Klarinet Archive - Posting 000351.txt from 1994/11

From: Donald Oehler <dloehler@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Orchestra
Date: Thu, 24 Nov 1994 22:36:21 -0500

On Wed, 23 Nov 1994, Matthew Snyder wrote:

> > Matt,
> >
> > Even if the symphony orchestra is a dinosaur, it is something that should be
> > preserved. I hope I'm not to assume you advocate its extinction.
> >
> > Steve Prescott
> > Instrument Rep. Tech/Clarinetist
> > Indiana State Univ.
> >
>
> Steve-
> Oh, no, I don't advocate its extinction, I just think two things:
> a) if it insists on living in the past, as it is doing now, it is
> providing for its own extinction
> and
> b) I think it at least has a fighting chance for survival if it
> really, honestly tries to do new orchestral music. It just has to
> try LOTS and LOTS of it, to try to find orchestral music of TODAY.
>
> But, that obviously isn't happening, and we're watching the slow demise
> of the orchestra in this country. If orchestral musicians are really
> interested in preserving the orchestra, they should be urging their
> employers to look seriously at trying to do more modern music, not all of
> which is inaccessible to today's audiences. If they are only interested
> in playing Mozart, Beethoven, etc., work will be harder and harder to come
> by (as it already is, with orchestra's everywhere folding).
>
>
> Matt Snyder
> hsnyder@-----.edu
>
Matt;

I came to North Carolina(UNC) in 1970 from an orchestra position. At that
time the NC Symphony had only a core of professional players. Of course
now it has a budget of a major orchestra with about 70 full time players
and a full season and summer season. In addition, the Charlotte Symphony
in 1970 was mainly local teachers - it is now full time, etc. Since 1970
we now have the Greensboro Symphony, the Piedmont Chamber Orchestra and
Winston Salem Orchestra, the St. Stephen's Chamber Orchestra (we just did
a CD - new music!)) the Durham Symphony and Raleigh Symphony and a raft
of orchestras across the state. I think the last count was 25 active
orchestras. Orchestras have always struggled - I know! - but from where
I see things it's not so bad. I don't think N.C. is really much
different than other states. Our(US) long time major orchestras are still
there, after all these years, and the performance level of all the many
other large city orchestras has gone up tremendously since I was a
student. Every major city across Canada now has a good professional
orchestra, too. That wasn't the case just a few years ago.
D. Oehler