classical musician and Jazz Band Leader. If you as classical music professionals don’t reach down to professional African American teachers.
And create a mentorship You will never change the orchestras landscape of not being diverse. I don’t want a hand out I want the early opportunities of success for all kids.
Cultural suicide.
The US orchestral scene is largely dead in my opinion and the dearth of management talent is simply too depressing to be believed. A whole lot different now than just ten years ago.
Not sure what the problem is. These seem to be the values of the League, which is the organization that supports orchestras. They don’t put on concerts. They’re an association. So that set of values seems right on for them. And by the way, I am at the conference and the entire content of the opening session was pretty much about the power of music, with two youth orchestras taking the stage too. So yes, I understand that people on this site always love to take cheap shots at anybody who is trying to do good work, but the reality is that this conference is full of people like me who care a lot about music and dedicate their lives to it. So there’s that.
Every orchestra needs a repertoire consultant to help keep concerts interesting, with unfamiliar music audiences would find irresistable. Music directors do not have this expertise, so they just look to see “what the other guys” are doing, and then copy that. That is a recipe for failure. DEI is a recipe for failure. The status quo is a recipe for failure. The only solution is to have repertoire experts who know what music will enliven, refresh, and satisfy audiences available to conductors and music directors. Programming should be fundamentally directed toward meeting the goals of presenting works that are both surprising and pleasing new discoveries.
….unfamiliar music people would find interesting? Who are these people that deem the unfamiliar interesting? Your statement is not even close to being watertight.
As usual, I don’t think you understand this situation at ALL before trashing it. The League is not making some declaration of values for the whole field, it’s stating it’s own operating principles. Which seem to me exactly the kind of work it should be doing.
This is a ridiculous cheap shot. The first sentence of the framework says: “Orchestras continue to thrive across America. Despite the turmoil of the past few years, the art form renews itself and inspires millions of people every year.” While not using the word “music”, this plan is obviously about musical organizations and their art form. Read the whole document, not this cheap shot excerpt.
I would also add that the same document includes the League’s mission statement: “To champion the vitality of music and the orchestral experience…”. It is simply FALSE to allege that music is “erased”. The post is a gross misrepresentation.
The sooner your organization ceases to exist the better off orchestras will be. Thankfully the League’s slide into total irrelevance has been greatly accelerated by its insistence that identity politics are of paramount importance.
It’s amazing to me how hateful people can be toward other people putting their time, energy, and money into the future of orchestras. Good luck convincing the 1,100 folks happily gathering in Pittsburgh that anything going on here is irrelevant. We are having a great time making exciting plans for thriving orchestras.
Hateful? Now Douglas, there’s an ongoing dialogue here about the ASOL’s position paper and its relevance to the field and to audiences. You seem to discount that dialogue – all of it – from the strident to the measured. But a leader should listen. Instead, you read anything that questions your League’s direction and it’s a “cheap shot.” (Your term. You used it twice.) Of all the comments here, the three of yours show the greatest indignation. Dismiss it all, Dougie, at your peril. While you and “1,100 happy folks are having a great time making exciting plans,” there are a lot more of us out here (and not there) also considering the art of all we do, from different and likely more valid perspectives. We’re not there with you in Pittsburgh. And you might want to consider why.
He won’t, of course.
And there it is. Doug is content to whistle past the graveyard, ignore anyone with legitimate criticism, stick his head in the sand, and double down. This behavior is what has lead to the League’s current status as a punchline, and will eventually lead to its demise, which, like I said, is a good thing. So keep it up!
Ever heard of unintended consequences? The concern is over the fallout from this agenda. For example, reformers didn’t start with the idea of inciting a fentanyl epidemic, but such an outcome was a predictable consequence of their actions. Undermine the professional integrity of artistic institutions and dire consequences will ensue. But you don’t have to take my word for it. Look at what is happening at universities all over the country. Look at the politicisation of science. Other sectors that have dabbled in dogmatic versions of DEI are now finding it impossible to contain the runaway conflagration.
Can someone please start playing any music to void out the deft noise of self importance on this entire comment section.
Virtue Signaling at 11. We have achieved lift off.
Xox from Martha’s Vineyard
Orwell meets Beethoven.
“Our orchestras are built on racist foundations, and the music they’ve played is racist, and if you like Beethoven you are complicit in that racism. You should like this Florence Price stuff better, even though it’s mediocre at best but if you point that out you are racist and if the musicians say they don’t like playing it they are racist. Here is a program of unvetted music written by poorly trained composers who don’t know how to write for the instruments. Enjoy!
We are now putting out DEI mission statements on behalf of the musicians we represent even though most of them disagree with it entirely, but we are ramming it down their throats and yours. And if the musicians dare to disagree with it they will have a target put on their backs…
Hey! Where did our audiences go?…”
I attended the League conference in Pittsburgh this week, along with more than 1000 other delegates from orchestras large and small, from the artistic and administrative sides. The Pittsburgh Symphony and two youth orchestras gave outstanding performances and the conversations addressing the future of the orchestra world were both lively and informative.
Why not a report on what actually transpired rather than another pre-emptive swipe again pronouncing the orchestra as dead or dying? I am a cellist from a failed orchestra (Long Island Philharmonic) and have attended the League Conference most years since 2001 but still believe in the future of the art as it evolves. “Ol’ Man Moz Ain’t Dead Yet” as the member orchestras of the League continue to creatively look to the future while conserving the past and while remaining relevant to audiences old and young. Music brings people together, and there are many varieties of it which is why we’re on this site, yes?