Buffalo Philharmonic Considers Branding Overhaul

“On the eve of a new season, which starts on Sept. 17, the orchestra is polling its subscribers, supporters and community leaders, among others, as it considers rebranding itself and creating a new logo. … Survey questions include the frequency that people attend BPO concerts and whether it is for the traditional classics series or its Pops or Rock shows.”

Why WebTV (Remember WebTV?) Was Doomed

“Terrible product ideas are a dime a dozen, but what about ideas that are fascinating, and perhaps executionally sound, but conceptually flawed? How often do they come about? And how often is it that they stick around the market for 17 years, despite fairly limited public interest? … On September 18, 1996 – 20 years ago this week – a startup firm released a device that meant to bring the internet to the living room.”

Royal Ballet’s New Principals Say YouTube Is Making It Harder To Wow Audiences

“The rise of YouTube and the internet have made it more difficult than ever to impress the viewing public, the dancers have said, as they are expected to perform ever-more gymnastic feats to keep up with what people can see online.” Says one, Alexander Campbell, “I think there’s a video of a Chinese acrobat standing en pointe on someone’s head, and that’s incredible. So if you come and see someone en pointe on a massive floor, it doesn’t have that same excitement.”

Why Virtual Reality Has Huge Potential For Music

“Outside of games, music is almost certainly the most popular content type in VR right now, which makes sense both technically—right now, VR’s best for quick viewing periods, about the length of your average song—and creatively. Both formats trade in experiences, connection, and immersion. You don’t go to a concert for the sound quality; you go to be part of something.”

South America’s Favorite New Telenovelas Are Coming From — Turkey

“Dubbed into Spanish and Portuguese, [What is Fatmagul’s Fault?] has been a big hit across South America over the past year. In Argentina alone, episodes are viewed by more than 12 million people. And the show is far from a one-off, with a growing number of Turkish TV dramas among the most watched programmes across the continent.”

Redeveloping Chicago’s South Side With Art

“It roots itself in unlikely places like a once-dilapidated bank that hadn’t been active in more than 30 years, a recently shuttered currency exchange office, a retired beer warehouse, and a housing complex that had been shuttered after the city couldn’t find a way to stymie the violence that had permeated the site. This constellation of projects is the brainchild of Theaster Gates.”