Two major events in the art world this month – Art Basel and the Venice Biennale. But though one’s a commercial art fair and the other’s an “aesthetic” exercise, they’re not so different. “While Venice is about discovering and appreciating new art and is ostensibly aloof from the market, commercial interests are never too far from the surface. Reputations are made and deals are done behind the scenes that impact directly on the market. Basel, on the other hand, is unquestionably about money, but aspires more and more to be about culture and education, to be like a biennale.”
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Those Wacky Wikis…
Interactivity is the new buzzword of the young, hip, and terminally self-absorbed, and the results are decidedly mixed. The Los Angeles Times recently abandoned traditional editorials in favor of an interactive “wiki-torial” page, which was almost immediately flooded with abuse, spam, and porn come-ons. Other supposedly serious “wiki” pages remain densely clogged with stupidity, and even the original Wikipedia (an encyclopedia written by its readers) is notoriously unreliable. The lesson, says Alex Beam, is that there is still room in the online world for people who are actually skilled at what they do, and sucking up to the masses doesn’t actually make them any smarter.
Multifunctional Overdrive?
Will the ubiquitous iPod become obsolete in the face of new cell phone technology? At least two companies are hoping so, as they gear up for the release of a major direct-to-phone music service next year. The companies, Napster and Ericsson, say the service will allow users to download music directly to their phones, or to transfer collections back and forth between the phone and a computer. Of course, phones are getting awfully bulky with features these days, what with all the cameras and games and ring tones and videos, and a lot of consumers still seem to want a phone that just makes phone calls, and an MP3 player that just plays music.
Illegal Downloads Don’t Come With Popcorn, Either
A new series of ads intended to combat online piracy in the UK is taking an interesting approach: encouraging viewers to see more films in the theatre, “the way they are meant to be seen.” The hope is that reacquainting viewers with the higher quality of theatrical projection will make them less likely to download bootleg copies of the film made available online. The ads will begin running in theatres as trailers to summer blockbuster movies within a few weeks.
More Good News From Alberta
For the third year in a row, the Edmonton Symphony has balanced its budget and increased ticket sales. The announcement comes as the orchestra is ending its season under the leadership of new music director Bill Eddins, an appointment which has led to some serious national exposure for the previously troubled ensemble. The 2001-02 season was marred by a bitter strike and the removal of a popular music director, but since then, the ESO has never run a deficit, and sales have been increasing steadily.
Kansas City Performing Arts Center – Shouldn’t Someone Have Vision?
Why has Kansas City’s performing arts center stalled at the planning stage? Paul Horsley thinks he knows: the culprit is “the musical illiteracy of Kansas City’s political, economic and even intellectual elite… The malaise embraces more than boardrooms and government offices. It infects the city’s media outlets. A recent radio program devoted to discussing the PAC’s future had not one arts person present. To this panel of bureaucrats and business heads, the center was a structure, a shell designed to generate revenue and make Kansas City look snazzy.” Nonetheless, the city appears poised to embrace a watered-down renovation plan…
No Need To Fear, Underdog Is Here!
As a general rule, principal positions in major symphony orchestras are not filled by complete unknowns. A musician hoping to become principal viola of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, for instance, would generally need to have a) some experience as a principal in a lesser orchestra, or b) a position as a sub-principal in a comparable orchestra in order to have a realistic shot at winning. All of which makes the story of Shannon Farrell not only rare, but downright inspiring to other musicians on the audition circuit. Farrell, the 7th chair section violist of the Louisville Symphony, marched into St. Louis this month hoping to sharpen her skills with a tough audition, and walked away with one of the preeminent orchestral jobs in the U.S.
Do We Have Too Much Choice?
During the last couple of decades, the American economy has undergone a variety revolution. Instead of simply offering mass-market goods, businesses of all sorts increasingly compete to give consumers more personalized products, more varied experiences, and more choice. As the number of choices keeps growing, negative aspects of having a multitude of options begin to appear. As the number of choices grows further, the negatives escalate until we become overloaded. At this point, choice no longer liberates, but debilitates. It might even be said to tyrannize.”
Canada Considers Tougher Copyright
Canada’s government is introducing new copyright legislation that could significantly change online habits. “Dubbed Bill C-60, the proposed legislation is a package of amendments to the Copyright Act. It covers file-sharing, downloading and burning copies of CDs and movies. Under the changes, making a CD for personal use would remain legal. However, a so-called “make available” clause would criminalize putting songs into shared online directories such as Kazaa or BitTorrent.”
Does Cleveland Orchestra Deserve A Different Conductor?
The Cleveland Orchestra is playing better than ever. “Being bowled over by these musicians is nothing new, and we should never take them collectively for granted. But an orchestra and music director should be regarded as a synergistic partnership. In the case of Franz Welser-MÖst, who recently ended his third season at Severance Hall as music director, the artistic chasm has widened to the point where even critics from out of town are noting the inequality. Why do so many Welser-MÖst performances with the Cleveland Orchestra leave more than a few listeners frustrated and ambivalent? How long can an orchestra go on with a music director who seems unwilling, or unable, to bring distinctive personality to the music he leads?”