All posts filed under: news

#45

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I read about #39 in history books. Though I have distinct memories from the 80’s, #40 came and went in the fog of my preteen years. #41 taught me the power of patriotism, yellow ribbons, and pride in my country.  #42 arrived during my coming of age years and helped me grow my progressive roots. I found my political voice when #43 was in office and it marked the first time I remember bonding over politics with my father.  Both of my children came into this world during #44, thank you for making the world a better place for my children. 40 years of Presidential power.  40 years of life. Every single moment fleeting.

The Best Buy Cavern

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If you’re a tech geek like me, you love Best Buy and all their latest gadgets.  This weekend, I ventured into Best Buy looking for a new digital camera.  As I walked into the store, I thought, “Wow, this place is empty, it must be a new Best Buy.”  Then, it hit me, what once was a store filled with 20+ aisles of CD’s, and DVD’s had been replaced by just 2-3 rows.  What’s more, the instrument store—an area that once sold acoustic guitars, drum sets, and recording gear—had a big sign over its door marked “clearance.”  Best Buy is also phasing out the musical instrument portion of its stores.  They simply can’t compete with the likes of Amazon (online advantage), Guitar Center (niche), and Sam Ash (niche). Up until a few years ago—when most movies and music moved from store racks to online—I was drawn to the rows and rows of CD’s.  Why not, they sold CD’s for several dollars less than every other competitor.   It’s a smart business model on the part …

The Classical Music Fiscal Cliff—Part I

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Our country is quickly approaching another fiscal cliff.  Yikes.  When I hear those words, I always imagine a movie from the 1930’s, the hero—dangling by mere fingertips—tries to avoid her imminent demise, all while the villain laughs mercilessly as the scene plays out.  Fortunately, 100% of the time, the hero miraculously claws her way out of the situation, completely averting danger.  Translate that to our current situation in congress and I think we might actually have a dialogue in the coming weeks that’s productive. (This coming from the eternal optimist.) I’ve been thinking about our nation’s financial situation and, more importantly, about those of us trying to carve out a living in the arts.  While it’s disappointing, I’m not surprised to see the number of 52 week orchestras shrinking, or facing contract negotiations that greatly reduce base salaries.  In the world of classical music, I think it’s safe to say that we’re in the middle of a edge-of-our-seat fiscal cliffhanger. Here is the classical music fiscal cliff as I see it.  We have an over-saturation …