The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra is about to get a major financial boost from the federal government. The National Endowment for the Arts will award the BPO a $50,000 grant thanks to $2.6 million in funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The act awards federal grants to 64 orchestras nationwide in an effort to maintain full and part-time administrative and artistic positions at risk due to the current economic downturn.
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At the BPO, the $50,000 grant will support the salaries of 31 part-time musicians for the 2009-2010 season, which is approximately one-third of the musicians the group will hire. Jennifer Koch Gibson, who wrote the grant for the BPO, said the grant frees up funds for their educational concert series, which won the 2008 Leonard Bernstein Award for educational programming.
The federal act and stimulus awards recognize the importance of the arts in every community nationwide. "The arts generate economic activity, create jobs and stimulate regional economies," said Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter. "Especially in Western New York where the arts are an important part of our community, investment in the arts not only strengthens our cultural foundation, but our economy as well," she continued.
The BPO has already released its impressive 2009-2010 schedule, which includes everything from "A Tribute to Motown" and "Bravo Broadway" to "The Nutcracker" and Beethoven's "Symphony No. 9," the season's opener. Dan Hart, the BPO's executive director, said: "We are grateful to the National Endowment for the Arts for this important grant. This grant will secure important employment for our part-time musicians and, at the same time, maintain a high level of artistic integrity in repertoire we will present to audiences next year."
For more information on the BPO's upcoming season and summer concerts, visit their Web site.
I'm glad to see the Philharmonic survive, but it's unfortunate that the orchestra remains stuck playing the same rotation of popular classics like Beethoven's 9th and the various Viennese waltzes. There's another world of modern classical music by living composers that the Philharmonic seems to ignore because local Buffalo audiences aren't adventurous enough to try it. The 2009-2010 schedule includes the work of just one well-known living composer, John Tavener.
I understand the need to fill the seats and the schedule is obviously focused on the Philharmonics's elderly patrons, but has it been able to nurture a new generation of listeners so that it can survive as a Buffalo institution well into the 21st century?
They are featuring a night with Ben "she's a brick" Folds this summer. That concert seems to be selling well.
O'Brien, I know the Philharmonic features modern music and artists -- far too many, in my opinion -- but my comments referred specifically to the classical music genre. (One example, although he's been around for decades, is composer Philip Glass; there are many others less well known, but who are very important to the ongoing evolvement of classical music.) Buffalo audiences are not being exposed to this and that's too bad because Kleinhan's is one of the great interior spaces in the country and is such a proper setting for such great music.
I've seen Philip Glass a few times at UB, but never at Kleinhans. I always thought that Kleinhans would be a better venue for his music.
The BPO did a couple of concerts featuring the works of Pehr Nordgren and Christopher Rouse a few years ago, if I recall. I've been a season ticket holder for decades and the seasons just seem to blend together.
The new vs. old composer debate has been going on for centuries. I don't think that we are going to resolve it on BRO.
I agree.
I reluctantly have to disagree with you: your description of the BPO's repertoire and vision is unfair (and disparaging!). Casual generalizations about the BPO's audience are not going to fuel its cause; orchestras all over the continent are in decline (Toronto is lucky to have one, and Philadelphia's nearly crashed recently), but I doubt this is from a drought of performing the latest contemporary classical music. And as for what new music Buffalo audiences are exposed to, I have three words: June in Buffalo.
The BPO has worked closely with living American composer John Corigliano over the past few years, both in concerts at Kleinhans and in the studio. JoAnn Falletta has recorded, beautifully, music of other twentieth century American composers such as Converse and Griffes. And you know the BPO has enjoyed a taste for new music since the early sixties. To quip that the BPO is all abut waltzes and Beethoven seems facile at best. Do you think the musicians share that judgment? My experience is that on the whole they do not.
And what about the taste and talents of the Director? Falletta has the stamina to manage expansive orchestral works such as Beethoven's ninth. Why should we not relish her strengths? And for a season opening concert, I may be wrong but I think that kids and young adults get a more human and illuminating experience of music with Beethoven than with Glass or Feldman or Tower. The cold fact about contemporary classical music is that so much of it is dreary and self-conscious, like so much current American art. I deeply wish that were not true.
Classical music has almost no presence in most Americans' lives now, and that is partly the result of music that fails its audience and the ideals of timelessness. We don't need "relevant" music or art; we just need music and art.
EricOak, I'm aware of the long history Buffalo has had with the new music scene and I'm also aware of Ms. Faletta's recordings. I'm a fan. Of course, I think an orchestra musician worth their instrument is interested in many genres. My concern is why doesn't the Kleinhans 2009-2010 season reflect that breadth?
The debate goes on about why classical music is in decline, but I think the staid classical world has a lot to do with it. Michael Tilson Thomas did a lot to change that in San Francisco. Essa Pekka Salonen did the same for Los Angeles. They both championed new composers and that brought in the younger audiences. Compare that to the New York Philhamonic that still relies on old favorites.
I disagree with your conclusion about 'timeless' or 'relevant' music because, perhaps excluding Bach and a few other composers, that decision is left for every new generation to decide. (It's the same with art.) I won't debate you about contemporary classical music because it's always a matter of personal taste. I enjoy modern composers and many young people, when given the opportunity, seem to enjoy their works, too. I'm merely saying that Kleinhan's offers little opportunity for that experience and variety. How about trading the schedule's Johnny Mathis and Henry Mancini for a more inclusive repertoire of the classical genre? (Personally, I cannot think of any worse punishment than sitting through a Boston Pops concert so I'm very biased.)
Paul:
I'm not sure what percentage of concert programming in the U.S. is devoted to new composers, but I don't think it's very high anywhere. I know San Francisco's upcoming season has large servings of Mahler, Berlioz, Bach, Chopin: things you might find at a BPO concert. And I reiterate: the BPO was chosen by John Corigliano to debut some of his new works a couple of years ago. There was ample opportunity to attend the premiere and to buy this recording by the BPO. It was successful as an accent to the BPO's somewhat more canonical repertoire base. But the composers you mention and their works still speak to the largest segment of people who will pay for classical music. You argue that the new composers bring in new audiences. I'd like to see the sales figures to support that. If it were simply a matter of programming new music to get a bigger, fresher audience, I think you'd see a lot of orchestras scrambling to do that. They're not.
So to survive they have to rely on some traditional repertoire, and that's where wonderful events like June in Buffalo, or the numerous smaller chamber groups in Buffalo fill the niche demands for contemporary classical music. The pops concerts are depressing, I agree, but the pops genre has always been a part of the American musical fabric. It pays a lot of bills these days as fewer people have the attention span to listen to a longer symphonic or instrumental piece.
But I still don't see how anyone could feel they've exhausted Beethoven. Or Mahler, or Chopin, or Brahms. As long as there is opportunity to hear both new music and older repertoire, as there is in Buffalo, I don't think we need to fret too much about the relative infrequency of new classical music being performed at Kleinhans.