[Dixielandjazz] The trouble with "Art" music

[Stephen G Barbone]

This is what happens when musicians ignore the loss of audience, and simply complain about the hoi polloi not appreciating art. The payback for years of not properly marketing their musical product and gaining new audience is bankruptcy and the resultant cost cutting.  


The Philadelphia Orchestra ignored the problem for years to a point where they now must cut salaries, eliminate pension costs (which the public now picks up) etc. so that as the Chairman says below; “we are now well positioned to rebuild our audiences, rebuild our donor base and grow our endowment.”

Now just why in hell didn't the previous Chairman rebuild his audience, rebuild the donor base and grow the endowment? Perhaps he was too busy complaining to actually DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. 

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband


Bankruptcy Court Gives Blessing to Philadelphia Orchestra Reorganization

By Randy Kennedy - NY Times -June 28, 2012
The Philadelphia Orchestra, which filed for bankruptcy last year, jolting the classical music world, announced on Thursday that its reorganization plan had been approved by a federal bankruptcy court and that it expects to emerge from Chapter 11 by the end of July.

The filing on April 16, 2011, was unprecedented among the country’s major orchestras; several smaller orchestras have faced similar trouble in recent years. The Philadelphia Orchestra had endured years of declining ticket sales and donations, causing mounting losses. It saw the filing as a way to eliminate pension costs and uncertainties as well as reduce musician salaries and operating bills.

Richard B. Worley, chairman of the Philadelphia Orchestra Association, said in a statement that, with the plan’s approval by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, “we are now well positioned to rebuild our audiences, rebuild our donor base and grow our endowment.”