Discover Your Best @ EMF!

The Holiday Season is upon us...starting with the best holiday ever (in my humble opinion) - Thanksgiving!  What do you have to be thankful for this year?  I, for one, am thankful for Eastern Music Festival on so many levels!

While you're home over the holiday break, trying to procrastinate on any homework and studying you may have to do, check out Eastern Music Festival's 2011 Student Catalog.  You can write to us (info@EasternMusicFestival.org or Melissa@EasternMusicFestival.org) for a physical copy of the brochure or you can check it out online, in pdf or flash.  The flash version is fun, because you can actually flip the pages of the catalog.  (Am I the only one who is easily entertained by this fact?) 

Here's the link to the pdf version as well as the flash version.  The catalog has all of the information about studying at EMF this upcoming season, including a little peek at a few of our guest artists!  (Hint...if you can't wait until January for the official announcement then read through the catalog!)  Even though our office will be closed Thursday and Friday, if you have any questions go ahead and email or call and we'll be sure to get back to you on Monday! 

Last year the students were phenomenal and I know that this year they'll only get better.  EMF is the best summer music camp in the country - period!  If you don't believe me, ask our young artists :) 

And for future reference, we are going to use this blog as both for our Young Artists as well.  Whenever Melissa, the Director of Admissions, has anything she'd like me to discuss in detail, I'll post it here with a link on Facebook.  We encourage you to interact, so feel free to comment both on Facebook as well as the blog. 

Have a great Thanksgiving and be safe over the holiday weekend!

Random Thoughts on Random Acts of Culture

Earlier this week, I posted a video to our Facebook profile page featuring the Opera Company of Philadelphia and over 650 area choristers.   The video featured a “Random Act of Culture” in the downtown Macy’s department store – most people would describe the “Random Act” as a flash mob.  “Random Act of Culture” refers to the program initiated by the Knight Foundation (www.knightarts.org). 

According to their website,”The program [Random Acts of Culture] is in its first year, and emerging areas of interest include digitization of museum collections, development of arts incubator spaces, arts contests in which all community members are eligible for funding and a Random Acts of Culture program that brings fine art to the population and breaks down barriers that prevent consistent engagement in the arts.”  It’s centered in eight different regions: Akron, OH; Charlotte, NC; Detroit, MI; Macon, GA; Miami, FL; Philadelphia, PA; San Jose, CA; and St. Paul, MN.  Lucky for us to be so near one of the cities!  I’m off to the Panthers game this weekend and I’m really hoping a “Random Act” is performed somewhere in the tailgating parking lots!  If you haven’t seen the videos of Opera Carolina performing some “Random Acts,” there’s one embedded below.  I’ve also embedded the Philadelphia event, because you just really can’t get enough.

I just learned of this great new program the Greensboro Grasshoppers have started for their 2011 season.  It’s called “Guarantee to Give – the Hoppers Playoff Pledge” and it’s a great way to support your favorite charity in Greensboro while supporting our MiLB team!  How it works is this: when an individual or business purchase season tickets to the Grasshoppers, they pick a charity/nonprofit of their choice.  At the end of the season, names of season ticket holders and sponsors will be drawn at random.  If the Grasshoppers make it to the playoffs in 2011, $100,000 will be donated to charity, meaning that 20 names are drawn at random and the 20 charitable groups listed will receive $5,000 each.  If the Hoppers don’t make the playoffs, then $50,000 will be donated to charity; 10 charities would receive $5,000 each.  How great of an idea is this!  Of course I want everyone to suggest EMF as their nonprofit of choice, but there’s no denying that this is a win-win for the entire Greensboro community.  I love seeing the community support one another! But, if you or your friends/family/business are going to be purchasing season tickets, please specify Eastern Music Festival as your nonprofit of choice!

One more plug…Gift Certificates!  Thanksgiving is upon us which means that so is Black Friday.  Here’s my suggestion…instead of fighting those crazy crowds, give the gift of Music to your friends and family this year.  You can purchase EMF Gift Certificates for any amount you wish, and when its Festival time the recipient can apply the gift certificate to any performance they wish.  Sounds like a perfect gift to me!

Here’s the form for gift certificates…or just call down to the office 336.333.7450 ext 32.

YouTube...is Back :)

After some...frustrating months trying to figure out the old EMF YouTube login information, I finally decided it was a pointless and threw my hands in the air in defeat.  My history background doesn't let me stop mid-research without finding an answer - even if I have to 'make up' an answer - so I finally decided I'd just create an entirely new YouTube account and page.  By having the new camera, and in turn the new YouTube page, I will be able to upload clips of EMF performances, guest artists and more!  I am really excited about the possibilities...assuming I learn how to hold my hand still when filming (reminder to myself: buy a tri-pod).  In the meantime, you can check out the new video I posted of Eric Robertson's Listening Room performance on 10/30.  I also "Favorited" (I love how social media allows me to make up words...friended, favorited) the three videos our old account has posted.  And when I master Dreamweaver a little better, I can embed them in the website too :)

EMF's NEW YouTube Page

Until then check us out at EMFGreensboro!

Otherwise, things are moving along just fine over here at headquarters.  It's that part of the year when we're working on sponsors, advertisers and artists....and since I can't tell you guys anything about who is coming, I have to distract you with pretty and entertaining "fun facts."  YES to Samantha, that is Wynton Marsalis pictured in the photo from the last blog.  He was a student/young artist at EMF and later returned as guest artist.  More on Wynton in later blogs!

If you live in Greensboro, you may have checked out the Greensboro Opera's performance of Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) this past Saturday evening.  It was my first opera (well, aside from The Phantom of the Opera, of course!) and I really enjoyed it!  I took along five friends as well, only one of whom was proficient in "opera," and they also had a blast.  Minus the two noisy kids next to me, the performance was great; the Greensboro Symphony sounded amazing as well.  And I just heard that the movie theatre over at Friendly Shopping Center will be showing the MET HD Performances...I'll be featuring them in our Musical News as they arise, so no worries!  You'll be kept up-to-date!  Saturday, Nov 13th at 1pm they'll be showing Don Pasquale. 
 
Keep thinking about questions you'd like to ask Gerard Schwarz!  I know that more than two of you out there have questions you'd like him to answer...otherwise, have a great weekend!

Preview

Getting to Know You....

Can you believe that it might possibly snow in the mountains of North Carolina today/tomorrow?!  After (what seemed like) 100 years of 90 degree weather, we’ve just skipped right over autumn and dove straight into winter…good thing I like snow!

I don’t have any EMF-FF’s for today but I do have a big homework assignment – I want to know what YOU would like to know about/from/concerning Maestro Gerard Schwarz.  The blog is a perfect place to feature a Q&A, so why not start with the man himself?  Later on I’d love to do Q&A’s with members of our faculty, staff, guest artists, young artists, and alumni.

So, here’s your assignment.  Via email (carrie@EasternMusicFestival.org), blog (see the “comment” section below), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/EMFGreensboro), send me up to two questions you would like Maestro Schwarz to answer.  Also, if there is someone you’d like to see included in the future, or something specific about EMF that you’d like to know, feel free to let me know that as well!

In the meantime…I’ll leave you with a photo from the 1970’s/1980’s (I’m not quite sure which…we’ll go with early 80’s).  Do you recognize the trumpet player in this photo? 

 

2010: A Technology Odyssey

Today is a great day at EMF…if you’re the Marketing Director, that is!  Thanks to UPS, our new Flip Video has arrived just in time for Eric Robertson’s Listening Room performance tomorrow night.  (At the UpStage Cabaret at Triad Stage, Tix: $10.  Call down there now and get your tickets!)

I have big plans for the Flip...recording audience feedback, student interviews, Q&A's with guest artists and conductors, faculty interviews and clips from our various performances.  I played around with it and uploaded a video of my office to my personal YouTube page and was shocked at how easy it was!  I literally plugged the Flip into the computer and clicked three buttons and ta da!  Video on YouTube.  For a 27 year old I'm slow with technology, but man even I can't mess that process up.  This is going to help you guys get closer connected to EMF throughout the season(s) - and hopefully you'll be able to learn more about our students and artists.

Tomorrow at Triad Stage don't be surprised to see me running around with this thing...despite being a practical marketing tool it's a really awesome gadget and I think it's going to be a fun one for the entire office.  When you see me with it, stop by and share with me what EMF means to you!

Sinatra, Muse AND Rachmaninoff?

Tomorrow kicks off The Listening Room – a new concert series presented by EMF and Triad Stage.  I’ve talked about The Listening Room in posts before so I won’t repeat the same information again, but this event is going to be stellar - if you haven’t gotten tickets to Saturday’s performance, then you better get on it!  Well…maybe I’ll overload you with the information just ONE more time….

Laurelyn Dossett with Scott Manring AND Anne and Pete Sibley
UpStage Cabaret at Triad Stage
Saturday, October 23 at 8:00pm
Tickets: $20

…and don’t forget that the Listening Room will feature Eric Robertson of the Boston Boys on October 30th.  Here’s a link to their website so you can learn more about Eric.  If you’re like me and you’d rather your ears do the work, check out their YouTube page instead.  This isn’t my EMF-FF for the day, but it’s a pretty good FF nonetheless (that’s Fun Fact for those of you new to the blog).  Eric was a member of the Beautiful Star band back in 2006, when the play premiered at Triad Stage, alongside Rhiannon Giddens of the Carolina Chocolate Drops.  Now…go buy your ticket!  I’ll be at the show on the 30^th (unfortunately I have to miss the 23^rd do to a previously scheduled wedding) so you’d better be there too!  It’s Halloween Weekend…why wouldn’t you want to be downtown for some good music and a little pointing-and-laughing at crazy costumes?

And now the moment you’ve been waiting for…a little EMF-FF!  This past season, pianist Barry Douglas performed Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, op. 18 (below).  If you were there, or if you’ve heard the piece before, you might have noticed that it sounded kind of “familiar”.  Listening to Barry Douglas performing on July 10, 2010 was my first introduction to Rachmaninoff’s second concerto, so you can imagine my surprise when I started imagining Celine Dion singing along.  Well, I wouldn’t have been too far off!  In 1975, Eric Carmen composed “All By Myself,” which was inspired by the Adagio Sostenuto (second movement).  If Celine Dion and Eric Carmen aren’t your cup of tea, then no worries – Frank Sinatra and the rock band Muse also have songs which were inspired by this piece!  Sinatra’s songs “I Think of You” and “Ever and Forever” were influenced by the Moderato; “Space Dementia (below),” Butterflies and Hurricanes,” “Megalomania,” and “Ruled by Secrecy” by Muse each contain quotes from the Moderato as well.  Click the links and see for yourself!

No Vivaldi in the Garage

It’s a gorgeous autumn Friday and from what I hear, this weekend is going to equally as beautiful.  I don’t know about you guys, but I was ready for fall temperatures back on September 1^st!  The EMF offices were busy this past week – I’ve been meeting people and organizations EMF works with or would like to work with, just introducing myself as the “newbie” and learning the ropes.  Melissa has been making updates to the School pages on the website and they look amazing!  New photos and updated information…go check it out when you have a spare moment.

I’m glad to hear you guys liked the EMF-FF from last week.  Today I wanted to share a little bit about Sheldon “Shelly” Morgenstern, the founder of Eastern Music Festival.  (So really, you’re getting a handful of FF’s in one!)  Recognizing the importance of orienting the study of music toward the student rather than the teacher, as was the tradition, Shelly sought to create a music camp that would put the needs of the music student first.  In 1961 he founded “the Guilford Musical Arts Center,” as it was then known, at Guilford College.  With a budget of $22,000, the first season featured 14 faculty members and 72 students. 

Shelly was well-known throughout the world, as both a former member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and as a respected guest conductor throughout Europe, especially in countries formerly behind the Iron Curtain.  He led the Eastern Music Festival as conductor and music director for 36 years, retiring in 1998. 

  

In 2001, Morgenstern published a book entitled “No Vivaldi in the Garage: A Requiem for Classical Music in North America.”  A proponent of music education and an outspoken critic of performing arts boards, the book discusses everything from Shelly’s biography to his views on outspoken boards, arts political groups, and what he viewed as an “increasing mediocrity of classical music.”  According to Amazon.com, “In a work rich with colorful anecdotes about family, friends, and colleagues, Sheldon Morgenstern reflects on his childhood in Cleveland, Ohio, summers at the Brevard Music Festival, and years at Northwestern University. He recounts his experiences playing French horn in the Atlanta Symphony, studying conducting at the New England Conservatory, his long tenure as artistic director at the Eastern Music Festival at Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina, and performances as guest conductor with dozens of orchestras around the world…. Filled with vivid behind-the-scenes descriptions and highlighting such well-known figures as Leonard Bernstein, Glenn Gould, Wynton Marsalis, and others, No Vivaldi in the Garage offers a refreshingly candid insider's perspective on the classical music scene.”  The book is still for sale and – no kidding – I’m going to Barnes and Noble's to find it tonight!  

Sheldon Morgenstern passed away from stomach cancer in 2007 in Geneva, Switzerland – just a few miles from his home in Collognes, France, where he moved upon retiring from EMF.  

I hope I didn't end this EMF-FF on a downer, but Shelly was definitely an amazing guy.  Most of his family still live in the area and are active with EMF…at the next EMF concert you attend, say a little “Thank You” to Shelly for founding such a great organization and school! 

Enjoy your weekend!